NO. 651 MAKE IT YOUR OWN

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim 2:15)

Whatever you hear on Television or Radio; whatever you read in newspapers or books regardless of from whence and from whom it came, it is not yours. If it is from a presenter, speaker, writer, preacher, evangelist, politician, catechism or whatever, even if it appeals to you, it is not yours. No matter how much it may appeal take it under advisement, do not accept it – yet. Do your own carefully organized, in fact scientific investigation until you are thoroughly convinced it is the truth. Only then, consider it a valid theory that you might accept, though it requires further study. Do not be like sheep following a leader right off the cliff – “Ours not to reason why, ours but to do and die.” After you discover the truth, make it your own.

Study the scriptures

“All Scripture, divinely inspired, is indeed profitable for Teaching, for Conviction, for Correction, for that Discipline which is in Righteousness; so that the MAN of God may be complete, thoroughly fitted for Every good Work.” (2 Tim 3:16,17 Diaglott)

Read these verses in the KJV and other translations to compare. Check Comments and at least one of the exhaustive or analytical concord­ances. Remember the Scriptures in your language are not the Holy Scriptures but a translation, and it may contain errors which the Lord God has permitted, so only the truly committed FIND THE TRUTH and make it their own.

“Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” (Gen. 5:2) The family head was the male.

Adam created from the substance of the earth

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen. 2:7)

He did not say that man came forth as had other living creatures and vegetation of the earth. This shows that man was a special and direct crea­tion of the “LORD God.” The Creator did not install within Adam an Immortal Soul in this text or in any other of the Holy Scriptures. Adam “became” a living soul. The word in Hebrew is Nephesh (mean­ing a breathing creature) derived from naphash meaning to breath. When life goes out of a person, the soul dies and the body decays back to the substance from which it was made. The Creator loses nothing. HE still has the dust from which man was created and the power, wisdom, justice and love to recreate him.

“God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them”. (Gen. 1:27)

Eve was created from the substance of Adam (his rib Gen 2:22) to be his companion and the two combined were “The Adam.”

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” (Gen. 1:28) The English word replenish, which means “to re-fill”, is translated from the Hebrew word mawlay, which means “fill.” God made man the ruler of the earth, one of the aspects of man’s image of his Maker.

Notice that Adam and Eve did not conceive children until after they had received the death sentence from the Creator for disobedience to God’s Law. So Adam’s offspring inherited the dying, thou

shalt die sentence imposed upon him and all of us – his progeny. This death sentence was rendered upon Adam for his disobedience to the one law God gave him. “...in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen 2:17) Surely die? No mention of eternal torment here or anywhere else in the Holy Scriptures.

The single law given to Adam was simple and entirely possible for the inexperienced first man to understand and obey and it had a very clear penalty.

more thoughts on beliefs

The atheist exhibits an amazingly enormous credulity in his belief that there is no God; the uni­verse created itself and the subsequent appearance of intelligent life was simply a biological accident. My how they do light up the sky with their so-called “science”!

Albert Einstein, perhaps the greatest scientist of the 20th century, named “person of the century” by Time Magazine said, “My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.” Imagine if this man had devoted his wondrous mind to discovering the truth about God and his plan for mankind?

The United   States is said by some to be the most religious nation in the world, but the most ignorant concerning its beliefs – A slam to religious orthodoxy?

Christopher Hitchens, the famous British auth­or, critic and commen­tator, now a resident of USA, wrote the book God Is Not Great. It was near the top of best sellers’ lists for a number of weeks. We have not read it since assuredly the god he is writing about is the god of “orthodox” religions.

He will not have written about the God of the prophets of the Old Testament nor the God of Jesus and his apostles of the New Testament. These testify to The Heavenly Father’s main characteristics – Power, Wisdom, Justice and Love. We know he didn't write about this God, because he doesn't know anything about him. He has never made a “scientific” study of HIS inspired Books. The god he writes about is not great because he is the god of this present evil world (Gal 1:4) and is designated “...the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” (Eph 2:2)

v24“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.

v25Neither is worshiped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; v26And 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; v27That 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

 v28“For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are his offspring. v29Forasmuch then as we are the 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. V30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: v31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he had ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. v32And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.” (Acts 17:24-32)

 “All scripture divinely inspired, is indeed profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for that discipline which is in righteousness: so that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly fitted for every good work.”  (2 Tim. 3:16-17, Diaglott)

“For I would not, brethren, [Spiritual Israel] that ye should be ignorant of this mystery,[Secret] lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, [temporary blindness] until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom 11:25)

“Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God [Ignorance alienates from God] through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:” (Eph 4:18)

WHEN GOD WAS ALONE!

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” (Psa. 90:2)

 “I am the LORD: [personal name of the Almighty GOD] that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, [The Son never sought and never will seek to be equal to the Father’s Glory, but always to add to it.]  neither my praise to graven images.” (Isa. 42:8)

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, [Not three] of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” (1 Cor. 8:6)

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.” (Deut. 6:4)

These and other Scriptures tell us of a personal God, the Father or Life-Giver of all, the Great One who inhabiteth Eternity. St. Paul declares that to the heathen “there be gods many, and lords many, but to us there is but one God, the Father,” (1Cor 8:5,6) and one appointed Agent of His in dealing with humanity one Lord Jesus Christ. “And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:11)

The Scriptures tell us of “the beginning of the creation of God.” Hence there was a time before that beginning of creation when The Almighty God was alone— “He that inhabiteth Eternity.” Not even the great Michael was with Him, the great Messiah, whom God has so highly honored and whom He declares He will still further honor throughout a glorious eternity. He was not with the Father before the beginning of creation; for He Himself was “the Beginning of the creation of God”— “the First-born of every creature.” (Rev. 3:14; Col. 1:15) He was the first expression or manifestation of the Divine attributes (John 1:18).

DIVINE ATTRIBUTES GLORIOUS

This Almighty God, self-centered, self-contain­ed, is ours; the same yesterday, today and forever, HE changes not. Every attribute of the Divine character is the same today as it was millions of years ago but then that same character was unrevealed.

Every step of creation has tended to display the Divine character more and more, and each successive step and development of creation has brought forth new creatures capable of compre­hending the Eternal One. We deem it not unreas­onable to assume that The Lord God’s creative power will continue to be exercised throughout all the unlimited time to come.

Astronomical photography now reveals nearly 125,000,000 suns, around which circle systems such as the one which circles around our sun, and of which our earth is a part. We deem it not un­reas­onable to assume, from the Scriptures, that the great work of ordering all those hundreds of millions of planets stretches forward into eternity. That the work of Divine grace, begun on the planet “Earth,” will be continued throughout the Universe, not only in conjunction with the planetary systems we can discern, but probably with millions of planetary systems too far removed from us to be discerned.

THE PERMISSION OF EVIL

Doubtless Divine methods in connection with other worlds and other inhabitants will display the manifold wisdom of God. For instance, we under­stand the Bible to indicate that while the permission of evil in the earth was wise, it will not necessarily be wise or expedient for any reason to permit a similar reign of Sin and Death in any other of the millions of worlds. That is with their ordering or development and their peopling with glorious crea­tures that will show forth the praises of the great Creator without their passing through experiences with sin and death such as have been permitted in connection with the humanity of earth.

Can we not see a broad reason for the permission of evil on the earth. for the permission of the reign of Sin and Death, which for six thousand years has apparently disgraced the Creator, degraded humanity, astonished the angels and constituted our race a groaning creation? Only when we discern that Messiah’s Kingdom will surely bring order out of this confusion, do we begin to get the proper focus upon our subject and realize something of the greatness of our God.

From the standpoint of the completion of the Divine purposes in connection with humanity, and from that standpoint alone, can we see illustrated Divine Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power. The primary lesson was Justice, which sin brings suffering and eventually death. The second lesson was that of Divine compassion, sympathy-Love. This lesson was mani­fested in the sending of the Redeemer and His subsequent reward of exaltation, and His gathering of an “elect” Church to be His associates in glory and in the blessing of the redeemed race. The Reign of Glory, the Reign of Messiah, soon to be introduced, will lift up poor humanity from sin and sorrow, from degra­dation and death, and give to each and all the fullest opportunity to return to human perfection and to Divine favor and everlasting life. In that work of human resti­tution, which will include the awakening of mankind from the sleep of death, the one great lesson will be the greatness of the Divine Power. It will be exercised through Messiah, the God-like One, the Prince of Life, “the Prince of Glory,” the Redeemer, the Regenerator of Adam and the whole race of mankind, His posterity, who have shared his death sentence.

And finally, from the standpoint of the completion of The Lord God’s great purposes, His dealings with man, will stand revealed the Fore­knowledge and Wisdom of God, who knew the end from the beginning. He foresaw how even the permission of a reign of Sin and Death could be made eventually to work out to His own glory and to the blessing and instruction of His creatures on both the human and the angelic planes. Then will be revealed to all, the glorious character of their Creator, and the necessity for His requirement of absolute righteousness and perfection.

Surely, the result eventually will be as the Scriptures declare, that all shall learn righteousness, and hate iniquity; and that every creature in Heaven and in earth and under the earth shall acclaim both Jehovah, who sitteth upon the Throne of the Universe, and the Lamb, the Redeemer, forever (Rev. 5:13,14).

If we allow ourselves to speculate respecting the future regarding the Divine purposes in relation to the millions of worlds around us, our speculations would run thus: those instructed and used of Yahweh, The Almighty God, in the initial devel­opment of the Divine Plan in the earth, will thereby be fitted and prepared to be the Divine Agents to other worlds. The Great Redeemer and His “elect” associates, after dealing with humanity for their uplift out of sin and death conditions, will surely be qualified for further service in other worlds, to “show forth the praises of Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

And what shall we say of humanity when perfected at the end of Messiah’s glorious Reign? Will not all be well prepared, not only to approve righteousness in themselves, but to tell it in other worlds, to other races. The story of the fall and of the reign of Sin and Death resulting; and of the redemption accomplished by God’s love; of the great restitution and of the lessons learned?

THE UNCHANGEABLE ONE

The qualities of the Divine character which we have just considered—Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power—belonged to our Creator in the great eternity preceding creation. But there was no one at that time to appreciate God. It requires a full view of the perfected Plan of the Ages to make known to any and to all the glory of the Lord. As we have just seen, thus far the secret of the Lord and the glories of His character are known only to His “sons,” begotten of His Holy Spirit. But the time nears when “the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the great deep.” He and His glorious government will then be “the desire of all nations”; “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.” (Hag. 2:7; Isa. 40:5)

St. Paul assures us that every feature of the Divine Plan which we see in process of execution was known to The Lord God from before the foundation of the world. He declares that these things God purposed in Himself before the found­ation of the world. The creative processes, which have been operating for thousands of years, were all surely elaborated in the mind of Jehovah before the creative work began. In that purpose angels had a part —of how many grades we may not surely know, but they are variously designated in the Holy Scriptures as “angels, principalities and pow­ers.” Later came the creation of man, “a little lower than the angels” and crowned with earthly honor, dignity and power, in the image and likeness of his glorious Creator.

These creations varied not in degrees of perfection and imperfection. Each was perfect on its own plane. Each intelligent creature was a free, moral agent, and hence, whether on the angelic or human plane, was created in the likeness of God, unblemished, but with different capacities and abil­ities. Almighty God, infinite in Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power, purposed the orderly exercise of His infinite powers, as a great Father, desirous of giving life and happiness to His creatures.

These intelligent ones were designated “Sons of God” so long as they maintained their attitude of perfect loyalty to Him, their Creator and Father. Not only was it the Divine purpose thus to give pleasure to millions of creatures to be created, but it was also the Divine will to manifest to His creatures His own greatness and the perfection of His own goodness that they might enjoy Him and He enjoy them ever­lastingly.

We are not to understand that Almighty God was lonely in that great Eternity before creation began. On the contrary, human loneliness is largely because of human deficiency. What we lack we seek for in others. But the great Yahweh lacked nothing; He was complete in Himself; He needed not companionship to complete or to supplement His happiness. It was His pleasure to create, that His creatures might have joy by reflecting as a whole His Divine qualities implanted in them.

The wreck of the human race produced by sin He well foreknew. Nor did this wrecking of human hopes defeat, nor was it in danger of defeating, the Divine purpose. It merely demonstrates to angels and to men the graces of the Divine character and shows unto all more fully the qualities of God proper to be appreciated and copied by all His intelligent creatures.

THE SEVEN-SEALED SCROLL

Revelation Chapter 5

In which God illustrates to us His own great personality. When He would show to His creatures how He is working all things according to the counsel of His own will, which He pictured sym­bolically in the Book of Revelation. In that vision the Throne of the Eternal One is graphically por­trayed as the seat of Divine power and authority for the Universe, with angels as ministering spirits. Then is described a scroll, in the right hand of The Lord God, in Divine power and keeping. That scroll, written inside and outside, was “sealed with seven seals,” representing the complete secrecy of the Divine purposes related in that scroll. From before the foundation of the world it had been in the hand (in the power) of The Great Eternal. He had given hints respecting it and had caused it to be symbolized in the Law and to some extent to be described by the Prophets. But still it was a Hidden Mystery; for the Prophets understood not the things which they wrote; nor could any understand them until the Father’s “due time.” (1 Peter 1:10-12)

Not only was the Divine Program thus sealed and safely secreted, but it was the Divine determ­ination that it should be given only to the One who would demonstrate His worthiness to be Yahweh’s honored Agent for the carrying out of those pur­poses, predestinated before the world was. The honor of being the Agent, the Representative of The Great Yahweh, to carry out the Divine purposes, should be disclosed in advance only to the One who would demonstrate His worthiness to be the great Messiah, the great Deliverer, Prophet, Priest, Judge, King of Israel.

High as the Redeemer stood in the Divine counsels and fellowship before he came into the world to be man’s Redeemer, it was not then granted even to Him to know all the mysteries of the Divine Program. But by virtue of His high station, His perfection, His obedience, the privilege was given to Him first to become man’s Redeemer, at the cost of personal humiliation and death; and then, if faithful in this redemptive work, it should be His to be glor­ified, exalted to the Divine nature, and to execute the Divine Program to its completion. First, He must manifest His devotion and loyalty to the Father, before he could be trusted even with the knowledge of the Divine Program for blessing the whole world of mankind.

 “WORTHY IS THE LAMB”

All this is declared in the account. (Rev. 5) The proclamation was made, who is worthy to receive the scroll and to break its seals and to execute the wonderful purposes of God? None was found worthy! Finally, one demonstrated His worth­iness. He left the courts of glory; He humbled Himself, He “was made flesh.” More than this, being found in fashion as a man, He consecrated His all to the doing of the Father’s will, even unto death, the death of the cross. Wherefore, says the Apostle, “God also highly exalted Him” and gave Him a standing, a rank, a title above all others. (Phil. 2:7-9) He commissioned Him to execute all the Divine purposes; and to Him He handed over the Scroll with the privilege of opening its seals and compre­hending its message.

hope in this life

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable.” (1Cor. 15:19)

In other words, if our hope in Christ is merely dependent upon the circumstances of this present life, we rob ourselves of what little enjoyment and advantage that might be gained here.

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.” (1 Cor 15:20) The Emphatic Diaglott has it “But now Christ has been raised.”

It wasn’t God that had died here. The love of God was manifested toward us, because God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him (1 John 4:9).

Christ was dead, unconscious and not breathing for part of three days. “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)

“In the beginning was the Logos and the Logos was with God and the Logos was a God.” (John 1:1, Diaglott)

In other words, Christ was the first in the beginning of God’s creation. He was the first-fruit of all creation.

the holy scriptures

“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which  is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 3:15)

The early settlers to North America sought religious freedom and some of the current immi­grants seek those same rights. The Constitution and Bill of Rights invoke the name “Almighty God” as does the preamble of nearly every state constitution. All the nation’s legal tender contains the words “In God We Trust.”

The United States is considered to be the most religious of all nations of the world and this might well be true. The Harper San Francisco book catalog (May-August, 2007, Page 15) states that, the annual expenditure for Bibles in America is currently $425 million and the average American household con­tains four Bibles.

Until recent times, the Bible traditionally was used for teaching the basic standards of private and public moral conduct. It has been the “foundation” of our laws and judicial system, as well as the moral standard for federal and state governments.

Why the King james bible endures

By Charles McGrath – April 23, 2011 NY Times

The King James Bible, which was first pub­lished 400 years ago, may be the single best thing ever accomplished by a committee. The KJV translation of the Bible was the work of 54 scholars divided into six groups of nine member sub-committees each called “companies” meeting separately on equal portions of the 66 little books.

In a preface to the new Bible, Miles Smith, one of the translators and a man so impatient that he once walked out of a boring sermon and went to the pub, wrote that anything new inevitably “endured many a storm of gainsaying, or opposition.” So there must have been disputes, shouting, table pounding, high-ruffed, black-gowned clergymen folding their arms and stomping out of the room, but there is no record of that. And the finished text shows none of the PowerPoint insipidness we associate with committee-speak or with later group translations like the 1961 New English Bible, which T.S. Eliot said did not even rise to “dignified mediocrity.” Far from bland, the King James Bible is one of the great masterpieces of English prose.

The issue of how, or even whether, to translate sacred texts was a fraught one in those days, often with political as well as religious overtones, and it still is. The Roman Catholic Church, for instance, recently decided to retranslate the missal used at Mass to make it more formal and less conversa­tional. Critics have complained that the new text is awkward and archaic, while its defenders (some of whom probably still prefer the Mass in Latin) insist that’s just the point — that language a little out of the ordinary is more devotional and inspiring. No one would ever say that the King James Bible is an easy read. And yet its very oddness is part of its power.

From the start, the King James Bible was intended to be not a literary creation but rather a political and theological compromise between the established church and the growing Puritan move­ment. What the king cared about was clarity, simplicity, doctrinal orthodoxy. The translators worked hard on that, going back to the original Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic, and yet they also spent a lot of time tweaking the English text in the interest of euphony and musicality. Time and again the language seems to slip almost unconsciously into iambic pentameter. This was the age of Shakespeare, commentators are always reminding us, and right from the beginning the translators embraced the principles of repetition and the dramatic pause: “In the beginning God created the Heaven, and the Earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”

The influence of the King James Bible is so great that the list of idioms from it that have slipped into everyday speech is practically endless, taking such deep root that we use them all the time without any awareness of their biblical origin: sour grapes; fatted calf; salt of the earth; drop in a bucket; skin of one’s teeth; apple of one’s eye; girded loins; feet of clay; whited sepulchers; filthy lucre; pearls before swine; fly in the ointment; fight the good fight; eat, drink and be merry.

But what we also love about this Bible is its strangeness; its weird punctuation, odd pronouns (as in “Our Father, which art in heaven”), all those verbs that end in “eth”: “In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.” As Robert Alter has demonstrated in his startling and revealing translations of the Psalms and the Pentateuch, the Hebrew Bible is even stranger, and in ways that the King James translators may not have entirely comprehended, and yet their text performs the great trick of being at once recognize-ably English and also a little bit foreign. You can hear its distinctive cadences in the speeches of Lincoln, the poetry of Whitman, the novels of Cormac McCarthy.

Even in its time, the King James Bible was deliberately archaic in grammar and phraseology: an expression like “yea, verily,” for example, had gone out of fashion some 50 years before. The translators didn’t want their Bible to sound contemporary, because they knew that contemporaneity quickly goes out of fashion. In his very useful guide, “God’s Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible,” Adam Nicolson points out that when the Victorians came to revise the King James Bible in 1885, they embraced this principle wholeheartedly, and like those people who whack and scratch old furniture to make it look even more ancient, they threw in a lot of extra Jacobeanisms, like “howbeit,” “perad­ven­ture,” “holden” and “behooved.”

This is the opposite, of course, of the procedure followed by most new translations, starting with Good News for Modern Man, a paperback Bible published by the American Bible Society in 1966, whose goal was to reflect not the language of the Bible but its ideas, rendering them into current terms, so that Ezekiel 23:20, for example (“For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses”) becomes “She was filled with lust for oversexed men who had all the lustfulness of donkeys or stallions.”

There are countless new Bibles available now, many of them specialized: a Bible for couples, for gays and lesbians, for recovering addicts, for surfers, for skaters and skateboarders, not to mention a superheroes Bible for children. They are all “accessible,” but most are a little tone-deaf, lacking in grandeur and majesty, replacing “through a glass, darkly,” for instance, with something along the lines of “like a dim image in a mirror.” But what this modernizing ignores is that the most powerful religious language is often a little elevated and incantatory, even ambiguous or just plain hard to understand. The new Catholic missal, for instance, does not seem to fear the forbidding phrase, replacing the statement that Jesus is “one in being with the Father” with the more complicated idea that he is “consubstantial with the Father.”

Not everyone prefers a God who talks like a pal or a guidance counselor. Even some of us who are nonbelievers want a God who speaketh like — well, God. The great achievement of the King James translators is to have arrived at a language that is both ordinary and heightened, that rings in the ear and lingers in the mind. And that all 54 of them were able to agree on every phrase, every comma, without sounding as gassy and evasive as the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, is little short of amazing, in itself proof of something like divine inspiration.

Not the holy scriptures

Most English speaking Biblical scholars seem to prefer the King James version of the Holy Scriptures. However, it should be understood that all translations of the original languages from the various writers of the “little books” are, in fact, translations and are subject to the translator’s lifetime of learned beliefs and superstitions, no matter how conscientious this person might have been. So the King James version or any other translation is NOT “The Holy Scriptures.”

One of the chief tricks of the Prince of the Power of the Air in this Present Evil World is to create controversy. It gives the adversary better control. The Heavenly Father has permitted this to make it necessary to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)

Also it should be noted that the Ancient Aramaic/Hebrew (Old Testament) and Ancient Greek (New Testament) like all languages changed down through the years. Aramaic is a Semitic language belonging to the Afroasiatic language family. The name of the language is based on the name of Aram, an ancient region in central Syria. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic subfamily, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic group of languages, which also includes Canaanite languages such as Hebrew and Phoenician. Aramaic script was widely adopted for other languages and is ancestral to both the Arabic and modern Hebrew alphabets.

During its 3,000-year written history, Aramaic has served variously as a language of administration of empires and as a language of divine worship. It was the day-to-day language of Israel in the Second Temple period (539 BCE – 70 CE), was the original language of large sections of the biblical books of Daniel and Ezra; was the language spoken by Jesus, and is the main language of the Talmud.

Ancient Greek is the historical stage in the development of the Greek language spanning the Archaic (c. 9th–6th centuries BC), Classical (c. 5th–4th centuries BC), and Hellenistic (c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD) periods of ancient Greece and the ancient world. It is predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek. Its Hellenistic phase is known as Koine (“common”) or Biblical Greek, (New Testament) and its late period mutates imperceptibly into Medieval Greek. Koine is regarded as a separate historical stage of its own, although in its earlier form it closely resembles Classical Greek. Prior to the Koine period, Greek of the classic and earlier periods included several regional dialects.

Ancient Greek was the language of Homer and of classical Athenian historians, playwrights, and philosophers. It has contributed many words to English vocabulary and has been a standard subject of study in Western educational institutions since the Renaissance. Latinized forms of Ancient Greek roots are used in many of the scientific names of species and in scientific terminology.

So, the problem of the Biblical translators of The Holy Scriptures becomes extremely apparent. To the unlearned in languages of the average want-to-be Bible Student, it is nearly impossible. But the Lord allowed this so that we must study to gain his approval.

Some people endeavor to read the entire Bible every year and there are a number of plans published to help the reader do this. Though reading the Script­ures is very ennobling; it is not studying to shew thyself approved.

Perhaps we Americans should donate one or two of our Bibles to needy families and get one of several Exhaustive Concordances to help us study.

NO. 650 THE MISSION OF THAT SERVANT

"Who then [in the end of the Gospel Age, at the time of Christ’s return] is a faithful and wise servant [special messenger to the Church], whom his lord hath made ruler [general servant or steward] over his household [the household of faith], to give them meat in due season [truth as it becomes due]?” (Matt. 24:45)

The context of this pledge shows that this special servant would be placed over the household of faith in order to minister to it, showing that the servant is an individual leader and not the household itself, nor an organization or group. As That Servant, Pastor Russell founded, led and directed a world­wide Little Flock movement dispensing an abun­dance of deep truths then coming to light concerning Christ’s Second Advent and imminent Kingdom. He gave “meat in due season.” Although the theme “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21) ran throughout his ministry, his mission included much more. Since 1799 the world had entered the “time of the end” (Dan. 12:4) and the work of cleansing the sanctuary (Church Class) had been proceeding. The Miller Movement had brought attention to the timeliness of Christ’s return and related features of God’s Plan. That Servant gave the chronology, which we accept, as follows:

1874 – The awakening of the Lord’s people on the subject of the Second Advent culminated in 1874 when the announcement began to go forth:

“Behold The Bridegroom.” This message was given to the Virgins: “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” —Matt. 25:6 (see Diaglott). It does not say He cometh but Behold (see) he is present. He is here, go meet him. And the further announcement, “Thy God reigneth.” (Isa. 52:7) the message was to the Virgins. The revelation to this will come later.

A detailed understanding of the different lines of Bible Chronology, (genealogies, Jubilee cycles, parallel dispensations, etc.) provided undeniable proof to the watching saints that the Lord’s presence had commenced. Truth on the distinction between human and spiritual natures revealed that Christ’s second presence is an invisible one and that the only manner in which He would be revealed or “seen” by the world was through the eye of understanding. That Servant showed that the first and second comings were related and part of one plan: the first to redeem the world, the second to restore and bless the world through the promised seed (Gal. 3:8,29). He made clear that the period between the first and second Advents (Gospel Age) was for calling, testing, and selection of a “people for his name” (Acts 15:14) to reign with Christ in the next age and share in the work of judging and blessing the world (1 Cor. 6:2). He came as the chief “reaper” at that time, also.

“THE HARVEST IS THE END OF THE AGE”

It was long believed that the Biblical Harvest applied to all times, but the light of present truth made clear that one Harvest occurred in the end of the Jewish Age gathering from that nation the “Israelites indeed” into the Gospel Church to be part of the prospective Bride. These being too few to make up the predestined number (Rev. 14:1), the High Calling was extended to the Gentiles “to take out of them a people for his name.” (Acts 15:14)

Even though Christ was present in the Parousia and chief reaper, separating the wheat and tares with the sickle of truth (Rev. 14:14), That Servant was the mouthpiece and instrument for overseeing the gathering work. The Lord gave the message to That Servant: “Gather my Saints together unto me.” (Psa. 50:5) The Berean comments on that verse is as follows: “Gather my saints – from every quarter of Babylon into oneness with the Lord and each other, and out of fellowship with mere professors, tares…Not at death, nor continuously during the age, but after, and in consequence of, the Lord’s return.”

That Servant in turn gave the message to the Saints as “Come out of her my people.” (Rev. 18:4) The Berean Comments: “Come out of her – This advice was not always applicable; not until mystic Babylon’s fall under divine condemnation which pro­phecy shows was in 1878 AD.” The Saints were never gathered into one unit at all in the Gospel Age until the Harvest when they were gathered into the sphere of the Truth. As the consecrated came forth from the nominal church from 1874 to 1914, the Lord’s command of Psa. 50:5 was fulfilled. The gathering was done under That Servant to an extent never done since the days of the Apostles.

1878 – At this date Jesus took the office of King and began to exercise His power by resurrecting the sleeping Saints. (Matt. 28:18; Rev. 11:15‑17; Isa. 52:7) “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth...” (Rev. 14:13). The Berean comments on this: “Marking a particular time – 1878 – before which it would not be a blessing to die, but after which it would be a blessing to die.” Since 1878 those Saints who were still alive need not sleep even a moment, but in the instant of dying are changed to spiritual beings.

This date – 1878 – also was the beginning of the return of Divine favor to fleshly Israel. Their 1845 years double, [mishneh] began in AD 33 and ended 1878 AD ‑ 33 + 1845 = l878. (Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 2, page 218) “Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare [appointed time of waiting] is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for her sins.” (Isa. 40:2) This is the new message to Israel – that the return of Divine favor has come. This “speaking comfortably” was to be done from 1878 onward, before they believe in Christ. All evidence of the return of Divine favor to fleshly Israel is evidence that Divine favor to spiritual Israel is gradually drawing to a close.

1881 – This is the date of the complete casting off of Babylon. The Gospel Age condition of wheat and tares combined is designated the Church nominal, church in name only. This mixed and confused condition is scripturally styled Babylon. That the wheat and tares were allowed to grow together until the Harvest indicates that God’s favor had been upon the nominal church throughout the Gospel Age (“Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand” – Jer. 51: 7). This was for the spiritual growth and testing of the Wheat class. As the Harvest truth reached the true Brethren throughout all denominations, it became apparent to them that the doctrines of Christendom were scripturally unsound, moving them to leave their various sects and join the assembly of the Saints outside sectarian boundaries. The Truth, therefore, made plain that “Babylon the Great is fallen” [no longer under Divine favor – Rev. 3:16], and that the only proper response for the true believers was to “come out of her my people.” (Rev. l8: 2,4)

Therefore, this date – 1881 – also marked the close of the special favor to Gentiles, the close of the High Calling, or invitation to the blessings peculiar to this age – to become joint-heirs with Christ and partakers of the Divine nature. (See Vol. 2, pp. 234, 235, also p. 213) At this time the full number was complete, including those in Heaven and those still in the flesh. However, opportunity was still open for some whom would take the place of those who lost their crowns. But at no time after 1881 was the full number incomplete, because each crown‑loser was replaced immediately.

In Volume 3, p 219 there is this: “As a matter of fact, then, the only ones, therefore, who could announce or explain this calling, are the very ones who are also shown from God’s Word that the time limit of this call was reached in October, 1881. Others, while quoting the Apostle’s words concerning a ‘high calling of God in Christ,’ really explain the lower call which belongs to the Millennial Age. Hence the general Gospel call is ended. None can extend it – some because they do not understand it and cannot give it, others because they know it to be at an end.”

1914 – That Servant predicted according to Bible Chronology, that this date would be the end of Gentile Times and a world war would be the sign of that. But everything was so calm and serene all over the world that he began to question the chronology. He went over it four or five times with other Brethren, but could find nothing wrong with it. Suddenly the war broke out due to the assassination of the Austrian Archduke in Sarajevo. All countries were involved, though some were not active in the battles of war.

In Rev. 7:1-3 we are told that the four angels should “Hold the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth... till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” The four winds in this text are the fallen angels (see also Dan. 7:2); the wind is the great war that started in 1914; and the forehead sealing refers to the administration of the Truth to those who came into the Truth before that war began in each country.

It should be noted here that all the Saints were spirit‑begotten (sealed in the heart) by 1914, but all of them had not been sealed in their foreheads (intellectually) with present truth. “Till we have sealed...” – those on this side of the veil had an important work, to gather together the elect and to seal the elect and to seal them in the forehead. Each sealed one became a sealer of others as soon as he himself was sealed.

The chief mission of the Church has been her own development. “Edifying one another.” (1 Thes. 5:11) “Building up yourselves on your most holy faith.” (Jude 20)

However, it should be carefully noted that this restraint was to be only “that no wind [World War One] might blow on the earth... till we have sealed the bondservants of our God in their foreheads” – giving sufficient knowledge of “Present Truth” to enable them to “Come out of her, My people.” (Rev. 18:4) The war did not break out in any country until the saints there had been “sealed in their foreheads.” Our thought is that the evil angels would long ago have done injury to the symbolic earth, sea and trees, had it not been for the restraint of Divine power. Symbolically, the earth represents organized society; the sea represents disorganized masses, and the trees represent the Household of Faith.

THE SMITING OF JORDAN

But all of them were “sealed in the forehead” in time to take part in the first Smiting of Jordan. This Smiting was sharp, disclosing truths that disproved the doctrine of Divine Right of the clergy, of aristocrats, of labor, each claiming certain privileges and powers by Divine Right. All the literature exposing these evils was used and directed by That Servant such as: Volume 4, Armageddon, tracts like The World on Fire, Distress of Nations, Clergy Ordination Proved Fraudulent, Why Financiers Tremble, PhotoDrama, etc. Public 1ectures and private conversations were used in this smiting, also. The Bible teaches that all of the saints, the entire 144,000, under Jesus their head, would be given the honor of executing (spiritual) vengeance upon the nations, and (spiritual) punishment upon the people, of binding the king and princes, and executing upon them the judgment written. (Psa. 149: 5‑9) This was done from the fall of 1914 to that of 1916. Certainly the work that the Lord’s servants did during those two years was the Glory, i.e. the special honor accorded the faithful at the extreme end of the Age. This passage by the expression, “this honor have all His saints,” shows that this honor would be shared in, even by the last member of the Little Flock to be called.

UNITY OF FAITH

If we define the “unity of faith” to be a clear and harmonious understanding of the “ten strings of the harp of God” (Psa. 33:2), then we must conclude Brother Russell and all who came into and clearly understood Harvest Present Truth indeed came to “unity of faith.” That this is the position God wishes His people now to accept is shown in Isa. 52:8, “Thy watchmen... shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.” Note the Berean Comments on this: “In the harvest of the Gospel Age, clearly, harmoniously.” It was Brother Russell’s Stewardship Doctrine centering about Restitution that brought “unity of faith” for the first time in history to God’s people as a collective group. It is true that St. Peter preached Restitution (Acts 3:19-21); and it is true that St. Paul was “caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Cor. 12:4); and it is also true that the General Church of that time had not come to th­e “unity of faith” – had not come to a clear understanding of Restitution. Note the Berean Comments on verse 4: “unspeakable words – the message of present truth”; “it is not lawful – because not yet due.” Thus Brother Russell is in agreement that, though St. Paul himself may have arrived at “unity of faith,” he made no attempt to convey that knowledge to the General Church then. In support of this, note 2 Tim. 2:18, where some apparently thought they were already “reigning.” Certainly, in those two instances there could have been no clear concept of Restitution – no “unity of faith.”

Therefore, a Prophet (a Star Member) did accomplish the first of the two purposes for which the servants of the Church were appointed – “till we all attain to the unity of faith.” We believe he also accomplished the second of these purposes – “the measure of the full stature of the anointed one.” (Eph. 4:13, Dia.) When the last one was reaped in September 1914; when they had all come to anti­typical Horeb, there also for the first time was reached “the full stature of the anointed one” in that the Body was then full and irrevocably complete unto that unity which “every joint supplieth, to the effectual working in the measure of every part.” (Eph. 4:16)

The Little Flock developing Truths were all presented by October 1914; all the Saints had come into Present Truth by Passover 1916, which then brought them all into “unity of faith,” although they were not then, or at any time on earth thereafter, endowed with the same degree of knowledge.

Can it be said that the “watchmen” have seen “eye to eye” since 1916? NO! Nor can it be said that this oneness is something attained by the Saint class beyond the veil, because there would be no need for them to be “watchmen” then. If any are inclined to believe that “unity of faith” means understanding the entire Bible, then we must admit that no one does, so far as we know.

This “unity of faith” may be summarized tersely as a general good understanding by all in the Parousia movement of the Great Plan of the Ages involving the Two Salvations, – for the Elect and Non‑elect – described in Rev. 15:3 as the “song of Moses and the Lamb.” All who accepted Harvest Truth were reasonably clear on this much of the Truth.

STONE CUT OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN

Dan. 2:34,35,45

The stone cut out of the mountain without hands, which smites and scatters the Gentile powers, represents the true Church, the Kingdom of God. During the Gospel Age this stone kingdom was being formed, “cut out,” carved and shaped for its future position and greatness – not by human hands, but by the power or spirit of the truth, the invisible power of Jehovah. When complete, when entirely cut out, it was to smite and destroy the kingdoms of this world. Not the people, but the governments, are symbolized by the image, and these are to be destroyed that the people may be delivered. Our Lord Jesus came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them (John 3:17).

The stone, during its preparation, while being cut out, might be called an embryo mountain, in view of its future destiny; so, too, the Church could be, and sometimes is, called the Kingdom of God.

And at successive dates the authority of that “Stone” was broadened in scope: After 1878 the next date was l881 at which time ­Babylon was cast off; then still more of it in 1914, when “the stone cut out of the mountain without hands [the completed Christ Company began its smiting work; “to execute the Judgment written.” – Psa. 149:9]” Inasmuch as “this honor have all the saints,” it should be clear enough that all of them were fixedly in the Body, although quite a few of them were still on earth.

Now referring back to the metallic image of Dan. 2, we read in vs. 45: “Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold.” The utter annihilation of the empire of Satan in the great symbolic wind, the great symbolic earthquake and the great symbolic fire of the present Time of Trouble, which began in 1914, is thus represented as taking place. (1 Kings 19:11,12) God’s Millennial Kingdom [the stone that smote the image] will soon be established in place of Satan’s empire, and it will eventually fill the whole earth (v.35).

From Reprint 5631, February 15, 1915: “Wherever we look, we witness the disintegration of the present order, whether we view the conditions from a socia1 or religious or a financial standpoint. The lease of power to the kingdoms of this world has expired. It was foretold by the Prophet Daniel that ‘in the days of these kings,’ before their utter overthrow, the God of Heaven would set up a Kingdom which should smite and break in pieces all the kingdoms of men, the beastly kingdoms of Daniel’s dream. When these kingdoms would be given to ‘the people of the saints of the Most High,’ they were to ‘smite them in pieces as a potter’s vessel.’ This intimates that in some sense of the word the Lord will take possession of these before they have been completely overthrown; that some of the kingdoms represented in the Gentile image will be remaining at that time.

“What time then, is signified by the expression ‘in the days of these kings,’ when the Kingdom of God was to be set up in power? To our understanding the first step in the setting up of this Kingdom was the raising of the sleeping saints of the Gospel Age, which we believe was in the spring of 1878. Then began the glorification of the Church class. When these all shall have taken their places as members of the Church in glory, the Kingdom will be fully set up.

“This does not signify, that there may not be a part of the Kingdom work begun while some of the members of Christ are still in the flesh. Indeed some Scriptures seem to imply that there will be Kingdom work done this side the veil, while a work of still greater magnitude and authority is progressing on the other side of the veil. We read, ‘Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds.’ (Psa. l49:5‑9) This seems to imply, as we have mentioned before, that there is a special work to be done while these Saints still have beds, while they are in a condition of repose – not ‘tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine.’ (Eph.4:14) but fully at rest in God’s great plan. The Scripture goes on to say that they have a two­-edged sword in their hands – this is the Word of God. They use it as the sword of the Spirit. This would not be true of them on the other side of the veil. They would have no use for a sword there. The Scriptures also declare that the high sounding praises of God are upon their lips. This, too, seems to be applicable to those this side the veil.

“The final phrase, ‘to execute the Judgment written,’ would seem to imply that there would be something for the saints on this side of the veil to do in connection with the execution of the Judgments upon the nations... We see nothing here to conflict with the thought that the Lord’s Kingdom may be properly understood to have begun operations and that the present smiting of the nations is under Kingdom control [written l915]. The fact that some of the members of the Kingdom class are still in the flesh does not militate at all against this thought. We see the kingdoms of this world now being dashed to pieces, and we are expecting to see the process continued until they are completely ground to powder. They shall become as the chaff of the summer threshing floor, and the wind shall carry them away. Then shall they be found no more at all. (Dan. 2:35)”

SUMMARY

Brother Russell repeatedly said, in both the Towers and the Volumes, that the Kingdom was set up September 21, 1914. This meant that the full number of the Saints had been won and between 1914 and l9l6 the last ones came into the sphere of the truth – “sealed in the forehead.” (Rev. 7:1‑3) He also referred to the dates 1874, l878, and 1881 many times in his writings. He did not draw these out of his mind or imagine them, but understood them from the Bible chronology, time prophecies, parallels, jubilees and types. It is remarkable how al1 five of these lines of Biblical teaching reach the same conclusions and the same dates. The Bible is the standard by which we accept or reject any teaching. That Servant’s teaching on chronology meets that standard, therefore we accept it.

That Servant did not hesitate to give us the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). He taught four elect classes, including an unbegotten consecrated class between the ages, after the High Calling is closed and before Restitution begins. Perhaps in a future paper we will give more details on these four classes citing Brother Russell’s references to the unbegotten class in the end of the age. But it is sufficient to say That Servant finished his mission to “gather together the Saints.” (Psa. 50:5) All were reaped into the Harvest movement before.

That Servant enacted the toga scene in the railroad Pullman in Texas on October 16, 1916, with one of his final statements being, “I have done as thou has commanded me.” (Ezek.9:11). This was in substance one of the last statements of Jesus. “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4)

a brief biography of Charles Taze Russell

“And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.” — Ezek 9:11

Pastor Russell died in 1916 at 64 years of age on the 31st day of this month. He was on his way from speaking engagements in California to Bethel in New   York City.

He was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. on February 16, 1852, the son of Joseph L. and Eliza Birney Russell, both of Scotch-Irish lineages. Reared under the influence of Christian parents, at age 11 he became interested in theology, joined the Congrega­tional church and became active in local mission work.

The doctrine of eternal torment of all mankind, except the few elect, became so abhorrent to him that at the age of seventeen he was a skeptic. He said, “A God that would use his power to create human beings whom He foreknew and predestined should be eternally tormented, could be neither wise, just nor loving; His standards would be lower than that of many men.”

However, he continued to believe in God and felt sure there was a misunderstanding of the Scriptures. Young Russell began a systematic study of the Bible and among many others found texts like: “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:” —Isa 28:10, and others like:

 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. —Isa 1:18,

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness dividing the word of truth.”  —2 Tim 2:15-16  

Russell sought out other persons who were seeking like himself and soon a regular Study was formed. He and his co-seekers discovered there was no such thing as “immortal souls” in the Bible. Instead:  “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” —Ezek 18:20, and:  “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

A wise and faithful servant

 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?” —Matt. 24:45

Pastor Russell never claimed to have formed a new religion but taught the truths that Jesus and the Apostles had proclaimed and it has been said that he was the greatest teacher of the Good News since the Apostle Paul.

He was known the world over as author, publisher, lecturer, minister of the Gospel and was Pastor to 1200 Congregation. His writings were published in at least 35 languages.

The following publications, issued between the years 1881 and 1914, had phenomenal circu­lation, as indicated below and it has been monu­mental numbers since that time and they are still being published:

Food For Thinking Christians-------------------------- 1,450,000

Tabernacle Shadows------------------------------------ 1,000,000

Divine Plan of the Ages --------------------------------- 5,532,500

The Time is at Hand ------------------------------------- 1,878,500

Thy Kingdom Come --------------------------------------1,792,500

Battle of Armageddon------------------------------------   714,000

The Atonement--------------------------------------------    663,500

The New Creation----------------------------------------    646,500

What Say the Scriptures About Hell-------------------3,000,000

He also wrote and published an accompanying book, Scenario and produced the Photo-Drama of Creation, which had a spectacular circulation.  Production began in 1912, and it premiered in January 1914 in New York City. It was the first major screenplay to incorporate synchronized sound, moving film, and color slides.

In the summer of that year it was presented in Germany, other countries of Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Over 9 million people saw the full Photo-Drama of Creation or an abbreviated version named The Eureka Drama.

In 1879 at age 27, Pastor Russell edited and published in July the first edition of a monthly paper “Zion’s Watch Tower, Herald of Christ’s Presence.” The subscription price was 50 cents per year. It was a success and the name was changed to “The Watch Tower,” with the subtitle as above and himself as Editor and Publisher.

He also founded the “Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society” and using all his personal funds, purchased the Bethel property in Brooklyn, NY, which became headquarters and home until his death October 31, 1916. By present day terms those funds are estimated to have been more than 5 million dollars. The only income he received from his writings, publications and the Society was a living allowance of $11 per month. He left no personal estate.

Pastor Russell’s Will and Testament

“Having at various times during past years donated to the Watch Tower Bible And Tract Society all of my personal possessions except a small personal bank account of approximately two hundred dollars, in the Exchange National Bank of Pittsburgh... I have merely love and Christian good wishes to leave to all of the dear members of the Bible House Family — and all other dear co-laborers in the harvest work—yea, for the entire household of faith in every place who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus as their Redeemer.

“However, in view of the fact that in donating the journal, Zion’s Watch Tower, the Old Theology Quarterly and the copyrights of the Millennial Dawn Scripture Studies Books and various other booklets, hymn-books, etc., to the Watch Tower Bible And Tract Society, I did so with the explicit understanding that I should have full control of all the interests of these publications during my life time....”

Although Pastor Charles Taze Russell is listed as founder of The Jehovah’s Witnesses by newspapers, history books and encyclopedias all over the world; it is plainly not true. A conflict ensued among the leaders after the Pastor’s death and the person or people who finally won the battle coined the name Jehovah’s Witnesses for the surviving organization. The name change of The Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society occurred some 12 to 14 years after their true leader, That Servant had died.

This led to a Little Babylon on the order of The Great Babylon that developed after Christ and the Apostles died.       -------------------------------

February 16, 1852

Pastor Russell’s Birthday

Through honor and dishonor, through evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; Giving no offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed.—2 Cor 6:8,3

WHILE in the discharge of duty to the best of our ability and when apparently we have the Lord’s blessing and favor upon us and our affairs in a most marked degree, suddenly trouble may arise, adver­sity come, the powers of darkness seem to triumph, and for a moment we may be apparently culprits in the judgment of our fellowmen, and apparently forsaken by divine providence. Such experiences, doubtless, are needful to us; for though we may sing:—

“I would rather walk in the dark with God, Than go alone in the light,”

“Yet this might be but an empty boast unless we were put through the trying experiences which would develop such faith, such trust, as would hold to the Lord’s hand, and trust divine providence in the darkest hour.—Z.’01-314; R 2886:3

“The Christian life is one of contrasted experiences the Christian must keep himself in the love of God and in the hatred of selfishness. No amount of love, honor or praise should sway him from Loyalty to God.”

NO. 649 THE LIVING AND TRUE GOD

 

“God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”—John 4:24.

The structure of the brain places veneration at the very top, and thus by implication conforms to the statement in the catechism that “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” However great the depravity of our race in the dark places of the earth this element of veneration, is an instinc­tive appre­ciation of a God and a feeling of responsibility toward Him. It constitutes a foundation upon which to build and to reconstruct, the depraved elements of character. Without this veneration, mis­sionaries and phil­anthropists might well lose all heart and all hope in respect to the moral and social uplift of the masses.

Therefore, whoever is intelligently a friend to his race must do everything in his power to maintain this center of mental balance of mind and to utilize it as an essential feature in the Divine arrangement for human well-being. Whoever in any manner or degree under­mines this element of the mind is surely doing a destructive work, instead of a constructive one, whether he realizes it or not.

But, alas that we must say it, some of the most intelligent of our most intellectual day are rapidly drifting away from the fundamental truth that there is a living and true God! These intellectuals are accept­ing the thought of an impersonal God. From our stand­point this is tantamount to saying, “There is no living and true God.” This is the position taken, not only by Theosophists and Christian Scientists, but also by many scientific and professional thinkers. Rarely is an attempt made to define the impersonal God. Rather the term God is used merely as a concession to popular sentiment and the “ignorance of the unlearned.”

Those who hold this view often use the word nature as a synonym for God. Their thought really seems to be that there is no intelligent Creator in the Universe; that our sun, stars and planets are governed by what they term “natural laws,” and that humanity prospers and progresses merely as it learns by experience the operation of these laws, and seeks co-operation and avoids conflict with them.

Christian Science, dealing less with the scholastic and more with the ordinary reason, at­tempts to explain that the word God simply signifies Good. Then with something of a play upon words, which confounds the reasoning faculties of the untrained mind, tells us that whatever is useful is good, and therefore is God. Proceeding with the explanation, it declares that every tree and rock have good or usefulness in them, and hence to that extent have God in them. Elaborating further, it says that God is in the air, because of its vitalizing effect. He is in the flower because of its goodness and useful­ness for beauty and fragrance. He is in the teakettle because of its usefulness. He is in the table, the floor, the ceiling, everything. Whoever entertains such views proportion­ately destroys his faith in a personal God, “the Living and True God,” and in the Bible as His revelation.

How could an impersonal God have a purpose, a will, a plan, a program? How could it give a revelation of that purpose or program in the Bible or otherwise? “He that cometh unto God must believe that He is, and that He rewards them that diligently seek Him.” He shall be found of them. “He that seeketh findeth.” But our Christian Science friends meet our objection with the assertion that Buddhists and Theophists hold the same view, and that they represent a large proportion of the human family.

Furthermore, they claim that the same thought of an impersonal God is taught in all the principal creeds of Christendom, when they declare faith in an omnipresent God. Alas! It must be admitted that the charge is well founded; that the seed of error on this subject was planted in our minds and confessions of faith long ago. Notice this incon­sistency cannot be charged against the Bible, for although our confes­sions of faith were ostensibly made to be in harmony with the Scriptures, the truth is that not one word of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, declares bodily omnipresence, but every utterance on the subject affirms the personality of the Father, and that our Lord Jesus is the “express image of His person.”—Heb. 1:3.

THE GOD OF THE BIBLE is A PERSON

“God is a spirit,” but He is a being, a person. The Scriptures distinctly tell us that a spirit has not flesh and blood, as we have; but they as distinctly inform us of the Divine personality, and use the members and qualities of the human body to bring the Creator within the range of our apprehension. The Hand of the Lord (His Divine Power) and the Eye of the Lord (His Divine Wisdom) is in every place. The Ear of the Lord is bowed down to hear the groaning of the prisoner. And the Heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind. Heaven is His Throne and the earth is His Footstool. True, these expressions are pictorial, figurative; never­theless, they figure not an impersonal Creator, but a personal One, who feels, who thinks, who exercises His power; who has displeasure with those who are sinful and who loves those who seek to do His will, to walk in righteousness.

Whoever cultivates this thought of a righteous personal God assists in establishing his heart along lines of corresponding character. He seeks a further knowledge of such a Creator; seeks his compassion and his protecting care, and learns to love Him, as he never could appreciate nor love Nature or any dis­ordered conception of a space-pervading non-entity. He whose mind and heart grasps the Scriptural Person­ality of the Heavenly Father catches the significance of our Savior’s words, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And not one of them shall fall to the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matt. 10:29-31)

Such may worship in spirit and in truth proportionate to their knowledge of the Infinite One, whom they were directed to address, “Our Father, which art in Heaven.” Thinking of the Almighty, as everywhere present is entirely unsatisfactory to our comprehension, which calls for a God whose Throne is in Heaven. This was the same thought that our Savior again impressed on the women who met Him after His resurrection. To these he said, “I have not yet ascended to My Father and to your Father; to My God and to your God.” Thus, the general trend of Scriptural testimony confirms the thought which we receive by nature, and intensifies and elaborates it, by giving location and quality of heart, mind and power. Regardless of the truth of the two theories, the Bible presenta­tion is surely the more helpful to humanity. To have no personal God must eventually signify to the reasoning mind no Law-Giver, no Judge, no Justice, no Love, no Mercy, no personal relationship as between father and child. Thus would be lost the very basis of Christian faith and doctrine.

INFINITELY SUPERIOR TO OUR HIGHEST IDEALS

The Scriptural presentation of the Almighty is, therefore, the one most consistent to our reason and most helpful to us; namely, that He is a great God, infinite in His Wisdom, His Justice, His Love and His Power. His personality has Heaven for His locality, but His influence and powers pervade the Universe. We may but imperfectly imagine the various channels of His information and the in­numerable agencies through which He can exercise the Almighty Power. But in the light of present day inventions, we have at least sug­gestions of it; for cannot man communicate by wireless instruments over thousands of miles? And not only so, but cannot he use the Hertz-waves for the transmission of power? And can he not with the telescope greatly enlarge his vision, and with the microscope see things otherwise indiscernible?

And if puny man, imperfect and fallen, “born in sin and shapen in iniquity and of few days and full of trouble,” can thus enlarge his natural powers, what limitations might he justly or wisely set upon the intelligence and powers of his Creator? “He that formed the eye, shall He not see? He that formed the ear, shall He not hear?” He that gave to humans the sense of justice, shall we not consider Him the very embodiment of Justice? He who gave us the power of sympathy, compassion and love, shall we not consider Him, the Author of our powers, as infinitely superior to our highest ideals?

For our present purpose, it is not even necessary that we be believers in the Bible in order to formulate before our minds something of the glorious character and attributes of our Maker. True, correct views of the teachings of the Scriptures will surely aid us in our conceptions; but at this time, we are addressing not merely believers in the Scriptures, but also unbelievers. We urge, then, that rational thought on the subject bids us believe that man is the highest type of earthly intelligence, and this teaches us that there must be an intelligent Creator as much su­perior to us as we are to the crawling worm.

Yea, more than this, He who gave us our intelligent being must be separated from us by a still wider gulf than that which separates us from the worm. And it is but a logical process of reasoning that the noblest of our talents and powers are but feeble reflections of the same qualities in our Creator.

Scriptures assist us by showing that the blemishes which we find in others and ourselves are the results of disobedience to the Divine instruction.

IGNOBLE CONCEPTIONS OF A DARK PAST

Filled with so noble a conception of Deity, we would naturally hasten to worship and bow down, but are stopped by the voices from the Dark Ages, which misrepresent the Almighty, implying that He is not the embodiment of Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power. These voices assure us that, although He has commanded us to love our enemies, and to do good to them that hate us, persecute us and say all manner of evil against us falsely, nevertheless the Almighty, who gave these commands, does not love nor forgive His enemies, but has made preparation for their eternal torture.

There is something wholly inconsistent between these voices from the past and the voices of our reason. It is claimed by many that the Bible substantiates the voices of the Dark Ages, the creeds. But we hold that this is a mistake, partly attributable to poor translation and partly to misunderstood parables. The reasoning mind surely rebels against the theory which in the Dark Ages held sway and led to the Inquisition and the stake. And it is glad that it has gotten rid of so gross a misconception of the “Father of Lights.” A well-balanced and reverential intellect will rejoice to find and to recognize a God who not only is not devoid of Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power, and on a plane lower than our own, but is infinite in these attributes and worthy of reverence and worship.

We assent that the Divine Word, the Bible, has been greatly misrepresented by us all in the past, and deserves reconsideration. If our forefathers read the Bible with smoking lamps and blurred vision, and nevertheless got some blessing, what a power of God it would be to us now if, in the light of the electric age, we should find it the Store-house of Divine grace and truth, perfectly coordinated and surpassing our highest ideals!(From Pastor Charles Taze Russell’s Book of Sermons Pages. 621–626)

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QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

The Scriptures declare a “beginning of the creation of God.” His qualities and attributes were the same then as they are now; for the Scriptures also declare His unchangeableness; “the same yes­ter­day, today and forever.” (Heb. 13:8; Psa. 90:1, 2)

The completeness of the Divine perfection is such that companionship is not neces­sary to the happiness of God. The One who “inhabiteth eternity” is self–contained. The creation of angels and of man was indeed His pleasure, because, benevolently, he desires to do good, to give capacity for pleasure and to afford it opportunity for gratification. Further­more, the highest good of his creatures calls for an exhibition to the full of all the elements of Divine character: Divine Justice, Love, Power and Wisdom.

BELIEF IN SATAN LOGICAL

The declaration of the Bible respecting the Father’s Power is that “the eyes of the Lord [the intelligence of God] are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Prov. 15:3) This statement implies that there are things evil as well as good; things which God approves and things which He disapproves. This citation comes the nearest to a suggestion of God’s omnipresence contained in the Scriptures.

The fact that the Lord has knowledge of all conditions of things is not out of harmony with the other facts that He permits conditions which He disapproves, and which He declares that He will ultimately destroy. “All the wicked will he destroy.” (Psa. 145:20)

If we accept the great Divine premise that the Bible is the Word of God, then we are bound to accept the declaration that there is a being called Satan, that he is the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4), and that he now works in the “hearts of the children of disobedience.” (Eph. 2:2) These words imply not only that there are evil principles at work in this world, but that behind them there are evil spirit beings, of whom Satan is the inspirer and through whom he is working.

Certain statements are made respecting Satan which could not be applied properly to a principle of evil, or to a working of error; as, for instance, Jesus declared that Satan was a “murderer” from the beginning – and a “liar.” (John 8:44) Errors and principles are not murderers and liars. It would be a misuse of language to make such application. Only a being with some reasoning power can be a murderer or a liar. Hence, the whole tenor of the Scriptures upholds the assertion that there is such a being as Satan and that he is in opposition to God.

If we were to suppose the everlasting continuance of Satan as a being, as an adver­sary of God, the matter would seem strange to us, because it is irreconcilable with our conception of Divine Power. We have the statement of the Scriptures respecting his reign and ultimate destruction (Heb. 2:14). With this infor­mation, we have a reasonable, logical thought on the subject. When we consider the Scriptural presen­tation further, that originally Satan was not an evil being, but that he made himself evil by the exercise of personal liberty and became the enemy of God, the subject seems to be clear and reasonable. In fact, this is the only rational solution to the problem of his existence.

To suppose that there is no Satan is to suppose that God has permitted his Word to deceive mankind in this respect, or that the devil is a manifestation of God himself, a position which is unthinkable. Nor is it logical to say that there is a devil, an opponent of God, and at the same time to maintain that God is all in all, and omnipresent, everywhere present. But we do not find this latter statement to be Biblical.

The Scriptural proposition is that when Christ shall have conquered sin and Satan, when Satan shall have been destroyed, and when the empire of the universe shall be in absolute harmony, then God will be all in all. (1 Cor. 15:28) To all eternity, there will be no opposition to His will. There is opposition now, however, in many places and at many times. But ultimately, God will have full control.

THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD

To say that God is all power is sophistry of language which often misleads the one questioning as well as the one attempting to answer him. The statement is not correct. If God is all power then he is not love, justice, or wisdom. He would thus be limited to the one great attribute of power, or force. Such cannot be the thought entertained by any logical mind. It is, nevertheless, a form of statement that is often used, perhaps unintentionally, but very injuriously to the reasoning faculties.

The Bible nowhere says God is all power. There is a marked difference between being power and exercising power. God is all–powerful. He has the ability to exercise power in any direction to the extent that He wills. If He had chosen, He could have so created Satan that he could not think or do other than in harmony with the Divine will; or He could have exercised His power to crush the adversary and thus have destroyed him long ago. But He has permitted Satan to exist for six thousand years, in the sense that He does not restrain the devil from doing evil. The Scriptures, however, tell us that God will eventually destroy him.

The scope of the exercise of Divine Power is the universe, but it is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend the meaning of this word – universe. Astronomers tell us there are more than 125,000,000 suns – the centers of solar systems like our own, with supposedly more than a billion of planets more or less like our earth. These, we may assume, are in process of development, are in preparation for inhabitants, whom the great Creator will in due time provide. From the Scriptural standpoint, however, the great work of human creation began with our earth. That a boundless thought we have in the mere suggestion that the billion worlds are to be peopled, and that the lessons of righteous­ness and sin, of life and death eternal, now being taught to humanity, will never need to be repeated.

We stand appalled at the immensity of space and at the law and order which every­where reign! We heartily assent to the words of the Prophet David, “Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.”  (Psa. 19:2,3) The person who can look upon this wonderful dis­play of superhuman power and believe that these worlds created themselves, shows to the majority of us that if he has brains they are sadly disordered, unbalanced. Whoever, after mature thought, concludes that there is no God, that everything came to be what it is by chance or by the operation of some blind force – that person is described in the Scriptures in the following words, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” (Psa. 14:1)

As scientific instruments demonstrate to us the immensity of the universe, we perceive that the Prophet used very moderate language indeed in his description of the majestic power and greatness of the Creator, when he represents Him as weighing the mountains in his balance and holding the seas in the hollow of His hand (Isa. 40:12). From His standpoint, a thousand years are but as a watch in the night (Psa. 90:4). How insignificantly small we all feel in the presence of our God! No wonder some great men are inclined to say that humanity is too insignificant from the Divine standpoint to be worthy of the least consideration – much less to be objects of Divine care and providence!

THE OMNISCIENCE OF the Lord God

o say that God is all knowledge is also an inaccurate statement. If God were all knowledge, how could He be all power? God has all knowledge, possesses all knowledge. But this is a different matter. If we say, “The boy has a bicycle,” we do not mean that he is a bicycle. To be a bicycle and to have a bicycle are not the same. God is omniscient; that is, He knows all things. This very fact proves that He is a personal God. There can be no knowledge without personality. Knowledge implies cognizance of external things. Amongst the things outside the Divine Person are things both good and evil.

When we read that God created man in His own image and likeness (Gen. 1:26, 27) we may know that man is not God. He was merely made in the image of God. Because God is perfect, therefore the human being made in His image would be satisfactory to God. That human being had knowledge. But he neglected the Word of God, and thus he learned some­thing by his neglect. What he learned is mentioned in the Scriptures. “He is become as one of us [the Elohim], to know good and evil.” (Gen. 3:22) This statement proves that God knows good and evil.

If God did not know evil from good, then He could not be our Instructor. By His laws, His principles, God sets before our minds that which is right and that which is wrong. Adam knew how to discriminate between right and wrong, but his disobedience increased his knowledge of both good and evil. In his fallen condition, man cannot always determine between them. Therefore, God gave Israel a law, and man’s knowledge of that law assists him to discriminate between good and evil.

The Prophet Isaiah said, “Thou art a God which hidest thyself.” (Isa. 45:15) How true! As a result, the world by wisdom knows not God. He is near in His wisdom and love, yet He can be seen only by those whose eyes of understanding have been opened. But we are glad that the time is coming when all the blind eyes shall see clearly. “As truly as I live,” says God, “all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” “The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Num. 14:21; Hab. 2:14) Then all shall see what God hath wrought, and our temporary blindness will but accentuate the glorious brightness of His Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power.

“GOD IS LOVE”

God is love in the sense that the term love represents the central principle of the Divine char­acter. There is nothing contrary to love in God. The Scriptures do not teach anywhere that there is nothing except love that God is everywhere and love is everywhere. But they teach that God is a loving character.

This does not militate against the other statements that God is just, wise and powerful. But this quality of love best of all represents the Divine Being. All of His justice is in harmony with His love. There is no exercise of justice or power in an evil sense, for all His attributes work together for good to all His creatures.

The Scriptures encourage us to reason from the known to the unknown. They tell us that although God is so great, so wise, so powerful, He is also just and loving. And the more we consider the matter, the more reasonable the Bible description of the Almighty appears. His power we see dem­onstrated. The wisdom of One so great cannot be doubted. When we come to consider, could One so wise and so powerful be unjust or ungenerous? Our hearts answer, No! No one is really great who is devoid of justice and love. As surely as our God is Lord, He must possess these qualities.

When we come in contact with the Bible, and particularly when we learn something of its teach­ings and get rid of the misrepresentations which gathered about it during the Dark Ages – then we begin to recognize it as the message of God to His creatures. It informs us that the great Creator of the universe is not only almighty and all–wise, but loving and kind, with Justice as the foundation of his empire (Psa. 89:13, 14).

 From the Bible we learn, too, that our Creator has been pleased to make us in His own image, in His own moral likeness, to the intent that we may enjoy Him and the fruits of His righteousness to all eternity.

All the power, all the justice, all the wisdom, of God must be used in accordance with His own character, which is love. It will therefore be loving wisdom, loving justice, which He will use toward all creation in the exercise of His loving power for their good. He created man. He permitted Adam to disobey His law, telling us that He knew in advance what man would do and that he permitted man to do wrong (Isa. 6:9, 10).

In permitting sin to enter the world, God had two ends in view. He purposed to give an illustration to the angels respecting the results of obedience and of disobedience. He also intended that the human family should gain a lesson from this experience. Thus, we know that God’s arrangement from the beginning has been for a resurrection of the dead. “As all in Adam die, even so shall all in Christ be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:21, 22)

If we were to take any fragment of Scripture as a basis for a system of doctrine, we would find ourselves either teaching universalism on the one hand, or claiming that God has no wisdom, or that He purposed the evil, or what not. We would get into all sorts of confusion. But when we see the perfect adjustment of God’s Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power, and realize that He has good purposes res­pect­ing the evil, that He has fully marked out what it shall do and what it shall not do, either in its present influence, or its ultimate influence, this gives us confidence in the character of God.

THE PERMISSION OF EVIL

From only one standpoint can Divine Wisdom and Love be discerned in connection with the history of mankind. It must include the Age about to be ushered in, the period of Messiah’s reign of right­eousness. This will be the time when every member of Adam’s race, sharing the penalty of sin and death because inheriting weaknesses, will be set free from these; the time when the full knowledge of the glory of God shall be granted to every human being, and when a full opportunity will come to each, by obedience, to gain life everlasting.

The lesson thus far taught is the goodness and the severity of God – His goodness in bringing us into being, and His severity in the punishment of father Adam’s willful transgression; also to men and angels, justice, unswerving justice.

The next lesson to be taught to God’s intelligent creatures is that God is love. The found­ation for these lessons is already laid in the ransom-sacrifice of Jesus, through and on account of which he becomes the world’s Redeemer and Restorer. A few can believe this message by faith; but not many have the ear of faith or the eye of faith.

That which is now secret and understood only by the few is shortly to be made manifest to every creature in heaven and in earth.

All will then see and be able to appreciate the great fact that the redemption accom­plished by the sacrifice of Jesus is world-wide and means a full deliverance from the sin-and-death condemnation which passed upon Adam and his entire race, to all who will accept the same as a gift from God. The remainder will be destroyed in the Second Death.

THE SECOND DEATH THE ESSENCE OF WISDOM

As for the Second Death, we see easily that if God created man in His own image, man must of necessity be a free moral agent; otherwise, he would not be in God’s image. If man was created a free moral agent, he must have the power or privilege to will wrong as well as right. If he exercises his power in the direction of evil, God has the power to destroy him. On the other hand, if he lives in harmony with righteousness God has the power to grant him life to all eternity.

The destruction of the wicked in the Second Death is the essence of wisdom. As to the declar­ation that God is too pure to behold evil (Hab. 1:13), the thought of the original seems to be that God’s character is so pure and so righteous and He will not continue to behold evil. He will not permit evil to all eternity, for this condition would not be pleasing to Him.

This very thought implies that there is evil to behold. If not so, how could He behold it? But this is all consistent with God’s plan. Ultimately, all evil shall be destroyed. Ultimately all creatures which are “in heaven and on earth and such as are in the sea shall be heard saying, Blessing and honor sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” (Rev. 5:13)

(Pastor Russell, Reprints 5209–5211, April 1, 1913)

QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – In John 3:16, 17 it is stated “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son... that the world through Him might be saved.” But in 1 John 2:15 we are told “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Skeptics seize upon these texts as one instance where the Bible contradicts itself. What is the correct thought on these texts?

ANSWER: – The Bible is harmonious with itself. If this were not true – even in a single instance – it could not be regarded as “the Word of Truth.” In both these texts, the word “love” is from the Greek agapao; but the word “world” is from the Greek kosmos. Agapao in both texts carries the thought of duty love; but the word kosmos has two different meanings – just as many of our English words have two or three different meanings. In the first text the kosmos means the inhabitants of the earth; whereas, in the second text it carries the thought of the present social order or arrangement.

In the Bible, we are told to love our neighbors as ourselves, but nowhere are we told to love the present social order. It was the present social order that crucified our Lord; and it was the present social order that has shed “the blood of the prophets and of saints,” and it has been condemned to destruction “by fire,” the fire being a figurative expression used to denote complete annihilation.

In 2 Peter 3:10 we are told “the earth [another expression for the present social order] and the works that are therein [the selfish and depraved acts of men] shall be burned up.” The whole chapter from which we have quoted one small text is written in highly figurative language, but much confusion has resulted by men attempting to accept these figurative statements as literal. If they were literal, it would indeed be a sore and unexplainable contradiction of many other Bible statements ‑ such as “The earth [the planet on which we live] abideth forever.” (Eccl. 1:4) This “burning” began in 1874 in a broad sense; but it actually began in a narrow violent way in 1914 with the outbreak of the World War; and has been steadily progressing since 1914 – so much so that it is now apparent to many persons of sharp discernment. As one outstanding instance, we quote President Woodrow Wilson, who said concerning the Great War, “The world is on fire.” Thus, it becomes apparent that God has arranged for the salvation of the people living in this present social order, although He has condemned the social order itself to destruction.

It is our thought that the Jehovah’s Witnesses would be well advised to ponder this point in their present proclamations, because they are heralding just the reverse of what the Scriptures teach on the subject – also it is just the reverse of the error which they taught for 1925, Millions Now Living Will Never Die. These people change their teachings just as easily and just as readily as the chameleon changes his color. They reverse themselves when their predictions fail; and their “dedicated” adherents close their eyes, open their mouths, and swallow any new delirium that they present to them. For the past few years, they have been very vociferous in their declaration that the large majority of earth’s inhabitants now living WILL DIE – be annihilated in Armageddon when the present kosmos is overthrown. They now have about two million “saved” persons in their organization, and it is only those who accept them that will survive Armageddon. While the Bible does teach that large numbers of the human family will perish in Armageddon, nowhere does it teach that such death means their eternal annihilation, but the Bible does teach clearly and emphatically the eternal annihilation of the present kosmos – the present social order.

The Witnesses’ present teaching is indeed a far cry from what they were teaching some fifty years ago, at which time they placed great stress upon Zech. 13:8,9: “It shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.” When they were using this text, they tried to give it a very literal explanation. Namely, one‑third of earth’s population would survive Armageddon, which would mean by present reckoning that over one billion living through 1925 would live right on through Armageddon, and into the Kingdom, which is how they arrived at their slogan “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” – after the year 1925. Of course, time itself made them look quite ridiculous, so they were forced to come up with some new hocus‑pocus. Now only their “dedicated” devotees will live on into the Kingdom; all others will be annihilated by that seething caldron. Thus, through fear they have persuaded many to join them – just as did the Roman Catholic Church in the Dark Ages gather numbers to avoid the fate of eternal torment. As so many of their devotees have died since 1975 they have been forced to change their teachings. They now teach that their faithful devotees who have died before Armageddon will also be rulers in the Kingdom with those who live through Armageddon on into the Kingdom.

When the lawyer asked Jesus which is the great commandment (Matt. 22:37‑40) He answered him in this manner: The first “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul and mind... and the second, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” From this, it is very clear that the requirements of the Law given through Moses are a duty, and many of the Jews tried to keep it, but could not do so because of their fallen condition. And in this connection it should be noted that when “the restitution of all things” (Acts 3:19‑23) is fully established under the Kingdom reign, perfect duty love will be required of all who gain life under that arrangement ‑ a “new heavens [new spiritual powers] and a new earth [a new social arrangement] wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter 3:13) Just the opposite of that condition prevails now, which is the reason for its “burning,” which will proceed to a completion in the future.

As stated foregoing, the word “love” in both texts in the question is from the Greek agapao, which conveys the thought of duty love. There are a number of other texts which contain the word love, but are translated from different Greek words. One of these is the Greek agape, which carries the thought of a sacrificial love, and has been in operation specifically since Pentecost; but it has not been required of the world in general during this Gospel Age, nor will it be required in the next Age when “the restitution of all things” becomes operative. The only ones required to practice sacrificial love during this Age have been those who have accepted Jesus in the full sense determined by His words: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matt. 16:24) But this has been an invitation – and not a command.

Such persons as the foregoing have been a very small minority, and they have not loved the world as it refers to the present social order. This is graphically typified by the acts of the Prophet Elijah in his attempts to reform the Jews ‑ especially so as respects Ahab and Jezebel. In this, he typed the Gospel‑Age Christians who have attempted to reform the present social order, and have failed badly in their efforts. However, the reformers have shown great love for the people, the inhabitants, of this “present evil world,” and have done much good for them in their ministries.

The Jews under the Law were not required to practice agape love; in fact, they knew little or nothing about it. This is clearly stated by Jesus (Matt. 5:43, 44): “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

The foregoing, however, applies only to those who have come into the Christian family; it is not now required of the “world” (the inhabitants of earth), nor will it ever be required of them in the next world. [Sacrificial love will not be necessary in the Kingdom as “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.” – Isa. 11:9] Much confusion has resulted as Christians all during the Age – since shortly after the demise of the Apostles – attempted to apply these words to every one now, which error came about through the loss of the Truth on the two salvations – the “common salvation” (Jude 3), and the “great salvation” (Heb. 2:3). The “common salvation” is not available during the Gospel Age; and the “great salvation” will not be available in the next Age. Any attempt to mix the two salvations is certain to result in rank confusion.

Love for our enemies was not required under the Law Covenant, such love being sacrificial love ‑ from the Greek agape. Our Lord was the One who brought this agape love into focus – just as He also “brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.” (2 Tim. 1:10) Had “the ancients” in Old Testament times been instructed in agape love, David and Samson would not have prayed for the death of their enemies.

(Brother John J. Hoefle, Reprint No. 250, April, 1976)

Thy Blood was shed on Calvary

Forgive me Lord, to Thee I pray,

Forgive the sins I did today

And help me know Thy truth and might

And serve thee always, day and night.

If there is good that I could do,

Some soul, Lord; I can bring to you,

Then let me not be satisfied

Until that soul in Thee abides.

I know I’m weak and filled with sin

But Thou can make me pure within.

Place in my heart thy love divine,

And let me know I’m wholly Thine.

There is no friend like Thee, I know,

In all life’s sorrows I can go,

For thou has promised and I know,

That Thou canst make me white as snow.

Then lead me Lord, lest I should stray

From Thine own perfect righteous way,

And ever, Jesus, let me see,

Thy blood was shed on Calvary,

For me was shed, dear Lord, for me.

By Virginia Snow Dunnagan

NO. 648 THE ADAMIC DEATH

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”  (Gen 2:7)

The Lord God did not breath into man an immortal soul and no other texts in the scriptures supports it. This error came much later and is a totally improper big lie, unsupported by the Bible and fostered on fallen man by the deceiver – dubbed by the Apostle Paul “prince of the power of the air” of this present evil world. (Eph 2:2)

The catechisms of all the Christian denomi­nations support and teach it, and it is shocking that so many otherwise intelligent people cling to this blatant error even though it is obviously inspired by the Evil One. It is down this avenue that so much additional error and superstition has flowed and flourished for centuries.

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree [life sustaining trees] of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen 2:16-17)  “…the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”  (Ezek 18:4)

The penalty for Adam’s sin would have been much worse if it had been “living, thy soul shalt live in eternal torment,” which might have been the penalty for sin if the Creator had given Adam an “immortal (death-proof) soul.” Think about the difference between “Eternal” and “Immortal.” Eternal implies a long indefinite period of time that does not include incorruptibility. There is no other way to consider immortality as anything but incorruptibility – death-proof.

Our Lord God, whose chief character traits are Power, Wisdom, Justice and Love, had not extended immortality to any human being except Jesus when  he gave his Perfect earthly life for Adam and us in Adam. Mankind has spent the last seven thousand years learning evil and during the Kingdom will learn Good and become kings of this physical universe as God intended through His Divine Plan for mankind (Rev. 21:24).

So what about these so called NDE’s that crop up every now and then in the news media. NDE is the term used for “Near Death Experiences.”

After Adam sinned, received the death sentence and passed it on to his progeny,  all life as we know it became a near death experience. When a person suffers painfully over a long period, the death can become a blessed relief both for the patient who will have no knowledge in the grave and their loved ones who suffer the loss. The human race has enough to worry about for we are near death from the moment we were conceived in our mother’s womb and every second of our life thereafter. So the life we live now in this present evil world is the true – “Near Death Experience.”

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not necessarily just one tree, but one kind of tree like Oak tree, Apple tree, or Maple tree, all of which would have been part of the forests of Eden - Paradise. What would paradise be without a Maple tree! The provision of life for the newly created Adam was conditional, dependent upon his obedience to his Creator. He was instructed that he could eat the fruit of every tree except the tree with the “fruit” of the knowledge of good and evil. Why would the Creator provide the means by which his creation could self destruct after he had already said the creation was “good?” Doubt­lessly, the LORD God had a higher purpose for his creation. Though physically perfect, Adam was unfin­ished. He along with the rest of us as we were born, needed a proper education. The Creator purposed to have man be the king of this universe . In order for this to be, mankind needed to have the knowledge of both good and evil and to voluntarily eschew evil, like unto his Creator. Notice that mankind learned evil first.

“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)

What is hard to understand about this Scripture and are there not others, which make the same indisputable declaration? The only answer is that there is very little seeking of truth in this day, it’s easier to believe the catechisms of That Man of Sin.

Adam and Eve had it so good, everything they would ever want or need right there in Paradise/Eden. The weather was so wonderful they needed no wraps, clothing or covering of any kind. The animals were their friends and servants, food was plentiful, lots of good apples and other fruits and vegetables, just don’t eat the fruit of that one tree. Just one law and what an easy one! Through Moses, God gave the Israelites 10 laws to gain life. These are impossible for imperfect men to obey but they marked the Jews as God’s chosen people. Obey my law and live.

It is our intention to offer a clear analysis of the Adamic Death; and by way of introduction we would say this death is the one which Adam experienced as a result of his transgression in Eden. God had told him as indicated above, “… thou shalt surely die.” The marginal comment offers a little help here by say­ing, “dying thou shalt die.” “…the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezek 18:4) The penalty for Adam’s sin would have been much worse if it had been “living, thou soul shalt live in eternal torment.”

Different Days

It should first be noted that the word day in the Bible has a number of different meanings: A day of our week – twenty-four hours; a forty-year day; “The day of temptation in the wilderness — forty years” (Heb. 3:8,9); a thousand-year day – “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years.” (2 Pet. 3:8) “A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.” (Psa. 90:4,5) And there are other days which we shall not examine here. Self-evidently Adam’s day in Gen. 2:17 was not a twenty-four-hour day, because he continued to live for 930 years. “Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.” (Gen. 5:5)

Adam was really not living in the full sense; and this will become clearer if we state it as it really was: “Adam was dying for nine hundred and thirty years; at which time he finally died.”

However, it should be stressed here that none of us are dying for the same reason that Adam died; Adam died because of his willful sin against God; the rest of us are dying from the death penalty inherited from him. Whether good or bad, this sentence rests upon all of us, as we can see from the processions to the cemeteries. “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; so death passed upon all men.” (Rom. 5:12) Thus, we are dying because of our inheritance – what was transmitted to us by Adam. None of us asked for it; and none of us can escape it. Before the Flood men lived much longer than they do now – the oldest being Methuselah, 969 years (Gen. 5:27). All within the thousand-year day. After the Flood men’s lives were much shortened: “The days of our years are threescore years and ten.” (Psa. 90:10) And with much sor­row have we eaten of our bread during those years. Gradually a Messiah began to be revealed through the Prophets; and, when Jesus appeared, this hope was mightily energized, so that much of the civilized world now “looks to Jesus” for escape from our wretched condition – sickness, sorrow, pain and death.

SALVATION

Throughout the Christian world the doctrine of salvation is taught with emphasis; but the meaning of salvation among the various segments of Christendom is a tragedy to be­hold! Some teach that the chosen few are predestined to salvation (John Calvin and his adherents); with the remainder determined to an eternity of torture in a burning lake of Hell. Another extreme contends that since God “will have” all men to be saved that all will be saved whether or not they wish it.

This conglomeration is the result of a very erroneous understanding of the purpose of salvation. Luke 3:6 tells us, “All flesh shall see the salvation of God”; but seeing it does not mean that all shall receive it. However, as stated above, none of us are dying because of any evil we may have committed; therefore, God will save us from that for which we are not responsible; viz., the condemnation that has come upon us through Adam’s disobedience. St. Paul makes this quite clear when he says in Acts 24:15, “There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”

That resurrection will save all who receive it from the penalty of the Adamic Death state, after which they shall “come to an accurate knowledge of the truth” (l Tim. 2:4, Diaglott); and that will enable them to decide if they wish to live under an absolute monarchy of righteousness, or if they wish, they can return to the grave from which they have been saved. From that standpoint God desires all men to be saved – saved from the Adamic-Death state, and from the gross ignorance that now engulfs the entire world. The Prophet tells us (Isa. 60:2): “Darkness shall cover the earth [the present social order], and gross darkness the people.” And it will be necessary for all men to be saved from that if they are to be changed from their present position to a better one. And once having reached that position, if they – of their own volition – determine they do not wish to live under that benign reign, they will then die the “second death” – “Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death,” —Rev. 20:14

Some believers who contend that God wills definitely that all are to be eternally saved go to the extreme and teach that even Satan and the fallen angels also will be saved. If not, God would suffer loss, which is an impossibility; but the record is clear enough in Heb. 2:14: “Through death He [Jesus] might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil.”

He is “the god of this world who has blinded the minds of those that believe not.” (2 Cor. 4:4) He has led men in his present condition, and he will eventually pay the price for it; he will be an­nihilated—destroyed.

It has been our privilege over the years to engage in written and oral discussions of this subject with those deluded by this error – which, according to God’s Word, is transparent nonsense. Some contend that if man and devils were completely destroyed that this would mean that God suffers loss; but this has no substance or bottom to it. In Gen. 2:7 we are told that “the Lord formed man from the dust of the ground”; and Gen. 3:19 states “dust thou art, and unto dust shall thou return.” Thus, if this is true - and we accept it as Truth – then, if man returns unto dust, God will have suf­fered no loss; He will have the dust which He had before he created man.

Others say that the “everlasting fire” of Matt. 25:41 (the punishment of the wicked) is simply to be “aionian”; that is, “age-lasting,” after which they are to be given another chance. However, we have answered by stating that the same sort of bliss is given to the righteous; therefore, it also will be only “age-lasting”; and this com­pletely silenced them. Following is the footnote from the Emphatic Diaglott:

“The common version, and many modern ones, render kolasin aionian everlasting punish­ment, conveying the idea, as generally interpreted of basinos, torment. Kolasin in its various forms only occurs in three other places in the New Testament – Act 4:21; 2 Pet. 2:9; 1 John 4:18. It is derived from kolazo, which signifies, (1) to cut off; as lopping branches of trees, to prune; (2) to restrain, repress. The Greeks write ‘The charioteer (kolazei) restrains his fiery steeds;’ (3) to chastise, to punish. To cut off an individual from life, or society, or even to restrain, is esteemed as punishment; – hence has arisen this third metaphorical use of the word. The primary signification has been adopted, because it agrees better with the second member of the sentence, thus preserving the force and beauty of the antithesis. The righteous go to life, the wicked from the cutting off from life, or death. See 2 Thes. 1:9.”

From what then is man to be saved? (1) He is to be saved from the Adamic-Death state (those in the tomb) which he inherited from Adam – through no fault of his own: “Death passed upon all men.” (Rom. 5:12) (2) He will be saved from the “gross dark­ness” – the error which now engulfs most of the human race – those who have been “blinded by the god of this world” – Satan. (2 Cor. 4:4) When man is eventually saved from these two conditions, we are assured that “there shall be no night there” – error as we now see it. (Rev. 22:5) Those who willfully refuse to accept that New Order of things “shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23) Jesus emphatically told us, “All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and come forth.” (John 5:28,29) They will then be able to accept or reject the Truth, as they wish. However, no one that is awakened will any longer be subject to the Adamic Death: Jesus purchased the world with His own blood – and when they are awakened by Him they will have been redeemed from the Adamic Death state. “There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” (Acts 24:15) Why awaken the unjust if they have already been sentenced to a Hell of torment? We answer that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23); and “the dead know not anything.” (Eccl. 9:5) God is not judging the unsaved world now, “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)

We are assured in Zech. 13:8 that some will survive this Time of Trouble (the “third part shall be left therein”); but all of them will be subject to the Adamic-Death state until they come under the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-33) and receive the “judgments” (in­structions) of the Kingdom. However, all those who are awakened by our Lord will be subject to the New Covenant regulations and no longer subject to the Adamic-Death state from which they have been deliv­ered. At present it would be impossible for many to re­ceive the Kingdom instructions – due to their physical and mental lacks. Most of these will go – or already have gone – into the Adamic-Death state, from which they will be awakened ‘in due time,’ and be physically and mentally able to receive the benevolent instructions of the Kingdom. When they are awakened they will have opportunity to walk up the Highway of Holiness (Isa. 35:8) and gain eternal life if obedient. If not obedi­ent, they will eventually go into the Second Death (Rev. 20:14), from which there is no recovery. “Christ dieth no more.” (Rom. 6:9) They shall then be “as though they had not been.” (Obad. 1:16) But all the awakened will have the ability to receive the instruct­tions of the Kingdom; and it will be due to their own willfulness if they are sent into the Second Death. “In those days they shall say no more, the fathers have eaten a sour grape [the sins of the fathers visited upon the children to the third and fourth generation], and the children’s teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.” (Jer. 31:29,30)

THE ADAMIC-DEATH PROCESS

The Adamic Death and the Adamic-Death process are closely related, yet there is a wide divergence in them in some respects. The Adamic-Death process will still be with us for years – perhaps a few hundred years – after the Adamic death itself has forever disappeared. When the last one has been recovered from the Adamic-Death state, that will be the end of the Adamic death; but it should be clearly apparent that the evils that have been spawned by the Adamic-Death process now working in all men prominently will still be with those just returned from the tomb. “In the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.” (Eccl. 11:3) All will be awakened with the character they had at the time of death. The expression is often heard, I am living in New York, Chicago, Los   Angeles, etc., but actually we are all dying in those places; and, regardless of wealth, social standing, etc., the death toll is certain to have its way. Thus, all those that are in their graves, shall hear the voice of the Son of Man and come forth – some to a resurrection of life, and others to a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28,29)

The question properly arises, What is the Adamic-Death process? We answer that it is every evil in man – whether inherited or acquired. Some men – a few – reduce the Adamic-Death process they have inherited by receiving the instruction of the Holy Spirit, and resolutely resolving to improve their undone condition. Some of these have devel­oped into the “saints” (Rom. 1:7,8); at Corinth “called to be saints” (1 Cor. 1:2); “to the saints which are at Ephesus” (Eph. 1:1); “to all the saints at Philippi” (Phil. 1:1); “to the saints and faithful brethren at Colosse” (Col. 1:2). Note the words of the Apostle John in Rev. 20:14: “Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire,” a symbol of the utter destruction of these two enemies of mankind. Death in this text is from the Greek thanatos, meaning “death, literal or figurative”: and hell is from the Greek hades, meaning the death state, oblivion.

Consider now the Berean Comment on this text: “Death … Including aches, pains, mental and moral imperfections of every sort; Hell … Oblivion, the great prisonhouse of the tomb in which mankind awaits a resurrection; Were cast … Gradually, from the beginning of the Millennial Age to its close; The lake of fire … Gehenna, utter destruction – there shall be no more death;  The Second Death … So-called, in contra­distinction to the first or Adamic death; the devil, death and hell are never de­stroyed but once, yet their destruction is for them the Second Death, death everlast­ing.” We have quoted this Berean Comment because we ourselves cannot improve upon it; it is an excellent definition of Adamic-Death and the Adamic-Death process.

Perhaps it should be stressed here that when the voice of Jesus in the established Kingdom calls forth the human race from the death state they will still have their in­herited and acquired weaknesses which they possessed when they went into the tomb. They will have the same personality and character they had when they went into the tomb. Of course, they won’t have the same diseased bodies. If they did, the man consumed by vicious cancer would immediately die again; the man with his head shot off would never know he had been awakened from the grave, etc. However, they will then have sufficient physical and mental ability to understand the requirements of the “New Covenant.” (Jer. 31:31)

The Berean Comments on John 5:25 are to the point: “When the dead … Whether ac­tually in the cells or the prison yard: “Let the dead bury their dead”; Shall hear the voice … Gradually, line upon line, precept upon precept: Calling them to awake and come to a full knowledge of God and to a full opportunity of everlasting life: When the last one has thus heard, Hades, the tomb, will have been destroyed, but death [the Adamic-Death process] will still remain as long as there is any imper­fection; Of the Son of God … Not the jargon of conflicting creeds; And they that hear … Obey; Shall live ... In due time reach perfection of life.”

Rev. 20:13 declares that all men shall be brought out of these conditions in due time for trial. So this verse shows that Adamic Death, and the sleep in obliv­ion consequent to it, shall be no more after the Millennial Age. In that future no one will die for Adam’s sin. It will be out of view as a factor in the trial of the future. The only death will be the Second Death, from which there will be no recovery: “Christ dieth no more.” (Rom 6:9) “The soul that sinneth it shall die.” (Ezek. 18:4) That is not true of all who die now. Infants who die are not dying for their own sins.

In the previous verses of this 18th Chapter, Ezekiel says much the same as does Jere­miah in what we have quoted from him. So we have here at least “two witnesses” to sub­stantiate our statements herein. Though such will have the weakness of the Adamic fallen condition, from which they will never recover if they refuse to use the means and op­portunities placed within their reach. Yet under that New Covenant, inherited weaknesses will not be reckoned against them so long as they use the means to overcome them, be­cause they are covered by the sacrifice of the Redeemer. As said, they then will have opportunity to gain eternal life if they choose righteousness. If they refuse the be­nevolent rules of the Kingdom, they will be subject to the Second Death – not the Adamic Death. There will be no recovery for those who go into the Second Death; but all those who have been subject to the Adamic Death will have an awakening. “God is faithful that promised.” (Heb. 10:23)

ASLEEP IN JESUS

The question has recently come to us: Is the general run of the world of mankind asleep in Jesus – the same as is true of the footstep followers of our Lord? This is a very delicate question; and we hope our analysis of it may have the essence of Truth in it. When Jesus said, “Let the dead bury their dead” (Matt. 8:22 – “leave the dead ones to inter their own dead,” Diaglott translation) it should be clear enough that Jesus reckoned all the unbelieving world – whether in the tomb, or those still alive now – as dead in God’s sight.

However, in this particular statement He was re­ferring only to those whom we consider now to be living – those not yet in the tomb. Those, of course, could not possibly be “asleep in Jesus” – nor would they be so con­sidered up to the time of their actual physical death. But we believe that at that very instant their status will change. Henceforth they would be “Asleep in Jesus.” Why do we say this? Because their only hope for life thereafter would be through the power of Jesus; and thus He is described by the Prophet, “the everlasting father.” (Isa. 9:6)

Often do we refer to Adam as the father of our race; and so the Scriptures say: “God hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth.” (Acts 17:26) But Adam brought death upon the human race instead of life; and he is now powerless to give them life. But Jesus can do this; thus the dead are now asleep in Him. “He is the propitiation for our sins [the faith classes during the reign of sin and death]: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (l John 2:2) By virtue of His sacrifice all men are now asleep in Him, because He will eventu­ally give them an awakening from the death state, which no other could do (l Tim. 2:4-6).

Much of what follows has been taken from Parousia Vol. 5, with some comments of our own interspersed therein. First, let us understand that all the Elect will have a special resurrection – instantaneous one – whereas the world will be resurrected grad­ually – a resurrection by judgment. The first part of the resurrection of the world will be the awakening of them. They will not be awakened with disease and emaciation, but will be awakened with what we call normal health – the start of a full raising up to life again. Then the Christ will have provisions made for their return with proper instructions given them to know right from wrong. After that it will be up to them to obey or disobey. But they will not be permitted to harm any one: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Isa. 11:9)

But the goats – those who do not even outwardly obey – will be “cut off” from among the people after receiving 100 years of instruction and trial. (Isa. 65:20) Some of the goats will outwardly obey, but will not be in heart-harmony with right­eousness, so they will be permitted to live until the Little Season (Rev. 20:3), at which time they will be manifested as such. They will be manifested by the tests of the Little Season after the iron rule of the Mediatorial reign is lifted. However, during the Mediatorial reign, “The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be un­stopped. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those, the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isa. 35:5,8) Now “the fool [the atheist] hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psa. 14:1); but even he will then learn and ap­preciate there is a God.

Through the resurrection, God has arranged to show His love for the world. It is writ­ten, “When the fullness of time was come [exactly at the time stated by the Prophets in the Old Testament], God sent forth His son… made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we [Gospel-Age believers] might receive the adoption of sons [brethren of Jesus].” (Gal. 4:4,5) “Who gave himself a ransom for all” – for every man. (1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 2:9) Thus, St. Paul says, “Since by man [Adam] came death, by man [the man Christ Jesus] came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order.” (1 Cor. 15:21-23)

In the morning of that glorious day when the Sun of Righteousness shall rise “with healing in his wings” (Mal. 4:2), all that God has promised for that blessed time will come to pass. “All that are in the graves shall hear his voice [the voice of the Son of Man] and shall come forth.” (John 5:28,29) In this sense, therefore, we speak of the dead as asleep.

HEAVENLY PHASE OF THE RESURRECTION

The Scriptures tell us there will be several classes in the resurrection – Heavenly and Earthly classes. The chief resurrection, or the First Resur­rection (Rev. 20:5,6) is the resurrection of saints. The Apostle Paul said, “We [the saints] shall not all sleep.” (1 Cor. 15:51) The inference here is clear enough that the Apostle himself expected to sleep. Of course, he did not know how long he would sleep, nor did the others of that time know.

EARTHLY PHASE OF THE RESURRECTION

In the Scriptures a class of faithful ser­vants of God are mentioned. Many of these are mentioned by name in the eleventh Chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews. We classify them as Ancient Worthies, who lived and were found faithful prior to the coming of Jesus. It was not their privilege to walk in the footsteps of Jesus (1 Pet. 2:21), because “the example” (Jesus) had not yet appeared upon the earth. But it is written that they will have “a better resurrec­tion” than the remainder of mankind (Heb. 11:35) – not to be raised on the spirit plane – as are the saints; but they will be raised in human perfection – which the remainder of the race will not have as they come forth from the tomb. The world in general will have a gradual raising up to life again; and this will undoubtedly require years for many of them.

At the beginning of the reign of Christ, the “Ancients” (Psa. 119:100; Isa. 3:14; 24:23) will come forth perfect human beings – perfect mentally and physically – that their bodies may correspond with their moral development. If they had scars when they went into the tomb, or if they are blemished in any

way, they will be gone. It is not easy for us to picture to ourselves a perfect man, for we have never seen one, and all around us are in various degrees of imper­fection. But we know that a perfect human being will be perfect in form, features, voice, sight, hearing, taste, and in all other organs, as well as in mind. “God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” (Gen. 1:31)

However, none of the Restitutionists will come forth physically perfect: they will have to develop physical perfection as they obey. The residue of men (Acts 15:17) will come forth, every man in his own order. (1 Cor. 15:23) Their awakening will merely bring them forth from the tomb in the condition in which they entered – minus of course, whatever of disease or violence that had put then there; for “in the grave there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom.” (Eccl. 9:10) This awakening will not be the real resurrection (a full raising up to life again), but merely the preliminary step toward it. The Greek word rendered resurrection is anastasis, and means literally a standing up again. Adam fell, and ever since that fall the world lieth in wickedness – literally, in the wicked one. (1 John 5:19) The standing up again is, therefore, a return to the perfection lost in Eden; for the world of mankind the resurrection is RESTITUTION. (Acts 3:21)

During the thousand years of Messiah’s reign the resurrection of the world will be in progress. The work will not be done by the Father directly, but will be committed to the Lord Jesus (John 5:22), and will require the whole thousand years for its completion. At the end of that Millennial reign the world of mankind will be perfect, as was Adam in his creation. All God’s work is perfect. (Deu. 32:4; Gen. 1:31)

During the Millennium God will not recognize the people because of their imperfection – their weakness; but all of their dealings will be through the Mediator – until they shall have been brought up to perfection. At the end of the thousand years they will be delivered up to the Father, faultless before Him. (1 Cor. 15:24) God will then receive them as sons – just as was Adam (Luke 3:38) – heirs of the earthly bless­ings which He has provided for mankind – the things given to Adam.

The very moment when the merit of Jesus is applied for the world in that same moment they will be turned over to the Mediator. Then they will be in covenant relationship with God, but only through the Mediator, until they shall have reached human perfection and shall enter into relationship directly with the Father.

The New Covenant will continue ever­lastingly; and as it is proper to say that Moses mediated the Law Covenant, so we may say that Christ will mediate the New Coven­ant. But it would not be proper to say that Moses is now the Mediator of the Law Cov­enant; for a covenant does not need a mediator after it has been mediated. So the New Covenant will need no Mediator after the thousand years. But the title Mediator may belong to Christ to all eternity, just as the one who has been a judge, ever after receives the title of Judge - continues to be called Judge.

At the end of the thousand years, when the Messiah will have accomplished His work of Restitution, He will cease to act as Mediator. But the covenant will con­tinue to stand; for if that relationship with God were to be removed from the people, they would have no blessing of everlasting life. Under the favorable conditions of the New Covenant, whoever will may have an opportunity to become the children of the Christ, the seed of Abraham. At the conclusion of the thousand years, the willing and obedient receive the commendation, “Well done,” and will be accepted as fit for the condition of everlasting life on the human plane. Those who prove to be unworthy of life will be destroyed in the Second Death.

Adamic Death State Vs. Adamic Death Process

 Although we have treated on this subject, we repeat that while the two are closely related, there is a wide divergence of meaning between the two. Here are the Berean Comments on Rev. 20:14: “Death [from the Greek thanatos] … Including aches, pains, mental and moral imper­fections of every sort.” This is the detailed description of the Adamic Death process. It is the cause of the bringing the human race to the Adamic Death state – ­that has put them in the tomb. When people have entered the grave, the Adamic Death state would eternally end for them when they “hear the voice of the Son of Man, and come forth.”

But not so the death process. Within limits, this will take up where it left off – will continue to harass its possessors until they fully eliminate it, or it eliminates them – in the Second Death. We are informed that Brother Russell ven­tured the thought that the entire race might be freed from the tomb in the first 500 years of the Kingdom reign. If that be true, the Adamic Death process will occupy a much longer period of the Kingdom than the Adamic Death state – the second 500 years, plus the Little Season. We have no argument with this; but we are emphatic that the “last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:26) – the Adamic Death process, some of which will continue in the goats until the last of them is destroyed at the end of the Little Season.

Asleep In Jesus

The very fact that it is Jesus who awakens the human race from the sleep of death offers indisputable proof that they are now “asleep in Jesus.” That is the first part to them of the New Covenant blessing. They belong to Jesus, as He purchased them with His own precious blood; therefore at their awak­ening they are under the New Covenant arrangements even before they have received the instructions of the Kingdom laws: they are no longer under Adamic condemnation ­no longer subject to the Adamic Death. Jesus is now their only hope of life, the One who will give them the initial impetus to Restitution, and who will “heal all their diseases,” etc., which have come upon them through the transgression of their original father – Adam. After their return from the tomb, it will be up to them as to what they do with it. But Adam will have nothing to do with it. While we owe it to him to have the little spark of life we have enjoyed, yet all have faced the awful sen­tence, “In sorrow shalt thou eat of it [the daily bread] all the days of thy life.” (Gen. 3:17-19)

During the Mediatorial reign even the Goats, who have outwardly obeyed, will re­ceive great blessings, although  the Christ will know even then they have not rid them­selves of the Adamic Death process. But when the “iron rule” is lifted in the Little Season, they will outwardly manifest them­selves. It will be true of all those who emerge from the tomb; they will immediately come under the blessings and restraints of that Covenant even before they are properly instructed thereunder. None will ever again die the Adamic Death, even though they refuse to accept the conditions of the New Covenant.

With this comes the hope and prayer that we have made this subject clear to all our readers. “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.” (Psa. 128:1)

The above is a reprint of Brother John J. Hoefle’s paper No. 446 dated Aug. 1, 1993 with some slight editing and minor addition we trust without altering the content, 

No. 647 "IN THE BEGINNING" - PART THREE

Conclusion of Study One the sixth volume studies in the scriptures “In the beginning”

Fourth paragraph from theheading of “The Period of Divine cessation from creative activity…” (Page 51)

 The angelic sons of God “shouted for joy” (Job 38:7) in the dawn of earth’s creative week, and after witnessing step after step in the development, finally saw man, its king, made in the Divine image. But then came the fall of man into sin and death through disobedience followed by the frightful experiences of the fallen angels who kept not their primary estate. And man’s selfish and bloody history under the reign of Sin and Death. Then successively follow the redemption, the selection of the Anointed One (Head and Body) through sacrifice, and the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom with its wonderful restitution of all things spoken by God through the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. No wonder indeed that there should be Jubilation in heaven and in earth when all of Yahweh’s intelligent creatures shall thus behold the lengths, heights and breadths and depths, not only of God’s Love, but also of His Justice,  Wisdom and Power:

“And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.” —Rev. 15:3,4

“Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens: God himself, that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it. He created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord and there is none else.” —Is. 45:18

“And every creature which is in heaven and on earth... and such as are in the sea... heard me saying, ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb, forever and forever.’”  —Rev. 5:13

Since writing the foregoing we found the follow­ing on the subject of the Genesis account of creation by Prof. G. Frederick Wright, DD, LL.D., dated November 19, 1902..

THE GENESIS RECORD

“The first chapter of Genesis, which treats of the creation of the world, is a most remarkable document. It is remarkable as much for the skill with which it avoids possible conflict with scientific discovery as for its effectiveness from a literary point of view. Meas­ured by the influence it has had, there is scarcely any other piece of literature that can be compared with it. Its evident object is to discredit polytheism and to emphasize the unity of the Godhead. This it does by denying a plurality of gods, both in general and in detail, and by affirming that it is the one eternal God of Israel who has made the heavens and the earth and all the objects in it which idolaters are in the habit of worshiping.

“The sublimity of this chapter is seen in the fact that everywhere apart from the influence of it polytheism and idolatry prevail. The unity of God and His worship as the sole Creator of all things are maintained only by those nations which have accepted this chapter as a true and divine revelation.”

cOMPATIBLE WITH SCIENCE

“At the same time the advancement of science has served rather to enhance than to detract from our admiration of this remarkable portion of the grand book of Divine revelation. Within its ample folds there is opportunity for every real discovery of science to find shelter. With such remarkable wisdom has the language of this chapter been chosen to avoid conflict with modern science that so great a geologist as Prof. J. D. Dana of Yale College asserted with great emphasis that it was impossible to account for it except on the theory of Divine inspiration.

“In the opening verse it shuts off controversy concerning the age of the earth, and indeed of the solar system, by the simple statement that the heaven and the earth were created in the ‘beginning,’ without any assertion how long ago that beginning was. But that the solar system had a beginning is proved by modern science with such clearness that the boldest evolu­tionist cannot gainsay it. The modern doctrine of the conser­vation of energy proves that the present order of things has not always existed. The sun is cooling off. Its heat is rapidly radiating and wasting itself in empty space. In short, the solar system is running down, and it is as clear as noonday that the process cannot have been going on forever. Even the nebular hypothesis implies a beginning, and no wit of man ever devised a better statement of that fact than is found in the opening verse of the Bible. “In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth.” (Read Psalm 8)

CREATION WAS GRADUAL

“This whole first chapter of Genesis is based upon the principle of progress in this method of creation. The universe was not brought into existence instantaneously. It was not complete at the outset. In the beginning we have merely the physical forces out of which the grand structure is to be made by a gradually unfolding, or if one prefers to say so, an ‘evolutionary’ process. [As already indicated, it is only in respect to man’s creation that the Evolution theory conflicts with the Bible; and only to attack this point does that theory exist or find advocates.] This is equally true whatever view one may take of the word ‘day’ (Hebrew ‘yom’). Why should an Almighty Creator need six days, even if only twenty‑four hours long, in which to create the world? The answer is that the Creator not only possesses almighty power, but has infinite wisdom, and has seen fit to choose a method of creation which involves first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear.

“That there is a Divine plan of evolution, appears on the face of this whole chapter. The creation is begun by bringing into existence the simplest forms of matter, and continued by imposing upon them those activities of force and energy which produce light. This is followed by the segregation of the matter which forms the earth, and the separation of land from water, and of the water upon the earth from that which is held in suspension in the air. If anyone wishes to carp over the word ‘firmament,’ and insists upon its bald literal meaning, he is forbidden to do so by the subsequent statement (Gen. 1:20) that the birds are made to fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. The medium which held up the water in the clouds was one through which the birds could fly.

CREATION OF VEGETATION

“At the third stage the land was covered with vegetation, which is the simplest form of life, but which, when once introduced, carries with it the whole developing series of vegetable products. So com­prehensive is the language in which the creation of plants is announced that it leaves ample room for the theory of spontaneous generation, which is yet one of the mooted questions in biology. In the light of this how remarkable are the words ‘and God said, Let the earth bring forth grass... and the earth brought forth grass.’

“The same remarkable form of expression occurs in introducing the fifth day of progress, where we read (Gen. 1:20): ‘And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life.’ ... And again, introducing the sixth day’s work the same phrase is used (Gen. 1:24) ‘Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind.’... If one should insist on interpreting this language according to the mere letter he would have what neither science nor theology would accept.

A SPECIAL CREATOR

“When it comes to the creation of man a very different expression is used. It is said that God made man in His own image and breathed into him the breath of life. How much this may signify with reference to the mode of man’s creation is not necessary to consider at this point. But the expression fitly corresponds to the exalted dignity which belongs to man when compared to the rest of the animal creation.

The most noteworthy characteristics of man are brought to light both in this and in the subsequent account of the beginning of his career. Not only is man said to be made in the image of God, but he is fitted to rule over the beasts of the field and has the gift of language, through which he can bestow names upon them. Furthermore, he is a being free of will, which knows the difference between rights and wrong – in short, is in possession of a moral nature which places him in a class by himself.

“That so many things should have been told us about the creation, with nothing which is absurd and fantastic, and so little which creates any difficulty in harmonizing it with modern science, is the clearest evidence which we can have that it was given by Divine inspiration. Not even Milton, with all his learning and with the advantage of this account before him, could curb his imagination sufficiently to keep from making a travesty of his whole conception of the creation of the animal kingdom. What but the hand of inspiration could have so curbed and guided the writer of the first chapter of Genesis?

MAN CREATED – NOT by EVOLution

There is a vast difference between the size and development in the brain in man and that in the lower members of the order ‘primates.’

“Physiologically and psychologically man differs even more widely from the lower members of his order. He has the power of grammatical speech. He can arrange his thoughts in sentences, which can be represented by arbitrary marks on paper or some other substance. Man has an ear for harmony in music, which no animal has. This involves a delicacy of structure in the organs of hearing of a most marvelous character. Among his mental qualities, that of scientific or inductive reasoning is most remarkable when contrasted with the mental capacities of the animal creation.

“In his great work on ‘Mental Evolution,’ Romanes thinks he finds in the lower animals all the rudiments of man’s mental capacity, but they are so clearly rudimental that they leave the gap between man and the animal nearly as great as ever. By collecting all the manifestations of intelligence in animals he finds that they all together manifest as much intelligence as a child does when it is 15 months old. But this intelligence is not in any single species, one species being advanced to that degree in one line, and another, in another...

REASON VERSUS INSTINCT

“Keen as the dog’s sense of smell may be, it is of no help in teaching him geology. Nor is the eagle’s acuteness of vision of any assistance to him in studying astronomy. In vain would one conduct a dog over the world to learn the extent of the ice cap during the glacial period, for he has no powers of thought through which he could connect the boulders in the United States with their parent ledges in Canada, or the scratched stones on the plains of Russia with the Scandinavian mountains from whose ledges they were wrenched by the moving ice. Such inferences are entirely beyond canine capacity...

CAPACITY FOR RELIGION

“In nothing does this superiority of the human mind appear more striking than in its capacity to gain religious ideas through literature. There are, indeed, wonderful exhibitions of learned pigs, which, by some process, can be taught to select a few letters on blocks so as to spell out some simple words. But no animal can be taught to talk intelligibly. To this statement the parrot even is not an exception, since its words are merely a repetition of sounds unintelligible even to himself. Much less can an animal be taught to read or to listen intelligently to an oration or a sermon.

“On the other hand, the Bible, which is a book of the most varied literature, containing the highest flights of poetry and eloquence ever written, and presenting the sublimes” conceptions of God and the future life that have ever been entertained, has been translated into almost every language under heaven, and has found in those languages the appropriate figures of speech through which effectively to present its ideas...

“It is thus, when viewed from the highest intellectual point of view, that man’s uniqueness in the animal creation is best seen. Intellectually, he stands by himself. The scientific name for the genus to which man belongs is ‘homo,’ but the species is ‘homo sapiens,’ that is, a human frame with human wisdom attached...

“Alfred Russell Wallace, who independently discovered the principle of natural selection, and published it at the same time with Darwin, instanced various physical peculiarities in man which could not have originated by natural selection alone, but which irresistibly pointed to the agency of a superior directing power.

CLOTHES AND TOOLS

“Among these he cites the absence in man of any natural protective covering. Man alone of all animals wears clothes. He weaves the fibers of plants into a blanket or deprives other animals of their skins, and uses them to throw over his own naked back as a shelter from the inclemency of the weather. The birds have feathers, sheep have a fleece, and other animals have fur admirably adapted for their protection. Man alone is without such protection, except as he obtains it by the use of his own intelligence. Until we pause to think of it, we scarcely realize how much intelligence is involved in man’s efforts to secure clothing. Even in so simple a matter as that of securing the skin of another animal for a robe, he is compelled as a preliminary to be the inventor of tools. No animal was ever yet skinned without the use of some sort of a knife.

“This brings us to another good definition of man, as a tool‑using animal. The nearest approach to the use of tools by animals is found in the elephant and the monkey. An elephant has been known to seize a brush with his trunk and by thus lengthening it enabling himself to brush objects off from otherwise inaccessible portions of his body. A monkey has been known to use a stick in prying open a door. But no animal has ever been known to fashion a tool: whereas there is no tribe of men so low in intelligence that it does not fashion most curious and complicated tools.

“The canoes of the lowest races are most ingeniously formed, and most perfectly adapted to their needs. The chipped flint implement involves the cherishing of a farsighted design and the exercise of great skill in carving it out. The ingenious methods by which savage nations secure fire at will, by friction, would do credit to civilized man; while the use of the bow and sling and of the boomerang shows inventive capacity of a very high order with which the animal creation has nothing to compare.

CAPACITY FOR MUSIC

“Wallace furthermore adduces the human voice as a development far in excess of anything that can be produced by natural selection. Monkeys have no music in their souls and no capacity for music in their vocal organs; whereas even the lowest races of man have both. The “folk‑songs” are the great source to which our leading musical composers go for their themes. The late Theodore F. Seward, in commenting upon the Negro plantation songs which he transcribed, says that in their harmony and progression they all conform to the scientific rules of musical composition. However much of advantage this musical capacity may be to fully developed man, we cannot conceive of its having been any advantage to an animal in the low stage of development in which we find the ape. The musical voice that attracts the ape has only the faintest resemblance to that which is attractive to either man or woman.

“Again, the size of the human brain is out of all proportion to the mental needs of the highest animal creation below man, and without man’s intelligence would be an encumbrance rather than a help. The two, therefore, must have sprung into existence simultan­eously in order to have presented an advantage which natural selection could seize hold of and preserve and develop.

“It is difficult to see how it could have been an advantage to an ape to have the thumb of his hind limb turn into a big toe which can no longer be used for grasping things, but is useful only as he walks in an upright position. It is difficult to see what advantage could come to an ape in having his forelimbs shortened, as they would have to be if they were transformed into the arms of a man. It is difficult also to see how it should have been of any advantage to an ape to experience those changes in the adjustment of the hip bone and of the neck which would prevent his walking at all on all fours, and limit him to walking on two legs and in an upright position.

“In all these respects the difficulty in our understanding the origin of man from natural selection is increased if we are compelled to suppose that it was a very gradual process, and that these changes leading on to the perfection of the human organization began in an imperceptible, or almost imperceptible, degree; for such incipient changes could have been of no advantage. To be of advantage they must have been considerable, and the mental and physical changes must have been correlated in accordance with some law of pre‑established harmony.

“The mystery of the origin of man has not been in the least degree diminished by the Darwinian hypothesis, or by any light which evolutionary theories have thrown upon it. It is acknowledged by all that geologically, he is the most recent of the species which have been added to the population of the earth; while mentally; he towers so far above the lower animals that he is for that very reason, if for no other, classified by himself. The mystery is how he came into possession of this high degree of mental power with a bodily frame and a physiological constitution so completely adapted to its exercise. Those who say that it was ex­haled in some way from the lower orders of intel­lectual beings, will encounter philosophical difficulties tenfold greater than do those who accept the simple statement of the Bible, that his soul is the Divine inbreathing – the very image of God.”

* * *

“Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never-failing skill,

He treasures up his bright designs,

And works his sovereign will.

“His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour.

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

“Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan his work in vain.

God is his own interpreter

And he will make it plain.”

Pastor Russell – “Studies In the Scriptures,” Volume 6, Study One

______________________________________________________

The Chosen Seed of Abraham

The key of the situation is given us in the Bible, and nowhere else. The relationship of Jewish people and the Promised land and the Bible, rightly understood, constitute proof that there is a God: that he has a great and wonderful Plan or method by which he is dealing with mankind; that his plan is connected with the Jewish nation, and that the Bible is the record of that Plan.

However it is a mistake to suppose that the Bible was written for mankind in general or intended to be understood by everyone. Its own testimony is contrary to this.  Divine purposes are intended to be concealed from the majority of mankind and to be understood only by those who come into heart harmony with the Divine intention, and who from this standpoint “search the Scriptures.” It should not surprise us, therefore, that our Jewish friends have not comprehended clearly the Scriptures, which they so reverently and painstakingly preserved from Moses until Christ. And we may truthfully say the same lack of understanding very generally prevails, amongst Christians.

Is not the fact that comparatively few of the Lord’s people have been privileged to comprehend the length, breadth, height and depth of the Divine Plan, fully in agreement with the Scriptural declaration that such knowledge has been intended throughout the Age only for a very small minority? The hindrances, which have blinded so many, are the creeds, traditions and Talmud. “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear (reverence) him (and His Word) and he will show them his covenant.” —Psa. 25:14.

The Scriptures seem to indicate, however, that the time is at hand when “The mystery of God shall be finished,” and when the understanding of the Divine Plan may be comprehended by increasing numbers, and amongst these the reverential Jews. Indeed, the Jew will be before long specially attracted by the outlines of the Divine Plan set forth in the prophecies of his own Scriptures. They explain the experiences of Israel while still in God’s favor, and the experiences of the past twenty centuries of their disfavor, and show how both of these will work together eventually for the blessing of Israel and through Israel for the blessing of the Gentiles.

The Divine Promise to Abraham’s Seed

As the very foundation of Israel’s every hope, the mainspring of that people’s courage, the motive power of their energy, their perseverance and their pride, has been the Divine promise made to Abraham, their illustrious ancestor, “the friend of God.” To Abraham, after certain tests of character – obedience, loyalty, and faith – God made a Promise, which constitutes the hope, both of Israel and the Gentiles. It reads, “In thy Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 22:18) Abraham’s son Isaac was indicated by the Lord to be the channel through which this blessing should proceed. Later on, Isaac’s son, Jacob, was indicated as a further channel. At Jacob’s death the Divine blessing passed, by Divine direction, not to a single one of his posterity, but to them all as a whole nation.

Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, which signifies a prince influential with God – in Divine favor. This name Israel indicative of so much of honor and Divine favor, was subsequently applied to the whole nation of Jacob'’ descendants, who became know as Israelites, or Children of Israel. It was understood by that nation that they were the seed, the posterity mentioned in the promise made to Abraham – in whom “all the families of the earth should be blessed.” They correctly understood that this would signify a great exaltation for their little nation. They had full confidence in that great Promise, because the Lord had secured it to them in a most remarkable manner – he made oath to it. Since he could swear by none greater than himself, he said, “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son; therefore, I will greatly bless thee and I will exceedingly multiply thy Seed as the stars of heaven, and as the stars upon the seashore…. and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” – Gen. 23:16-18. See page 65 of the Overland Monthly

the burden of Egypt

By Chris Josephson

Isaiah 19

The chapter begins with “The burden of Egypt.” Indeed, a deep concern and burden it is to the whole world, and to Israel, especially, who is monitoring closely the events, Egypt is the broken reed (Isaiah 36:6) of the “peace” in Middle East. The unrest is spreading to other nations around Israel, leaving that tiny nation more vulnerable than ever. What will happen in 2011?

If the events described in Isaiah 19 are in sequence, as it seems they are, the situation in Egypt will grow worse as Egyptian turns against Egyptian (Shi’ites versus Sunnis?) and broth[hood?] against brother (verse 2), and Egypt’s spirit fails because no one has the answer. The frustration then brings on a religious spirit that turns to divination cults of the ancient culture of Egypt, but this “wisdom” goes haywire (Vs. 3,11 & 12). Perhaps a fierce ruler will arise that may be worse than the “cruel lord” they seek to overthrow (V 4). Drought and devastation overcomes any hope of a good economy (Vs. 6’10,15). There will be great fear as there is not righteous strong leader (V 16).

But the good news of this chapter is that finally Egypt will recognize the strength of Judah because of the “counsel of the Lord of hosts which HE has determined” (Vs. 16 & 17), and the final verses describe the peace highway that will connect Egypt and Assyria running through Israel that is a blessing in the midst.

As I see it, this is not the final Kingdom of peace that, according to Isaiah 61:11, will come gradually ‘as a garden,’ It seems there will be a time of world peace, but revelation knowledge will not yet be complete, for people will be walking in their own religion, “but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.” (Micah 4:5) Do read the context which indicates the “Law from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem” does not happen like waving a magic wand but a going forth of God’s love-laws-for-living to the nations that will result in beating swords into plowshares, etc. A revolution takes some time to accomplish, and first there has to come knowledge of why it’s the way to go. The key is in Isaiah 19:12, “…and let them know what the LORD of Hosts has purposed.”

Personal blessing from heaven in 2011 on you and yours.

______________________________________________________________

Chris Josephson

Letters of General Interest

Dated January 22, 2011 – Received February 17,2011

Dear Marjorie, and All the Brethren:

May you all have a Blessed New Year in your service for the Lord! Hope you had a good holiday there in Florida, and 2011 has had a good start in all ways.

Thank you for your lovely card, and greetings. Sorry to be so late with these wishes. It seems I am super slow these days.

Hope you are all well, and have an illness free winter! Sadly we are not getting our winter this year. It stayed dry and hot from May to December.  November set records for being so dry when we should have gotten our “early rains.” Even after a good storm after the big Mt. Carmel fire, the rest of December was sunny and warm. So each day we are praying for more rain, but most days are sunny like today. If we do not have big rains soon, our drought conditions will only get worse. So pray for soon and abundant rains for Israel!

The sunny weather has been nice for the many tourists that came to Israel in 2010 setting records. So I have also kept busy all year with bed & Breakfast guests from many countries. I still enjoy being able to share the Bible and God’s working in Israel with them.

Well, 2011 does not look like such a stable year in our area of the world. The present government situation in Lebanon is like a ticking bomb, and no one knows when it goes off or how much damage it will cause! So all are on alert and we take day by day! It is good to know God has all in His plans and purposes!

Please pray for my living situation as I may have to make a change before the summer as the new owners of my house wish to sell it! I know all is in the Lord’s best plan for me.

Thank you for all your work through the year, and may the Lord bless you in your services for Him and the brethren daily!

Have a good 2011! Shalom and Love, Hava Bausch

February 17, 2011

Dear Sister Marjorie:

Loving greetings through our beloved Redeemer. Hoping that this finds you and yours in good health. All here are doing well.

Your articles No 641 and 642 “Retrospect and Prospect” puts in focus this time of trouble as told in prophecy. This is a special time as we see the world unraveling around us. We can have greater faith in the Heavenly Father’s plan as we see these prophecies being fulfilled in our time.

The recent turn of events in Egypt gives us some insight into how Islam will be brought down from within, as well as corrupt worldly and spiritual powers. The revolution in Egypt was started by a young man on the internet. He was arrested and ill-treated, charged with conspiracy to overthrow the government. The government shut down the internet.

On the TV show 60 Minutes, the young man thanked the government for shutting down the internet, because the people went to the streets and formed the revolt to find out what was going on. Mat 10:26— “Fear them not Therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; nor hid, that shall not be known.”

Isa 19—“The burden of Egypt” gives us insight on the events that must soon come to pass with the nation of Israel being the center of the controversy. We see Egypt as representing the world of mankind.

You are aware of the symbolic meanings of Isa. 19 as well as current worldly events. Bro. Chris Josephson sent our Sister Judy Smith an email, espousing a literal view of Isa. 19.

I am enclosing a copy of that email for your consideration.

Isa. 19 takes us through the troubled time, and then at its conclusion, we rejoice when we read of the restoration of the world of mankind, when the entire world will know of God’s plan of salvation and live in harmony

Acts 3:19-23 In that day ‘the presence of the Lord,’ all who will listen to that prophet will have eternal life.

In the news today Libya has a revolt of its own because of its autocratic government. These revolts cannot be stopped in the long term.

I am curious to know of if there was a favorable response from the JWs to the tract ‘Will Adam be saved.’ As mentioned in your letter Feb. 1st 2010.

Our thought and prayers go out to you and all there as you continue the work of proclaiming the good news of the Gospel.

May the Lord bless you and yours through this new Year.

                                                                                       Your brother in His name,

                                                                                       Marvin T. Belden