No. 664: THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOR

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”  (John 1:14)

Of the four records, only John attempted to trace our Lord’s genealogy to the heavenly source, and to show us that before he was made flesh, he was a spirit being with the Father and a sharer of His glory – a god with The God. All the Evan­gelists are clear in their statement that he “was made flesh.” But not that he remained a spirit being, and assumed flesh as clothing in which to appear to men, but, however ex­plainable, that the life power of the spirit being, the Logos, became the life power of the human being, born of a woman and under the Law, subject to all the conditions and circumstances of the Jews.

Matthew traces Joseph’s genealogy; for although the state­ment is clear that Jesus was not the son of Joseph, nevertheless, being adopted by him as his son, He might, without impropriety, inherit through him. Luke shows the gene­alogy of Mary, by which our Lord was actually related, according to the flesh, to our race and to the royal family of David through the line of Nathan.

The time of our Lord’s birth was an auspicious one in several respects. It is very evident Divine wisdom had exercised itself in respect to the world’s affairs by way of preparation for the important event: (1) The spirit of world-conquering that began with Nebuchad­nezzar’s kingdom was favorable to it, in the sense that it brought the various families or nations of mankind into closer contact with each other, broaden­ing their ideas. (2) This policy had resulted in the transplanting of peoples from one land to another, and thus had made them more cosmopolitan in their sentiments. (3) Israel and Judah, thus transplanted in their captivity to Babylon, became so at­tached to the new condi­tions that comparatively few of them availed themselves of the offer of Cyrus to return to their own land, only about fifty thousand of all the tribes, out of several millions. The Jews among the Gentiles were not at all lost and had not abandoned all of their hopes in the Abrahamic Covenant, or all of their faith­fulness to the Mosaic Law. However they were lax in these matters and too full of the love of gain and ease to cultivate the spirit of Israelites indeed. Nevertheless, they had their influence amongst all the nations with whom they dwelt, and were witnesses to the hopes of Israel in the one God and in a coming Messiah, the Son of God, to be the world’s Deliverer.

(4) The triumph for a time of the Greek Empire had brought to the civilized world a highly developed literature. The Greek language had reached its zenith, and was the literary language of the civilized world. (5) The Roman Empire had conquered the world and was in the height of its power, and as a result, there was a time of universal peace and hence a more favorable time than any before for the an­nouncement of the Gospel and for the safety of its represent­atives in passing from na­tion to nation. (6) Israel itself had reached probably its highest development, in­tellectually, morally and religiously, and addi­tionally we are told in the Scriptures that “All men were in expectation” of the Messiah’s coming. (Luke 3:15)

The noting of these little incidentals by which Divine providence prepared for our Savior’s earthly birth and for the sending forth of the Gospel message, is strengthening to the faith of the Lord’s people. Realizing God’s care in the past even over the little things, gives a foundation for confidence in His wisdom and provision for the features of His plan which are yet future. The fulfillment of all the exceeding great and precious promises which centered in Him who was born in Bethlehem and so also a realization of the Divine providence in the larger affairs of the Divine plan, stimulate faith in the Lord’s providences as respects the personal and more private affairs of His people. Let us more and more realize that as even the smallest inci­dents connected with the birth of our Savior were ordered of the LORD, so also He is both able and willing to order all of the affairs of His spiritual children.

Let us reason with the Apostle that if God loved us when we were yet sinners, so as to make such careful provision for our redemption; how much more would He love us now that we are no longer rebels, aliens, strangers or foreigners, but have become His sons, fellow-heirs with Christ and all the saints? We may have confidence in His love and in His providential care. According to His promise to the called ones to His purpose, all things shall work together for good to them that love Him (Rom. 8:28).

The same decree that brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem brought many others of the numerous family of David, and as the inns or hotels of that time were comparatively limited in number and in capacity, it is not surprising that the inn proper was full of guests when Joseph and Mary arrived. Indeed, it was rather the custom for many travelers to carry with them their own lodging outfits, and to provide for their own conveniences in the courtyard connected with the inns. And hence, the experiences of Joseph and Mary were by no means exceptional. When therefore the Babe Jesus was born, a manger became His most convenient cradle.

The city of Bethlehem today, probably is not so dissimilar from what it was in that day, for in that land customs seem to have changed but little in centuries. A certain grotto is claimed to be the one which two thousand years ago was the stable of the inn, and a certain stone manger is shown which, it is claimed, was the one in which the Baby Jesus was laid. Over this has been erected a Catholic Church, and various ceremonies are continually performed in and about and connected with “the sacred manger.”

With those ceremonies, we can feel little sympathy, believing them to be rather of the nature of idolatries. To us the center of interest is not the holy ground on which our Savior trod. Or the holy manger in which He lay as a babe, nor His holy mother; yea, though we reverence His flesh, and are deeply interested in all that pertains thereto, especially in all its experiences, from the time of its conse­cration to death at baptism. Nevertheless, our greater interest is in our risen Lord, the new creature perfected, the spiritual One, far above manhood, far above angels, principalities and powers and every name that is named – next to the Father, and ex­alted to His right hand of power. The Apostle voices this sentiment well, saying, “Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him [so] no more.” Our knowledge of Him as the risen and glorified Lord and Savior thoroughly out­shines all of our interest in His earthly life. (2 Cor. 5:16) And yet His earthly life is interesting and profitable to us, as we have seen and shall see.

Had the people assembled at Bethlehem realized who this was that had come to their city – that He was from the heavenly courts, that He was the Logos made flesh, that He had come to “save His people from their sins.” How gladly they would have wel­comed Him into the inn, have given for His use and comfort its choicest apartment! But they knew Him not and hence lost this great privilege of ministering to Him. Sim­ilarly, in every city and town where the Lord’s people are (His true saints), there are many who would make them welcome and give them the best at their disposal, did they but recognize them as the messengers of Jesus and of the Heavenly Father; but as the Apostle says, “The world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.” (1 John 3:1) The disciple must not expect to be above his Lord, and hence, even when going upon missions of mercy and benevolence and as ambas­sadors for God, we should expect that the Lord’s providence would furnish for us, not the most palatial accommodations, but probably very hum­ble conditions.

When we find it thus we should rejoice that to some extent at least we have experiences which harmonize with those of our Lord.

The Lord’s people will obtain a blessing in proportion as they are prepared to receive all opportunities for God’s service as Divine favors, and to appreciate them, no matter how humble the conditions. And it is noteworthy that Joseph, Mary, Jesus, the disciples or the Evangelist who recorded the incident, offer the slightest complaint or suggestion of dissatisfaction with the ar­rangements provided by Divine providence. In proportion as they would have felt dissatisfied with those provided, in that proportion the Divine plans would not have worked for their good.

SHEPHERDS WATCHING BY NIGHT

The vicinity of Bethlehem is a pastoral countryside, and even today is still covered with flocks of sheep. It was and still is the custom for shepherds to remain with their flocks by night to guard against thieves and predatory wild beasts. It was in this vicinity that the future King David, as a shepherd-boy protecting his flocks, slew a bear and on one oc­casion a lion.

Shepherds as a group were not particu­larly well educated through formal schooling. But sheep are more or less a docile animal that requires very little attention beyond herding and protecting. The shepherd has quite a bit of peaceful time for reflections and conversations with each other and can become very know­ledgeable, philosophical and intellectual. The shepherd whom God honored in making him king of HIS typical kingdom, was a great poet, and evidently much of his time while shepherding was given to the muse, and one of his most beautiful poems (Psalm 23) represents The Holy Father himself as the Shepherd of His people, His flock, for which He cares. It was to men of this thoughtful class, and no doubt men familiar with David’s Psalms and with the Messianic hopes therein set forth, that the Lord sent the first message respecting His Son made flesh.

The description of the appearance of an angel, and of the fear which the bright­ness of his countenance engendered, is both simple and natural. All mankind more or less feels instinc­tively a fear of the supernatural, a trepidation at the very thought of being in the presence of the holy angels. And this is proper as well as natural, for all realize their own imperfections through the fall, fearing more or less that the results to themselves would be unfavorable if Divine justice were laid to the line and to the plummet in respect to their affairs. All seem instinctively to realize their need of mercy at the hands of Him with whom we have to do. And so it was with these shepherds; they were frightened as they beheld the heavenly visitor in their midst; but his message was not one of justice, nor in any sense of condemnation, but of Divine mercy. He soothed them with the words, “Be not afraid; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people.” Can we wonder that joy took the place of fear in their hearts as they heard the gracious words? Surely not. And so it is with all who from that day to the present time have heard this true Gospel mes­sage, not merely with the outward ears, but truly, with the ears of their understanding, comprehending and appreciating it.

How false and how sad has been the understanding of this message by many of God’s people, as it has echoed to them down through the Age! How few have heard it gladly, appre­ciatively! How remarkable that nearly all of the different churches and their thous­ands of ministers and hundreds of thousands of Sunday School teachers should unite in a complete contradiction of this message of the angels.

This contradiction not only wounds their own sentiments and grieves their own hearts, but robs our dear Sav­ior’s mission of nine-tenths of its majesty. It thoroughly dishonors and maligns the name of our gracious Heavenly Father by its misrepresentation of the salvation HE has provided in Christ Jesus. Even in our day there are some who having received the true “good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people,” and deny this great Truth.  They say, “Not all the people – only those people who join with us.”

GOOD VERSUS BAD TIDINGS

Some perhaps may be surprised, and even shocked, at such an arraignment of the message which they and other well-meaning, but blinded, Christians are delivering in the name of the Gospel – for the word “gospel” signifies by  derivation  Glad  or  Good  Tidings. We are quite ready to believe that the vast majority of those who promulgate these bad tidings of eternal misery, as being the Divine message and sentence to the vast majority of mankind, are wholly unaware of how seriously they misrepresent the Divine character and govern­ment in the message which they carry to men. They misstate the Gospel, not of intention, but of blindness, the very blindness mentioned by the Apos­tle as originating with the great Adversary (2 Cor. 4:4). The blind­ness by which he blinds the minds of the vast majority, to hinder them from realizing the glorious light of God’s goodness revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Oh, if we could only get all true Christians to study Luke 2:10, and see the depths of its significance, it would quickly revolutionize the teachings of Christendom! But as our Lord declared, some of the deep things of the Divine plan are hidden from many of the wise and prudent according to the course of this world, and are revealed only to the humble – the babes. Nevertheless, the testimony of God standeth sure. All whose understanding has been opened and who have been enabled to comprehend some of the lengths, the breadths, the heights and the depths of God’s love may rejoice. The ignorance of the world in general on this subject and the opposition of the great Adversary, who is blinding them, cannot continue forever. It must soon give place, when the Lord’s due time shall come. When He who died on Calvary for the world’s redemp­tion shall begin His glorious reign by binding that old serpent, the devil, Satan, that he should deceive the nations no more for the thousand years of the Millennial reign. Then all shall see out of obscurity, and shall discern that at present it is the privilege only of the favored few to see respecting the Divine character and plan ­that the message of the angel was true, every word of it. That the grand results to flow from the birth of the Savior in Bethlehem justified the message sent by the great Father in Heaven. It is a good message of great joy which eventually shall be to all people. As a result, all whose enlightenment and blessing shall have no hindrance, no restriction. All shall come to “an accurate knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4, Dia.) And an oppor­tunity to avail themselves of the grace, mercy and peace provided for all in the great salvation secured by Jesus’ ransom-sacrifice. In that glorious reign, “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) In contrast to the present “evil world” when “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.” (2 Cor. 4:4)

The angel further explained his great Gospel message, showing its basis, and de­claring that all the good things mentioned should come to pass because the Savior–Messiah, had been born. The one so long looked for in Israel, the promised seed of Abraham in whom not only Israel should be blessed and exalted to honor, dignity and cooper­ation, but in whom also “all the families of the earth should be blessed.” And let us here remark that the order of presentation used by the heavenly messenger, and evidently divinely ordered, is the proper presentation of this subject which should be adopted by all who seek to be used of the Lord as His ambassadors. First, there is the grand pronouncement of Divine favor and blessing. It is a cause for joy and ultimately shall extend to every creature. Secondly, there is the specific explanation of how all this is to be accomplished through a Savior, a Deliverer, who as stated in our text; in order to deliver His people from the wages of sin, death, into eternal life and blessing. But first of all must save them from their sins. And we see from other Scriptures that this salvation from our sins signifies not only the payment on our behalf of the penalty for Adamic Sin, but also, subsequently, man’s in­struction in righteousness and lifting out of sin; in which uplift each one is re­quired to cooperate to the extent of his will and ability.

So all teaching of the grace that is to come to mankind should be coupled with the philosophy of the salvation. The Savior made flesh and the flesh devoted or sacrificed for our sins. The Savior glorified in due time after the selection of His Church, His Bride. Then He shall, with her, according to the Divine plan, establish His King­dom of righteousness for the uplifting of the world of mankind from ignorance, superstition and general degradation into which the great Adver­sary has gotten them through the fall and through his subsequent blinding and misleading. In this connection, it is well to remember that our Lord’s name, Jesus, signifies THE GOD is salvation. All who would be of the elect Church must have the spirit of the bridegroom (as well as by faith be covered with the garment of His imputed right­eousness); and that His spirit is one of opposition to sin to the extent of self-sacrifice. We also are to “resist unto blood (death) in striving against sin.” (Heb. 12:4)

Then the angel gave the shepherds an intimation of the humble conditions under which this great King of earth was born into the world, as a babe, wrapped in swaddling bands and lying in a manger. This was necessary, not only to their identification of Jesus, but necessary also to bring down their thoughts from the great and grand results to its humble beginnings, lest they should be misled in their expectations. And as it is with every part of the Divine plan, so also it should be in respect to all of our proclamations of the same. We are not only to tell of the future glory, greatness, and grandeur, but we are to tell also of the present humiliation. Not only of our Sav­ior who humbled Himself to take a low estate amongst men, and to die for our sins but also, to point out that the “elect” are called to walk in His footsteps, under similarly humiliating circum­stances.

If they would reign with Him, suffer with Him, and die with Him they would live with Him. And thus, the prophets spoke not only of the glory that should follow, but also of the sufferings of Christ (Head and Body) which must precede the glory (1 Pet. 1:11).

The lesson to everyone who has ears to hear it is “No cross, no crown.” Let us then, humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and rejoice in every step of the humiliation that He may exalt us in due time to share the glories of His Son, our Lord. To share with Him the grand work of blessing all the families of the earth.

It was a fitting climax that, after the one angel had told the surprised shepherds of the good tidings of great joy for all people and was ready to depart, he should be joined by an angelic host, singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” This was but a reiteration of the Gospel message already de­livered. It declared that the work which should be accomplished by the babe just born should redound to the highest glory and honor of The High God, His Father. It declared also that through this work to be accomplished by Jesus, should come to earth divine good will and consequently peace and all that these would imply in the way of bless­ings of restitution and privilege of attaining everlasting life.

But how much in conflict with all this are the erroneous theories which have gained cred­ence in Christendom. Teaching, notwithstanding the ransom, which our Lord Jesus gave and notwithstanding the turning aside of the original sentence upon our race as the result of the propitiation for our sins accepted by the Father; the vast majority of the human family will nevertheless to all eternity, be in rebellion against God, and in torture will continually blaspheme His name. That is without ever having had a full, reasonable opportunity to know the Savior or to accept His salvation. How strange that any should think that such a plan would be glory to God in the highest!

How strange that any should refuse to see the very plain statement of the Scrip­ture that God has provided through Christ that every member of the human family shall have a full opportunity of coming to a knowledge of the truth, and then of relinquish­ing sin and of accepting new life of righteousness under the New Covenant. Then whoever still refuses and will not submit himself to this righteous arrangement (refuse to rid themselves of the Adamic Death Process, the defilements they had re­maining in their characters from the reign of sin) shall be utterly destroyed from amongst the people in the Second Death (Acts 3:23). That none will be suffered to live in sin and opposition to God to blemish any part of God’s dominions, but that all the incorrigible shall be as though they had not been. In no other way can we pos­sibly imagine that the time will ever come when there will be full peace among men.

The only solution which God offers res­pecting the establishment of peace is in connection with the establishment of His King­dom, for which our dear Redeemer taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.” That will mean peace in its fullest and most absolute sense. The Scriptural propo­sition does not include the violation of any man’s will. But merely the offering through Christ of any opportunity for the ever­lasting blessing and peace, or he will be cut off in the Second Death if he fails to appreciate the Divine offer (Acts 3:23). Isaiah 35th Chapter is a brief and beautiful des­cription of that glorious Kingdom.

The shepherds having heard of God’s grace manifested their interest by visiting and paying their homage to the Savior. So each one who has heard of the grace of God with an appreciative heart can do nothing less than seek the Lord and do Him rev­erence and serve His cause by proclaiming the gracious message with which he has been favored.

Let us each do so, and thus more and more increase in our hearts our joys and our appreciation of the Gospel – the Good News.

THE GREAT SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (Psa. 23:1,2)

The thought presented in this text as in other Scriptures is that the great Over-Shepherd ap­pointed His Son to be the Under Shepherd of the Sheep, even as the Son has appointed under-shepherds in the Church sub­ject to Him. The great Under-Shepherd does not shepherd goats or wolves. The only ones who are shepherded are the sheep; and special care is taken of the faithful Flock of God. The great Over-Shepherd looks out for the interests of His sheep, provides for them, and leads them into green pastures, as the Psalmist tells us. He also protects them from wolves and other ravenous beasts. The Scriptures give us good evidence that orig­inally the Jewish nation con­stituted this flock, and that King David recognized himself as one of the sheep. Israel was not chosen by the Lord because they were better than the rest of mankind; but God made an exception of the people on account of Father Abra­ham, for whose sake He became the “Shepherd of Israel.” Because of Abraham’s great faith in God and his implicit obedience under the most crucial tests, the Lord promised to make of his seed a peculiar people above all the peoples of the earth. He promised to bless them, to assume a particular care over their affairs, and eventually to use them in blessing all other nations.

So God made the twelve tribes of Israel His chosen people. And in proportion as they were obedient to His commands, He blessed them; and whenever they went astray, He chastised them and brought them back again under His care. And this is true of spiritual Israel, during the Gospel Age, He chastises the “children of disobedience” (the Measurably Faithful New Creatures) and aban-dons them for a time un­til they are penitent and repent of their willfulness, at which time He brings them back again under His care.

So while the Lord had a care over the affairs of Natural Israel, and still has a care, He has a still more particular care over the affairs of Spiritual Israel. How­ever, as we know, the first privilege of becoming a member of Spiritual Israel was offered to Natural Israel just as the first privilege of becoming a member of Christ’s children when the New Covenant is inaugurated will be to Natural Israel after the flesh. But all now who are privileged to use these words are the fully faithful of the Faith Age: “God is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of right­eousness for His Name’s sake.” In this 23rd Psalm, there is a distinction between sheep and wolves in the Faith Age, just as there is a difference of sheep and goats during the works Age and during Christ’s Kingdom. God has chosen for the members of this nation those,  few in number, who are sheep-like in disposition and who desire to come into His Fold. For these He has provided a par­ticular way in which to enter this Fold. He does not have bears in His Fold, nor ti­gers nor wolves nor birds of prey. God does not recognize such; they are not to be fed and cared for as He cares for His sheep.

If, therefore, we would claim the promise of this beautiful Psalm, we must make sure that we are of sheep like disposition and desirous of being led of the True Shep­herd. We are to be careful to note that there is only one Shepherd who is able to care for our interest and who can be safely entrusted with them. A strange shep­herd would lead the sheep astray, would lead them into difficulties, dangers and disaster. For this reason, we do not trust everybody who wears the garb of a shepherd. There is but one Shepherd that we can trust. He has appointed as the Under-Shepherd the One who died for us, that He might fully deliver all the sheep from the Evil One – the roaring lion who walketh about seeking whom he may devour.

Our gracious Savior left the Courts of Glory and came down to earth, and for thirty-three years He traversed with weary feet this vale of tears. He mingled with the poor and lowly; He wept with the sorrowing and the sinful; He had no place to lay His head. He bore the grieves and sickness of those about Him. He did all this to recover us from the bond­age of sin; to deliver us from the death sentence imposed upon Adam and all in his loins. How grateful we should be for such a Shepherd! How can we sufficiently show forth His praise! Truly we can never know it on this side of the veil; “how dark was the night that the Lord passed through,” that He might redeem us to God – and not only His sheep of the Faith Age, but also the sheep of the Millennial Age.

But the sheep of the present Age, who are to be exalted, and are to do a shep­herding work for the sheep of the incoming Age, are given a distinct and peculiar training, to fit them for their future great work. From the time they are accepted to this higher plane, they are dealt with accordingly. This means that they must have certain trials and afflictions, according to the flesh. They represent only a small portion of mankind, those who have special qualities of earnestness, humility and love of righteousness. It is a “narrow way.”

But, having come into this Fold of God, we have every reason for confidence in the great Shepherd, and should recognize His constant care over us, His supreme interest in our spiritual welfare. Let us be good sheep! Let us not stray from the Fold, to the right hand or to the left, nor be attracted away from the green pastures and pure waters to go browsing on the thistles and
poisonous weeds of some by-path, or to drink of the muddy, polluted waters of hu­man speculation and delusive theories of men. In other words, let us keep the Truth and the Spirit of the Truth even though we travel a very lonely way. The way has in­deed been lonely in this day of “special wrath,” with some of the Lord’s dear people becoming weary of well doing, attracted away from the green pastures, frequently into the “fold” of the measurably faithful under-shepherds.

The basic concepts of the foregoing are from the writings of the fully faithful under-shepherds of the Laodicean period, much of which is verba­tim. Since the demise of That Servant, however, the measurably faithful under-shepherds have perverted and distorted the “faith once delivered unto the saints.” These have especially so in regard to the Messianic blessings “to the Jew first,” those covenant-keeping Jews after the flesh.

It will be through natural Israel that “all the families of the earth” will be blessed, even as we have been taught. We see ever increasing evidence of these truths in the  study of Israel today, its economy, agriculture, advances in the sciences, medicine etc.

 And for these “good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people,” we echo the singing of the angelic host – “Glory to God in the high­est, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Although we know that December 25th is not the true date of Christ’s birth. But, since we were never enjoined by either Him or the Heavenly Father to celebrate Christ’s birth, we are content to join all people of good will in so doing.

Our cordial good wishes to all for a Blessed Holiday Season – and may “The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7)

(Garnered from and inspired by Brother John J. Hoefle’s paper No. 375, December 1986.)

No. 663 WHOSE WIFE IS SHE?

“At the RESURRECTION, therefore, To which of them does she become a Wife; for the SEVEN had her for a Wife. And Jesus said to them, “The CHILDREN of this AGE; marry, and are given in marriage: but THOSE DEEMED WORTHY to obtain THAT [Millennial] AGE, and THAT RESURRECTION from the Dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; for they can die no more; because they are like angels; and are Sons of God, being sons of the RESURRECTION. But That the DEAD rise, even Moses has declared, at the BUSH, when he calls the Lord God, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now HE is not a God of the dead, but of the living; for to him all are alive.” (Luke 20:33-38 Diaglott)

the world gradually raising up

The Scriptures disclose that the world’s resurrection (Greek, anastasis = a rising up) will be a gradual work covering a period of a thousand years, and not a momentary work as the Sadducees and others supposed. Nothing about the word anastasis necessarily means rising up to a spiritual life. The resurrection (lifting to perfection) of the Gospel Church (the 144,000 Bride of Christ) was an instan­taneous momentary work, but the world’s resurrection will keep pace with the obedience of each under trial. Notice, the Scribes and Pharisees did not ask whose wife she would be in heaven, purgatory or eternal torture. Neither Jesus nor the Jews held any such teaching. Instead, the questioners tried to prove that if a resur­rection should take place, it would pro­duce an endless tangle by reason of mixed and confused social arrangements.

Two of the three places mentioned above, purgatory and eternal torture did not enter into the Gospel Church until later under influence of the Prince of the Power of the Air. The church grew more and more politicized, got in bed with Caesar and other secular rulers and became Babylon the Great and the Mother of Harlots. (Rev. 17:5) Neither of the two places (purgatory, eternal torture) is mentioned in the Scriptures.

Jesus replied, but avoided a direct answer. Perhaps because it would have required a long discourse for which they were unready. Or perhaps, such informa­tion was not yet due to be understood. Marriage is a union of two; male and female who have recognized themselves and are recognized by others as one. This was long before marriage between two of the same gender were becoming legitimized by nations, as it is now.

Some future trial must be undergone by those, which would dem­on­­strate their worthi­ness to attain the resur­rection. In death, no progress can be made in attaining or being counted worthy. Thus, Jesus’ words teach the resurrection and a future trial for man­kind in which the woman and seven husbands who were already dead, and who were not believ­ers in Christ, may have a part.

It is an open question as yet, whether the woman and the seven husbands will be accounted worthy of that age, worthy of resurrection, of being raised up again to the perfection lost in Adam and entering the everlasting state. The worthiness or unworthiness of each will be demon­strated by their conduct under trial when awakened from death.

The trial of the Millennial Age will be so complete and the lessons of obed­ience so well impressed upon men that only the “WORTHY” will attain to the condition of perfection. Extremely few, a “Little Flock,” are counted worthy to attain that world and the “BETTER” resur­rection in advance of the Millennium. The great mass of mankind will come forth unto a “resurrection by judg­ment.” It will remain for them to prove themselves worthy of perfect life.

­the first resurrection

The resurrection to spiritual condi­tions is in Scripture designated as special, THE FIRST resur­rection. It is also frequently designated as in this instant, by the article “THE” (very noticeable in the Greek text, but less so in our English trans­lations). We at one time held the view that the resurrection here referred to was the First resurrection. But, if so, the Greek word translated resurrection should be empha­tic. On critical examination, we find that anastasis, as here used, is not specially emphasized. This leaves the question of human conditions during the period of “resurrection by judgment” for amplifica­tion under other Scriptures. In this statement, our Lord omits any reference to the masses of the world and their opportunities for restitution to human perfection through a judgment-resurrec­tion, a resurrection depending upon their coopera­tion. As we examine the context, it is evident that the resurrected condi­tion of the Church is NOT discussed. This discussion concerns only the resurrected condition of the world.

We do not understand our Lord’s words to apply to the saints who share in the first resur­rection, for the inquiry and conver­sations were regarding another class, and by another class. Only those will­fully opposed to righteousness when clearly seen, will be condemned as un­worthy of life; and such as these that die, will die the second death, of which there is no redemption. To attain the resurrection, seems to mean gradually progres­sing until they reach the full resur­rection to that of Adam’s status; before Eve was separated from his body and before he disobeyed God. So, those who will walk on the highway of holiness must “go up thereon.” (Isa. 35:9)

Luke 20:35 states: “...they which are accounted worthy to obtain that world...” which means the thousand year Judgment Day, or the Age to come after this Present Evil World (Age) has ended. Our Lord did not explain here how it will be during the Millennial Age, while the human race is being awakened. But, points his words to “that age” of perfection which follows the Millennium of testing in which there will be no marriage or given in marriage. All who attain that age will be worthy, because all not counted worthy, the Great Judge will cut off, destroyed from amongst the people.

Our Lord then turned the subject away from the suppositionary case suggested by the Sadducees and took the occasion to drop a word of instruction respecting the FIRST or CHIEF resurrection, the resurrection of the blessed and holy (Rev. 20:6).

In Luke 20:33 and 36, anastasis (resur­rection) has the Greek article, showing emphasis and indicating the first or special resurrection. The emphasis, when used with anastasis always marks the statement as relating to the first, chief or spiritual resurrection, “Out from the dead ones.” The emphasis on “dead” is inten­sified by the expression and leaves no room for doubt that the Lord referred to the first resurrection.

Marriage is an arrangement that God instituted for the very special purpose that a race might be produced, and with the human family only. When the Church shall be changed, all the peculiarities of male and female will be obliterated. Mankind will be sexless when perfection has been reached at the end of the Mil­lennium. The human race shall have come to the place where Adam was originally and the male and female conditions for the propagation of the race will be no longer necessary. The great plan of God shall be complete and the human race will be like the Angels in that respect. Adam before Eve was taken from his body and he disobeyed God, he possessed all the qualities of character, masculine and feminine, so humanity, when fully restored to the image and likeness of God, will re-attain perfection of individuality. Sex divisions will then be no more.

Thus, man will receive again that which was taken from him originally, represented by the rib. God chose to make the man perfect in himself at “first,” and then to sex him into twain for an intimation and illus­tration of what the race shall be when God’s plans concerning it are fulfilled. In produc­ing a race from one, who in trial would represent all, one also might redeem all. In this way, God prevented the creation of a companion and made proper the division of the one into two.

The figure of husband and wife is used frequently to represent the union between the Lord and the True Church, but in no case to represent anything akin to motherhood on the part of the Church. On the contrary, the figure generally used in reference to the period beyond the union represents the twain as one—Head and Body.

There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.” (Isa. 65:20,23)

Given in marriage

“For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as (like) the angels of God in heaven.” (Matt. 22:30) “For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as (like) the angels which are in heaven.” (Mark 12:25) “They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:27) “And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in mar­riage:” (Luke 20:34) and “But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage.” (Luke 20:35)

The indications are that child-bearing will continue for some time, at least into the Mil­lennial Age, if not up to within one hundred years or thereabouts of its close. As to what will take place during the Millen­nium, we can only guess, because there is no Scripture on the subject.

A good guess would be that this matter [marrying] would gradually become less and less. When Christ died for Adam (and us in Adam), it was to give back the life Adam lost through disobedience to God’s law.

MALE AND FEMALE DISTINCTIONS TO CEASE

 “...This is the law of the sin-offering [trespass-offering] ... The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it... All the males among the priests shall eat thereof...” (Lev. 6:25-29)

The Lord and all the holy angels are scripturally referred to as males, while all the saints are together represented as a female, a “virgin,” espoused to our Lord Jesus as hus­band. But the human female was originally a part of the man made in God’s image, and is still (although tem­porarily separate for the purposes of human propa­gation) a part of the man, neither being complete alone. The perfect man was named Adam, so, when he was made twain, “God called their name Adam.” (Gen. 5:2) “Adam called his wife’s name Eve...” (Gen. 3:20) The headship remained with the male, who was thus made the caretaker or preserver of the female as a part of his own body. (Eph. 5:23, 28) This sexual division did not make Adam imperfect: it merely divided his perfections between two bodies of which he was still the “head.”

The Scriptures indicate that by the close of the “times of restitution,” all male and female shall be restored to the perfect condition represented in Adam before Eve was separated from him. We do not understand that either males or females will lose their identity, but that each will take on the qualities now lacking. If this thought be the correct one, it would seem to imply that the extreme delicacy of some females and the extreme coarseness of some males are inci­dent to the fall, and that restitution to a perfection in which the elements of the two sexes would be perfectly blended and harmonized would be the ideal humanity of God’s design.

Our Redeemer, when he was “the man Christ Jesus,” was probably neither coarse and brawny or effeminate. In him, the mental strength and a grandeur of manhood blended most delightfully with the noble purity, tender­ness and grace of true womanhood. Was he not the perfect man who died for our race and redeemed both sexes? Let us not forget that as a man he had no help-mate: should he not therefore have been complete in himself to pay the full corresponding price for Adam (male and female)? Either thus was Eve represented in the great ransom or by her husband as her “head”—else mother Eve was not ransomed at all, a thought which would conflict with other scriptures.

The Gospel Church is indeed referred to in the Scriptures as a “Bride”; not, however, as the bride of “the man Christ Jesus,” but as the Bride of the risen and highly exalted Christ. As New Creatures, begotten of God’s spirit to spirit nature, they were betrothed to the Spirit Jesus, whose name, honor, and throne they are to share. The Church is not the Bride of the sacrificed man Christ Jesus, but of the glorified Lord Jesus, who at his Second Advent claims her as his own (Rom. 7:4).

As with man and woman in the next age so will it be with Christ and the Church. After the Church is glorified all femininity will be dropped; “We shall be like him,” members of his Body. “And this is the name wherewith she shall [then] be called [her Lord’s name], The Righteousness of Yahweh.” (Jer. 33:16; 23:6) [Note 2, Vol. V Studies in the Scriptures] As the Body of the great Prophet, Priest and King, the Church will be a part of the Everlasting Father or Life-giver to the world (Isa. 9:6).

This same thought is carried throughout the Scriptures; the males of the priestly tribe alone did the sacrificing, and as above, the eating of the trespass-offerings; and they alone entered the Tabernacle and passed beyond the Veil. Likewise, in the Holy Spirit’s arrangement for this Gospel Age; “He gave indeed (male) apostles, and (male) prophets, and (male) evangelists, and (male) pastors and teachers, for the qualification of the saints for the work of service, in order to the building up of the Anointed One.” (Eph. 4:11,12, Diaglott)

The word male, as above, should appear in the English as it does appear in the Greek text, and the Lord’s appointments and those of the apostles correspond to this. “I suffer not [in the Church] a woman to teach or to usurp authority over the man,” plainly de­clares the Apostle. (1 Tim. 2:12) This is illus­trative of the present relationship of Christ and the Church, which will, we understand, terminate with the close of this age, when the overcomers will be glorified and made actually one with the Lord, as “brethren.”

This, however, does not signify that the sisters in the Church do not equally “present their bodies living sacrifices, holy and ac­ceptable to God.” They per­form an important “work of service” in the Church as members of the “royal priesthood.” They are equally pleasing to the Lord as the brethren. For, really, all dis­­tinc­tions of sex and color and con­dition are ignored, dropped from Divine notice, from the time they become “new creatures in Christ Jesus,” (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 3:28). However, the type, the figure, the lesson, must be continued, and hence the distinctions so rigidly main­tained in the special and more important parts of the service of the Church of Christ.

On the contrary, the Adversary has always sought to control man religiously through the love and esteem men bear toward women. Hence is his exaltation of the Virgin Mary to the rank of a goddess to be worshiped amongst Catholics. Also with the ancient Egyp­tians, Isis was the goddess, and in the later times of the Apostle Paul, Diana was goddess of the Ephes­ians. And does not Satan still seek to deal with and through woman, as in the Garden of Eden? Are not women his chief mediums in Spiritism and his chief apostles and prophets in Theo­sophy and Christian Science?

Nor has Satan’s acceptance of women as his mouthpieces, been to their advan­tage. On the contrary, women are on a far higher social and intellectual plane, and they are most appreciated for their true womanhood. In those lands where the Bible regulations are recognized and res­pected; and by those who most carefully follow Scriptural regula­tions. (Garnered from Tabernacle Shadows, Page 100.)

Restitution Times

“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the Excel­lency of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the Excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

“Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, and fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with recom­pense; he will come and save you.

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

“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.

“No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 35)

not a fantasy

This famous rhapsody of the prophet Isaiah, who in a vision saw the world as it will be in Christ’s Kingdom on earth, holds all truth-seekers in awe every time it comes to the attention and it is not a fantasy.

Though the prophet lived over 3000 years ago, he obviously knew this golden age would not come in his lifetime. But he was certain it would come. The Apostle Peter speaking a few days after Pentecost declared that God would “...send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:20-21)

The earth is to be brought to the perfection primarily designed for it and will become a happy home and worldwide para­dise for man­kind. The animal, mineral and vegetable kingdoms will all serve man’s pleasure and supply his needs. The Old Testament tells over and over about these Restitution Times. It will probably include the now desert regions of the frigid zones. Much of Israel’s Promised Land from the Nile to the Euphrates including Arabia, parts of Egypt and the Sudan is desert and shall blossom as a Rose. Messiah’s Kingdom will not only uplift humanity, but will also bring bles­sings of perfection to the earth. Eden eventually will be worldwide and the microbes of destruction and disease shall be restrained.

paradise lost becomes paradise regained

During Messiah’s reign Paradise Lost will become Paradise Regained, as illus­trated in Adam’s Edenic home. God has foreseen all the necessities of his plan and will make ample provision for the needs of his creation in what will seem a very natural way. Not yet, however, though it is in process. By the end of the thousand years of Christ’s reign, the whole earth shall have been brought to perfection. It shall no more bring forth thorns and briers and require the sweat of man’s face for his daily needs. The signs of the time are now showing that we are near the beginning of the thousand year judg­ment day in which this will happen. In the past hundred years, these things have begun to be experienced. Human ingenuity and engineering feats are working miracles.

The New Day is ushering in blessings of increased fruitfulness, though it will require God’s power during the thousand years of Christ’s reign to bring the earth to perfection. Even now however, Major climatic changes are gradually preparing the world for the earth’s redeemed millions. Those whose faith does not falter at the promises of God are to encourage those of weaker faith to strengthen and make them firm.

Those who accept God’s strength are told to be strong and fear not because greater is HE that is with you and for you, than all those who are against you. Your God will come with vengeance to bind the Adversary, Satan, and destroy his works. The transition period following the Gospel Age and preced­ing the Millennial Age is often mentioned as a “Day of Vengeance” to punish evildoers and prepare the world for the reign of right­eousness. The recompense will be that at the same time, destruction comes to one class, redemption and glory comes to another.

Although, not quite yet. After Satan is bound for the thousand years, he can no more deceive the nations (Rev. 20:1,2), while the Millennial Age prevails. “The (evil) god of this world hath blinded the minds.” (2 Cor. 4:4) The Eyes which cannot see the things of faith and ears which cannot hear the message of faith have been long Sin-blinded to the glorious light of the goodness of God. Israel shall be saved from their blindness (Rom. 11:25,26) and not only Israel, but also all the families of the earth. Eyes of understanding shall be opened in the glorious reign of Messiah. This is typified by the healing of the blind man at the Pool of Bethesda and the Pool of Siloam. It is a result of Satan being bound for a thousand years that he may deceive the nations no more.

God has promised to deliver mankind from Satan’s power and his blinding influence. The Gospel must ultimately open the eyes of the “blind,” ignorance and prejudice being removed. All shall come to an accurate knowledge of the truth to see the Divine character and attributes. As a conse­quence, the true knowledge of the LORD shall fill the whole earth as the waters cover the great deep (Isa. 11:9). Not only will the bodies of men be thus blessed, but also their minds and hearts will be similarly liber­ated from the fetters of ignorance, superstition and sin. This will be to the Jew first, and also to the Gentiles. Every eye shall see that the Kingdom is established. While still having room for the exercise of faith, men will, to a very considerable degree, begins then to walk by sight. Not seeing his presence with the natural sight, but clearly seeing with the eyes of under­standing, all will appreciate his character and rejoice therein. The miracles and cures per­formed by Jesus were small illustrations of the great work of his Millennial Kingdom.

Ears of appreciation will come to those who have not had “ears to hear” during this present age. Prejudice will be stopped. Long deaf to the voice of truth, deafened by the babel and clamor which the god of this world induces and perpetuates for this purpose will be unstopped as it sweeps away the ignor­ance and superstitions which entangle humanity. So then, they may hear the truth, understand, and appreciate it. All will see, all will hear, all will know of the love of God. Thank God, our eyes are already open­ing and our ears are being unstopped.

The lame man will Leap as an hart and sing forth the praises of the Deliverer. The world’s greatest hospital will be in full operation for 1,000 years in the hands of the Great Physician and his helpers. The work will be done by the processes of testing, trial, judgments and disciplines. Waters will break out and have a literal, as well as a spiritual fulfillment. While especially applic­able to Israel, the same blessings of restitution are also due for the whole earth. Irrigation streams of Truth with Great physical changes, so that the earth may go gradually to the fullest perfection. The desert revived, making ample provision for the needs of the millions brought forth from the tomb. The parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water and where Dragons of error and vice lay shall be grass, a rapid and healthy growth of virtue.

The established New Covenant will be a highway open to all. Designed to lead to the Edenic condition, from which the Broad Way of destruction had led them. It will lead from imperfection to perfection – restitution. And there is no place on the Highway of Holiness for willful transgressors. It will be opened up through Israel, through the Ancient Worthies and through the New Covenant made with them. There will be no such highway until the Great King takes con­trol of affairs, overthrows the present order. No such way now exists and it will not open until the narrow way closes. The human family as a whole will be invited to return to harmony with God through the Great Mediator under the terms of the New Covenant. It will be a way of righteousness, but not a way of sacrifice, as is the present narrow way. The way of life and the way of death will be before them. Each must make his own choice. Whoever refuses to go up thereon will go down into the Second Death. It will be an upward way; exertion will be required. Gently sloping upward to life, for a grand reversal of public sentiment will make the way easy of ascent. It will be the way of holiness to a grand human perfection, God’s image and to everlasting life.

The way of life shall be made plain and easy. It will accomplish the straightening of every crooked path. Leading, not to the throne, but to the Edenic condition, from which the Broad Way had led men. The way to human perfection requires only the putting away of sin; not the sacrifice of human rights and privileges, but their proper enjoy­ment.

The unclean shall not pass and all who refuse to go up on the Highway shall “be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23) The evildoers having been cut off long before those who refuse to make progress along the Highway shall die at one hundred years of age (Isa. 65:20).

all obstructions removed

“And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer. 31:34)

All will know the plan of God and there will be no need to teach any more. Mankind will no longer be invited to accept Christ, but will be compelled to be obedient. The teaching of “churches” will be unnecessary and it will no longer be necessary to preach. The eyes of understanding shall be opened and all shall know the Lord and the glorious opportunity for salvation shall come to knowledge of the truth. “The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord.” (Isa. 11:9) The way will be so plain that “the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isa. 35:8)

These statements are not true now, and cannot be true until the Lord’s Kingdom is established. This is restitution work, the work of the entire Millennial Age. The condi­tions will be such that doubt would be more difficult than belief is at present. As a kind and loving father, God provides for the education of all who ever came into the world. Forgiveness of sins and the blessing of being awakened from the dead would profit mankind little if future arrangements did not permit a thorough recovery from present mental, moral and physical weaknesses.

A personal acceptance of the conditions of the New Covenant will be required of each individual. Instead of misrepresentation of God’s character and loving plans, the reverse will be given to mankind. When they know, each will be responsible. All who have ever lived. “The wayfaring men, and those unac­quainted therewith, shall not go astray.” (Isa. 35:8)

The taking away of their sins is a necessity before they can receive the New Covenant because God makes no covenant with sinners. Under the Law Covenant, this was not done and sins remained; for atone­ment was made fresh for them year by year. The Mediator will not hold against anyone the transgressions of this present life. Israel’s sins have not yet been taken away, even as the world’s sins have not yet been taken away. Past sins and iniquities shall no more rise up in judgment against them, demanding their just penalty, death. Christ will have appeared on their behalf and made satisfaction for their sins. This guarantees that none shall die the Second Death except the willfully, intelligently disobedient.

No. 662 STAR OF LAODICEA

“And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” (Rev. 1:13-16)

“The Finished Mystery” an ersatz 7th volume of “Studies in the Scriptures” attributed to Pastor Russell and published after his death by the cabal who took over the Bible House and later renamed themselves Jehovah’s Witnesses. They quote from page 345 of the 1916 Watch Tower but that quote does not exist in the Reprints. The quote below, however, is on Page 19 of the volume above mentioned and attributed to Pastor Russell. We have no quarrel with it because it fits exactly our own understanding of the text.

“This One whom we thus know, thus recog­nize, as the Instructor and Caretaker of the candlesticks, we are also to recognize as having in his right hand, in His favor as well as His power; seven stars, the angels, the messengers, of the seven churches. That they are in His right hand seems to teach us that these should be considered as in some special sense under the Master’s guidance, protection and care in the interest of the Churches which they represented.”

However, the book then goes on to name the “seven stars” as St. Paul, St. John, Arius, Waldo, Wycliffe, Luther and Russell. This part of the book is not from Brother Russell, but is the private interpretation of the writers of the book which we believe is contrary to sound Bible analysis. We disagree also with most of their time predic­tions, because time itself has demonstrated them to have been nothing more than the imagination of the writers of the book – a sure proof that they were not qualified to write the book at all; and anything they have presented which is not directly from Brother Russell should be given very careful scrutiny. As instance, they say: “The chronology as it appears in the Studies in the Scriptures is accurate.” With this statement we fully agree, but the Witnesses themselves (those claiming to be the “chan­nel” for Divine Truth at the time they wrote the book) are now in complete disagreement with their own teaching in 1917; and we simply offer these few conclusions as an intro­duction to our own analysis of the “seven stars,” etc.

In Rev. 12:1, it is stated, “the woman [the true Church] had upon her head a crown of twelve Stars.” That these “twelve stars” are the twelve Apostles needs no elaboration; but we direct attention to the fact that there is just nothing in the statement to indicate that “star differeth from star in glory” – the twelve in the pic­ture appear as equals. And the statement by Jesus to all twelve of them confirms this: “He that heareth you heareth Me”; they all received the miraculous gifts of the Spirit; they all were empowered to “bind and loose” on earth as occasion might require. There­fore, if the “star” to the Church at Ephesus contained more than one individual, we should be warranted in believing the six suc­ceeding “stars” to those six churches of the Age would also have more than one individual in them.

It is our understanding that the “seven stars” are the same as the seven “angels” (messengers) of Revelation Two and Three; they are the same as the “seven shepherds” of Micah 5:5; and they are the same as the “seven pipes” and the “seven eyes” of Zech. 4:2 and 4:10. Rev. 1:20 directly states “The seven stars are the seven angels of the seven churches.” The Bible seldom uses different words just to be different; there is usually a specific meaning in the different words used, and this seems to be true here. “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write.” (Rev. 2:1) This might be better stated, “Unto the angel of the church for Ephesus write.” The message to be given was not for the individual benefit of the star who delivered it; it was rather “for” that Messenger at that particular time to deliver to the church. As the “seven shepherds” of Micah 5:5, these same persons would guard and protect the sheep – “take heed unto all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers.” As the “seven pipes” of Zech. 4:2 they were the channel through which the Holy Spirit was administered to the Church; and as the “seven eyes” they were God’s watchmen – “I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel” (Ezek. 3:17), “The watchmen shall …see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.” (Isa. 52:8)

As the “seven stars” those shepherds of the sheep not only gave enlightenment to the Church during the night of sin and death, but they also gave a measure of light to the Christian world in general – “you appear as luminaries in the world” (Phil. 2:15, Dia.). Some of these “luminaries,” such as the Apostles, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and a few others, stand out prominently in the pages of history; but many of them have received only passing notice in the records. We instance particularly Arius, of whom many in the Christian world have never heard at all; yet he is probably one of the very brightest of them all, aside from the Apostles. We give just one example: When he was at the Council of Nice in 325 defending the Truth that there is but “one God,” he was overwhelmingly out­numbered by the bishops assembled from the then Christian world. Yet one of those oppos­ing him shouted forth during the heated debate: This man has the populace so stirred up that if you go into a store and ask the price of bread, the answer you get back from the clerk is, The Father is superior to the Son; the Son is inferior to the Father.

While there is little mention made of him today, it is clear enough that Arius was “a burning and a shining light.” A true “luminary” in 325; and this, and similar incidents concern­ing the other “stars” gives us a more vivid conception of Jesus’ words concerning all the fully faithful, “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.” (Matt. 13:43) Eventually, when the lives and works of such “stars” are skillfully written by capable writers during the Kingdom reign, we can see how the words of Jesus will then be fully understood and appreciated. But considering now the Laodicean Star, it is our understanding it contained two members, the first of whom we discuss as:

THE PAROUSIA MESSENGER

This is the title we offer for Brother Russell because he officiated during the small Parousia from 1874 to 1914, and because he made crystal clear the meaning of the Greek Parousia – as PRESENCE, and not COMING, as it is generally given in the King James translation. Once that became clear to him, it began to sweep away many of the accumu­lated errors of the past, leading directly to his understanding of the 16th Chapter of Leviticus, the same being a concise picture of the entire Atonement, which culminates in “the restitution of all things.” (Acts 3:19-21)

It is pertinent to our subject to consider here Micah 5:5 as it pertains to Brother Russell. “When the Assyrian shall come into our land [The Assyrians were a very warlike and destructive people, well portraying the errorists of this Gospel Age], and when he shall tread in our palaces [by devastating the Truth and the Spirit of the Truth among God’s true people], then shall we raise up against him seven shepherds, and eight princi­pal men.” The fact that there are “eight principal men” among the “seven shepherds” is additional proof that the seven shepherds were composite groups, and not individuals.

If we view the Bible as the origin of all spiritual Truth, then we must admit that it came first of all. But if we consider those who have vitiated its teachings (the antitypical Assyrians, the errorists, and then it is clear that the error came first. With the Lord sending deliverance through His stars, angels (messengers), eyes, shepherds and eight principal men – who have “wasted the land of Assyria with the sword” (Micah 15:6) the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of Truth. If we consider Brother Russell as the seventh one of those eight principal men to appear on the Gospel-Age stream of time, all of us who are familiar with his teachings must admit that he did wield the “sword of the spirit” most mightily against the accumulated errors of the past.

It had been prophetically stated of him  “I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jer. 1:5); and his true calculation of the chro­nology, with 1914 as the end of the Gentile Times, put the finger of identification upon him as a prophet who had spoken in the name of the Lord. He had predicted the outbreak of a world war by the fall of 1914; and this had received

much ridicule from his enemies, who had contended that civilization had advanced much too far to allow of such a conflict. We have been told that when the Gideon’s had their convention in Toronto in 1913 they there openly stated that such an expectation was simply beyond belief, what with the advances in science, medicine, art and culture that had been experienced in this generation. But when the war came exactly on time many of his critics openly confessed that he had indeed spoken the truth, and should receive due recognition for it.

But here we concern ourselves mainly with two of his teachings that still vitally concern us – Tabernacle Shadows and his refutation of Combinationism as it appeared in the Chicago Parliament of World Religions in 1893. When the Parousia Messenger began his min­istry, the erroneous doctrine of eternal torment as the wages of sin was so deeply en­trenched that it was generally considered sacrilege to gainsay it. Many were the promi­nent and forceful orators who appeared as evangelists in their crusades to save the poor sinner from such an awful fate, so that Brother Russell was faced with what seemed an im­possible assignment. This is so graphically revealed in Judges 6:5 and 7:12: “The Mid­ianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grass­hoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea­side for multitude.”

And against this portentous force Gideon was arrayed with his band of 300 – outnum­bered by probably more than a thousand to one. This was precisely the situation when Brother Russell began his attacks on human immortality, the consciousness of the dead and eternal torment as the wages of sin. His most popular public discourse was, Where Are The Dead, which always included a good exposition on Restitution. When he sent out breth­ren from Bethel for Sunday discourses he always urged them to include a good portion of their public discourse on Restitution; and he occasionally remarked to brethren, “That’s the subject!” when he was to speak on Where Are The Dead.

He kept steadfastly at the subject and its pertinent errors, so that he was able to see certain victory ahead by the time he had finished his ministry. By 1916 it was con­sidered by many intellectuals as a distinct mark of ignorance on the part of those who still regarded eternal torment as the wages of sin. This is probably best stated by repeating what Pilgrim Brother Sidney Morton once told us: He was spending some time at Bethel – as all the pilgrims occasionally did. Brother Russell wanted all the brethren to keep abreast of current events, so he appointed two or three to peruse the leading newspapers each day, and give a resume at the dining room table. This saved the remaining brethren from spend­ing valuable time with the newspapers. On one occasion, one of the reviewers began to read:

There is a man in our town

           Who thinks he’s wondrous wise;

He fell into a bramble bush

 That put out both his eyes.

There were several similar stanzas, and Brother Russell was beginning to show his annoyance at what seemed to be pretty much on the vaudeville side of things, when the final lines were read:

There is a man in our town

    Whose name I need not tell;

        I’m sure you all must know him,

         For he put the fires out of Hell.

Certainly, Brother Russell was the “princi­pal man” of God’s Household in his day; he was the “angel” (messenger) to the Church in Lao­dicea; he had a message to deliver ­and he delivered it with telling force – until the very day his Great Captain finally said to him, It is enough! But his ministry brought upon him the most vicious attacks from the brightest lights of Satan; and they were legion. When they could not gainsay or resist the Truth he preached, they devised the most vicious sort of slander against him – he was grossly immoral, a thing he could deny, but he could not disprove; and the human mind being as it is today, the advantage was with the slanderers. Many were ready enough to believe the evil side of things. Others referred to him as “That braying Balaam’s Ass!” Here was indeed the antitype of Jeremiah’s being “let down in the dungeon... where there was no water [truth], but mire [filthy words].” (Jer. 38:6) All of this he took in stride, being mindful of Jesus’ words: “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelze­bub, how much more shall they call them of His Household?” (Matt. 10:25) The Lord Him­self had called him “blessed”; and this more than compensated for the slanders hurled at him by “the workers of iniquity.” (Psa. 37:1)

He was adamant against the Combinationist sifters, which sifting had become prominent at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. Combina­tionism takes the position that it matters not what one believes so long as he is sincere in his belief. In that Convention in Chicago such an attitude tended to place all the as­sembled heathen dignitaries on equality with Christian ideals. And it might be observed that the quality of Christianity that was displayed at that Convention by some in attend­ance tended to confirm such a conclusion. In fact, some of the heathen were heard to remark that they thought they should be coming to America to convert us to their ways and beliefs, instead of us sending missionaries to them to charge their ideals.

Combinationism is Scriptural fornication – a combining of forbidden things. It finds its type in Num. 25:1-18, where some of the Jews were engaging in illicit union with the heathen round about in direct violation of the sixth Com­mandment. St. Paul pin­points this situation in 1 Cor. 10:8: “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.” And in vs. 11 he states that those things happened to them “as types” and “are written for our [special] admoni­tion and learning, upon whom the ends of the Ages are come.” Being in the closing “end” of the Gospel Age and the opening “end” of the Millennial Age (the “ends” of the Ages), St. Paul’s admonition is specially for our benefit in this day, although it was also true in the closing of the Jewish Age and the beginning of the Gospel Age, when Paul wrote about it.

Brother Russell was rigidly opposed to Combinationism, and he made his stand known in no uncertain terms. In this he is individually typed by Phinehas (Num. 25:7, 8), who was the chief under priest at that time. Certainly, those of us who are familiar with the history of the Harvest will offer no argument against the conclusion that Brother Russell was decidedly the chief under priest in God’s Household during his ministry. Phinehas means “brazen mouth”; and those of us who know the record know there was never any compromise of principles by Brother Russell; and it was his unyielding stand against the Combinationist sifters that revealed him as “That Servant” of Matt. 25:46 for the first time to the brethren generally. For his uncompromising adherence to the “rules” many today still pray, God bless his memory. But this becomes only an empty and meaning­less expres­sion if we fail to follow the grand ideals he left. He was indeed that wonder­ful “man of God” and “example of and to the believers.” And with Combina­tionism every­where rampant today, we do well to take heed to ourselves lest we also fall under its deceptive lures.

To start from nothing against tremendous odds – as evidence the case of Gideon with his 300 – and to achieve the success he did required remarkable ability. It could be said of him that he was versatile, efficient and immensely capable in whatever manner he applied himself. One out­standing business man once remarked that his services would be worth $2,000,000 per year to any corporation large enough to afford that kind of help. Another man once remarked to him, Pastor Russell, you have put the standard of Christian living entirely too high. His answer: I didn’t put it there, Brother; the Lord did.

While his great ability was essential to his ministry, another item contributed much to his success. When he appeared upon the scene there were many in the various sys­tems who were longing for reform – “men in the midst of the City who sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done there.” (Ezek. 9:4) Thus, there were some who were not only ready to hear him, but they also joined enthusiastically with him in the work. Over a period of time, he attracted to himself quite a number of the best minds in Christendom; and it is elemental to the success of any enterprise that their organizers surround him with capable assistants. This That Servant did; and, following St. Paul’s counsel to “prefer one another in honor,” he freely delegated authority to any who showed the capac­ity to act accordingly. In this also he was a noble “example of the believers.” But he continued only to promote them so long as they also were uncompromising to principle and fundamental doctrines of the Bible. All during his ministry his shibboleth was, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sin, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:4) He was a determined and unyielding foe to Combinationism to the end of his ministry.

When That Servant appeared on the scene all of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible except Restitution – were being taught in some section of Christendom; but all of them were either directly cumbered with some error, or were not clearly understood by those at­tempting to teach them. Before he had finished, every one of those doctrines, including Restitution, had been relieved of all rubbish, and had been made crystal clear. This was foretold in Mal. 3:1-3: “The Messenger of the Covenant... shall sit as a refiner and puri­fier of silver.” The word ‘purifier’ in this text would be better rendered ‘polisher’; and who of us will not admit that That Servant did ‘Polish’ the Truth (silver) in admir­able brilliance! And in doing this, he never resorted to the tricks of oratory. There were better orators than he, but certainly no better preachers. And in him was a living proof of our Lord’s sure words, “I will give you a mouth [eloquence] and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” (Luke 21:15) Every one that “was of the Truth” heard his voice gladly.

He was engaged in “the good fight” until the very day he died; and it could be said of him as one historian wrote about Martin Luther: He fell peacefully asleep in Jesus. “Them that honor Me, I will honor, saith the Lord”; and the Lord did honor him greatly. And if we wish to honor him, we can do so in no better way than to adhere to and uphold that Truth that was so dear to him. As Jesus said of Himself: “He who has My com­mand­ments [the Truth] and observes them, that is he who loves Me.” (John 14:21, Dia.) It is our hope and prayer that this brief review may prove a rich blessing to all our readers as we approach now the 96th anniversary of That Servant’s death.

THE EPIPHANY MESSENGER

The second member of the Laodicean Star was Brother Paul S. L. Johnson, whom we style the Epiphany Messenger because he clarified the Epiphany as an act and as a period of time in a manner never before done by anyone else – so far as we know. He clearly demonstrated from the Scriptures that the Epiphany would follow the small Parousia, and would be the last period of the Gospel Age, that this special period would manifest persons, principles and things with brilliance before unknown. Of course, That Servant had predicted there would be an Epiphany following the small Parousia, which would begin when the Time of Trouble would begin (See Reprints p. 2979) – but he gave no elaborate details about it, although what he did say formed the foundation for what the Epiphany Messenger wrote about it.

While the Greek Epiphaneia occurs six times in the New Testament, we here select only two texts as pointedly pertinent to our present discussion. In 2 Tim. 4:1 it is stated that “the Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and king­dom.” The general concept throughout Christendom is that the “quick” in this text means those human beings still alive, and the “dead” are those in the tomb; but That Servant properly defined these classes as those quickened by the Holy Spirit and the fallen angels, with the dead including all other human beings – whether in the tomb or out of it; that is, those “dead in trespasses and sins.” “God hath appointed a day in which He will judge the [dead] world,” that “day” being the 1000-year day of His reign – a time that was future when Paul wrote, and is still future for the great mass of persons, although the foundation for its operation began to be laid in 1874. But “the quick” were to be judged in His Epiphaneia. Thus, the text would be more clearly expressed in this manner: He shall judge the quick at His Epiphaneia, and the dead at His Basileia (Kingdom).

The various features of these great accomplishments by the Lord were given in lucid detail by the Epiphany Messenger. And the second text to have our attention is 2 Thes. 2:8 (Diaglott): “Then will be revealed the lawless one (whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the breath of His mouth, and annihilate by the appearing of His presence).” “The appearing of His presence” is literally, “the Epiphaneia of His Parousia.” The Epiphaneia (bright shining as an act and as a period of time) has been gradually eroding the very foundation stones of the Man of Sin’s structure, until today it is visibly falling over. But it has not yet fully done so, so we have here a sure proof that we must yet be in the Epiphany, and that this period will continue until the “annihilation” is fully accomplished. This feat is much nearer than many suppose; and it is our intention to say much more about it in the near future.

Another feature of this period, according to That Servant, would be to reveal those who have built their “house upon the Rock” and those who have built their “house upon the sand.” (Luke 6:48,49) So long as this revealing has not yet been fully ac­complished, we have here another proof that we must now still be in the Epiphany. But the Epiphany is definitely a time of separating, and a time of combining. Of His Parousia our Lord had foretold: “In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares [combine them], and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matt. 13:30) Clearly enough, from this text Combinationism would be rampant before the harvest had been completed; and it offers explanation as to why both members of the Lao­dicean Star were so emphatic in their denun-ciation of it, and their warning for the faith­ful to have none of it.

The Epiphany Messenger had emphasized that the Gospel Age would be repeated here in the Epiphany on a small scale insofar as the Truth is concerned. The chief culprit of the Gospel Age in overthrowing the Truth has been the Man of Sin (Papacy), that system having per­verted or coun-terfeited every important feature of the Great Plan of the Ages. And in this Epiphany the Little Man of Sin (the Society, the self-styled “Channel”) has done the same thing with every important feature of the Harvest Truth. Most of our readers know too, how determined was the Epiphany Messenger in exposing the errors of That Evil Ser­vant and his cohorts in the Society.

Tabernacle Shadows was basic for a proper understanding of the Harvest Truth; and Brother Russell himself said that the Six Volumes of Studies in the Scriptures all had their origin in that book. The Epiphany Messenger elaborated considerably on that con­tention, and emphasized that every important feature of God’s Plan was revealed in the typical Tabernacle that Moses constructed. But hardly had That Servant been buried be­fore the Society editors began to demolish the Tabernacle teachings, which brought forth determined exposures by the Epiphany Messenger that eventually caused them to abandon the Tabernacle completely. The heat of exposure became more than they could bear. The Epiphany Messenger contended – very logically – that if Tabernacle Shadows were basic for the Parousia Truth, it must also be basic for the Epiphany Truth; it was the founda­tion stones, and any superstructure must therefore be built upon that solid foundation.

Thus, it became his privilege, and duty, to defend almost every feature of the Har­vest Truth – just as the Gospel-Age reformers were compelled to defend every feature of God’s Plan against the encroaching errors of the Man of Sin. This embroiled all of them in constant warfare – even as their Captain had also been involved in much contro­versy during His stay on earth. This caused resentment on the part of many who had once been his bosom brethren; and “they walked with him no more.” And many of those who resented him became ready candidates for the evil of Combinationism.

Combinationism is an illicit union or cooperation of God’s people with persons, principles, things and practices not fully approved by God. Examples of it are evident in the union of church and state (probably the worst form of it), of denominations with denominations, of uncleansed Levite movements with other un­cleansed Levite movements, of Christian people with religious-secret-societies, of Christendom generally with heathenism. Of all the movements that originated from the Parousia Messenger’s organization, the Jehovah’s Wi­tnes­ses have been among the most rigid against actually combining with other movements; but they have also been probably the most remiss of all of them in adopting the methods of those people they studiously avoid in actual contact.

After the death of Pastor Russell, J. F. Rutherford decided to ‘modernize’ the organiza­tion he had formed, and he introduced a sales campaign to distribute their lit­erature after the same pattern used by business organizations to sell their products. Lest we be misunderstood, we find no fault with secular businesses using their advertis­ing and sales ingenuity to dispose of their wares, so long as they adhere to the Truth; but the use of such methods to disseminate Christian principles, literature, etc., is violently contrary to the high ideals given by Jesus in the fifth, sixth and seventh chap­ters of Matthew. Nor would the Parousia Messenger adopt their technique. But J. F. Ruth­erford had some seasoned business sales­men in his group, and these he persuaded to go from city to city to teach their sales technique toward the sale of his literature. The ideals of his adherents immediately began to decline – until now the high ideals of the Parousia Messenger, based upon sound Bible principles, and are almost completely gone from his group.

In a very short time, the Epiphany Mes­senger – who had a strong love for the Parousia Messenger and the ideals he had established – saw the trend of things, and objected so strenuously that a complete and irreparable separation resulted within a matter of months. Others joined them­selves to him through the same motives – although the great majority, many of them not too well grounded in the Parousia Truth, remained with the Society. And in a very few years those who remained were so engulfed with the spirit of Combinationism in practice that the Parousia ideals were a lost asset. In much lesser degree, the same thing has resulted in the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement, which is the organization founded by the Epiphany Messenger – not by R. G. Jolly as reported in the Trinidad newspaper last March. We ourselves say, God bless the memory of both Messengers, as we seek to “continue in the things we have been taught” by the both of them; and we abide in the conclusion of Solomon: “Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.” (Prov. 17:1)

A fitting conclusion to the foregoing is to be found in Parousia Vol. 6, p. 658: “The Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—is the only offensive armor of the Lord’s little band. The Captain prevailed in His ‘good fight’ against the Adversary, saying, ‘It is written’; and this is the battle-cry of His followers. Others than the true soldiers have fought for the Lord with carnal weapons, and with human philosophies and worldly wisdom and organization (the methods used by the Society and the LHMM, as stated above—JJH), and decrees of councils and synods

 and presbyteries, but we must de­pend in the struggle of this ‘evil day’ upon the Word of God — ‘It is written.’ We must use no darts like Satan’s – anger, malice, hatred, strife. And ‘the Sword of the Spirit’ can only be possessed by careful study and leading of the Spirit after consecration, after enlistment in this army.”

And to the foregoing, we would add another paragraph from Parousia Vol. 2, p. 361: “We desire again to impress our readers with the fact that Papacy is the Antichrist, not because of its moral obliquity, but because it is the counterfeit of the true Christ and the true Kingdom. It is because of a failure to realize this fact that many Protestants will be deceived into cooperation with Papacy in opposition to the true King of Glory.”

The above was written over 100 years ago, but it has the ring of yesterday; and per­suades us all the more in our conviction that the Parousia Messenger was indeed “the prophet unto the nations,” and that he was That Wise and Faithful Servant of Matt. 24:45. It should also now be given its true evaluation by all who “have an ear to hear what the spirit sayeth unto the Church” at this very time; and to avoid Combin­ationism for the evil that it is lest we “receive of her plagues.”

“We are a sweet odor of Christ to God... not like the many, which adulterate and negotiate the Word of God for their own lucre and advantage; but really from sincerity, and as from God, in the presence of God, we speak concerning Christ.” (2 Cor. 2:15-17, Diaglott footnote.)

(Brother John J. Hoefle, No. 566, October 2004)

letters of general interest

Dear Epiphany:

Could not locate an e-mail address for you. Your No. 655, March 2012 Newsletter was wonderful and I forwarded it to my sister who lives in Washington. But I truly would like a copy of it for me to keep and reread before every Memorial. If there is an expense involved, please so advise me.

Thank you very much. ------------- California

Dear Brethren,

Greetings in our Dear Savior’s name:

Would you please add my name to your subscription list? I’ve enjoyed borrowing copies and would like to have one of my own.  ------------- California

No. 661 THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON

Revelation 16:12-16

Armageddon is a Hebrew word signifying the Hill of Megiddo, or the Mount of Destruction. Megiddo occupied a very marked position on the southern edge of the Plain of Esdraelon, and commanded an important pass into the hill country. This locality was the great battleground of ancient Israel’s history, on which were fought many of the famous battles of the Old Testament. There Gideon and his little band alarmed and discomfited the Midianites, who destroyed one an­o­ther in their flight (Judges 7:19-23). There King Saul was defeated by the Philistines (1 Sam. 31:1-6). There King Josiah was slain by Pharaoh-Necho in one of the most disastrous conflicts in the history of Israel (2 Chron. 35:22-25). There also King Ahab and his wife Jezebel lived, in the city of Jezreel, where Jezebel afterwards met a horrible death (2 Kings 9:30-37).

These battles were in a sense typical. The defeat of the Midianites released the people of Israel from bondage to Midian. Thus, Gideon and his band typified our Lord and the Church, who are to release mankind from their bondage to sin and death. The death of King Saul and the overthrow of his kingdom by the Philistines opened the way for the reign of David, who typified Messiah. King Ahab typified the civil gov­ernment, symbolically called the “Dragon” in the Revelation. Queen Jezebel symbolically fore­shadowed the great harlot, Babylon, and as such, she is mentioned by name. “Thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants.” (Rev. 2:20)

In the Scriptures, the Lord has evidently seen fit to associate the name of this famous battlefield, Armageddon, with the great controversy between Truth and Error, right and wrong, God and Mammon, with which the Gospel Age will close and the Messianic Age will begin. He has purposely used highly symbolic language in the last book of the Bible, evidently with a view to hiding certain important truths until the due time for their revealing. But even in the due time: “None of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” (Dan. 12:10) None who are out of heart harmony with God shall know; but only the wise among His people; the wise virgin class of the Master's parable (Matt. 25:1-13).

When we consider our text, therefore, we are not to expect any gathering of the people literally to the Hill of Megiddo. Rather we are to look for that which is symbolized by that mountain. Many things are being called “The Battle of Arma­geddon”; this phrase is being used in many ways and from many standpoints. But Christians realize that this word Armageddon especially belongs to the Bible, where it is used in a spiritual sense. If therefore, the present is an opportune time in which to consider the Battle of Armageddon from a political standpoint, it surely is the proper time to consider the term from its true religious point of view.

We all know that the book of Revelation is full of symbols. God seems to have placed this book last in the Bible with the intent of covering up great and important truths. That it contains valuable truths is the opinion of all Bible students. Yet so skillfully has God covered those truths that His people in times past have not been able fully and clearly to discern them. We believe that this has been the Divine intention, not only because these truths were not due to be under­stood, but also because God intends to keep certain features of His Truth from the world.

Mankind has always misunderstood the Divine Plan; for God in His wisdom wishes to have them misunderstand. The truths recorded in the Revel­ation are not for the world, nor for nominal Christians, but for the Church–the Body of Christ, the saintly ones “the Church of the First-borns which are written in Heaven.” To these the knowledge will become “meat in due season.” “The wise shall understand.”

The Scriptures abound with allusions to Armageddon. Our Lord Jesus calls it “great trib­ulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matt. 24:21) The Prophet Daniel describes it as “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time.” (Dan. 12:1)

Closely in connection with this statement, Daniel declares that God’s Representative, “Mic­hael, shall stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of Israel.” The word “Michael” signifies “He who is like God” – the Godlike One. He will stand up for the salvation of God’s people, for the rectification of error and wrong, for the establishment of right and truth, to bring to the world of mankind the great Kingdom of God, which has been preached from the days of Abraham.

Time for the Establishment of Messiah’s Kingdom

The Revelation of St. John, being a book of symbols, will not be understood by the world. God Himself has said that only at a certain time may even the Church expect to understand. When the Prophet Daniel inquired concerning the meaning of his vision, the angel replied, “Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed till the Time of the End;” not the end of the world, but the end of the Age; the end of this Dispensation. “...The earth abideth forever.” (Eccl. 1:4)

St. Peter tells us that this Age is to end in a great conflagration symbolical of the Time of Trouble, in which present institutions will be swallowed up (2 Pet. 3:8-13). Elsewhere in the Scriptures, this terrible Time of Trouble is sym­bolically represented as a storm, as a whirlwind, as a fire, to consume everything. After the present order shall have passed away in the great Time of Trouble, God Himself will establish His Kingdom  the one for which we pray, “Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, even as it is done in Heaven.”

If, then, there is anything to indicate that we are living in the end of the Gospel Age, and that the Virgins are trimming their lamps, we may rest assured that the time for the Wise Virgins to enter into glory is close at hand. What a blessed message is this for “all who love His appearing!”

In the same prophecy which tells that the Time of the End is the time for the wise toward God to understand, we are told that this time will be especially marked by two particular features: first, “Many shall run to and fro”; second, “Know­ledge shall be increased.” (Dan. 12:4)

 Today we see this prophecy fulfilled. All over the world, people are running to and fro as never before. Huge airplanes, railroads, Great Ocean floating resort hotels, automobiles pro-pelled by all manner of engines, subways and elevated trains, etc. carry mankind everywhere. General increase of know­ledge characterizes this wondrous day. Every child ten years old is able to read. All over the world are books, newspapers, Bibles in every home, television, computers, and oppor­tunity for knowledge such as never has been known since man was on earth.

The remarkable fulfillment of this prophecy marks our day as the time of The End, in which the present Dispensation is to be concluded and the New Dispensation is to be ushered in; the time when God's people will be able to understand the situation and to get ready for their change.

Principles, not Individuals, under Discussion

All Christian people credit the book of Revelation to our Lord, as St. John does (Rev. 1:1). Therefore, we are not responsible for the symbolism used in that book. There are so many ways in which one might be misunderstood, even by good Christian people, that we naturally feel a delicacy about expressing our views.

As we proceed to set forth our understanding of the symbols of the Revelation, we wish to state most emphatically that we are saying nothing whatever against godly Christians anywhere, at any time, whether in any church or out of any church. We have nothing to say respecting people. We discuss PRINCIPLES, DOCTRINES, AL­WAYS; individ­uals, NEVER! God has not commis­­­sioned us to discuss people; it is ours to discuss His Word.

As we present our interpretations of the symbols of Revelation, we realize that the Word of God conveys a very terrible arraignment of some of the great systems of our day some that we have long reverenced and esteemed, that we have thought contained many who are godly in word and in deed. Let us, therefore, clearly distinguish between individuals and systems. We say nothing against the godly individual, but in the interpre­tation of the Word of God, what we have to say is merely in respect to these systems. Indeed, we believe that the saintly people of God are left out of these symbols, probably because the Saints of God, as compared with the hundreds of millions of humanity, are merely a small company, as Jesus said; “Fear not, Little Flock.”

three unclean spirits

Coming to the interpretation of the symbols of Rev. 16:13-16, we find that there are three agencies connected with the gathering of the hosts to this Battle of Armageddon. We read that out of the mouth of the Beast, out of the mouth of the False Prophet and out of the mouth of the Dragon proceeded three unclean spirits like frogs; and that these three unclean spirits, frog-like, went forth throughout the whole world to gather the whole world into this Battle of Armageddon.

It is proper, then, for us to inquire what systems are meant by these symbolic words the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet. After we shall discover what is meant by these terms, we shall ask what is symbolized by the frogs that came out from their mouths.

Throughout the Bible, a Beast is the symbol used to represent a government. In Daniel’s prophecy, the great universal empires of the earth are thus symbolized. Babylon was the Lion, Medo-Persia the Bear, Greece the Leopard, and Rome the Dragon (Dan. 7:1-8). The Roman Empire still persists. Christendom is a part of that great Roman Empire which began in the days of Caesar and which, according to the Scriptures, still is in the world.

Practically all Bible exegetes agree that the Dragon of the Revelation represents the purely civil power, wherever it may be found. We do not understand this to mean that all the powers of the world are evil or of the Devil, but that the Dragon is the symbol which the Lord is pleased to use to represent civil power.

The Beast of Rev. 16:13 is the same that is mentioned in Rev. 13:2, where it is described as resembling a spotted leopard. Protestant inter­pre­ters of the Revelation agree that this symbol refers to the Papal system, not to the Pope, not to Catholic congregations, not to individual Catho­lics, but to the system as a whole, which has existed for centuries.

In His Word, God has been pleased to recognize the Papacy as a system, as a govern­ment. Papacy claims that the Kingdom of God, Messiah’s Kingdom, was established in 799 A.D.; that it lasted a thousand years, just as the Bible declares Christ’s Kingdom will last; and that it expired in 1799 A.D. They claim also that since 1799 this Kingdom of Christ (that is, the Papal system, represented in the Revelation as the Beast) has been suffering violence; and that during this time the Devil has been loosed, in fulfillment of Rev. 20:7.

History records that the era closing with 1799, marked by Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign, sealed and defined the limit of Papal dominion over the nations. Napoleon even took the Pope prisoner to France, where he died. This humi­liating experience, Roman Catholics claim, marks the time of the loosing of Satan in fulfillment of Rev. 20:7.

We cannot agree with our Catholic brethren’s interpretation of prophecy. Our Lord was surely right when He declared that “the prince of this world is Satan,” and that this is “the present evil world” or age. The reason why there is so much graft, false doctrine, delusion, ignorance, super­stition everywhere is that Satan is the great being who is deceiving the world. According to the Scriptures Satan is to be bound for a thousand years that he may deceive the nations no more (Rev. 20:3). After the thousand years shall have been finished, Satan shall be loosed for a little season to test mankind. Then he will be destroyed in the Second Death, together with all who are in harmony with him.

Bible students are only now getting their eyes open to see the lengths, breadths, heights and depths of the Love of God His wonderful provision made, first, for the Church, who are to share in the Kingdom glory; and second, for the world of mankind, who will receive the blessing of an uplift to human perfection during that thousand years. This Messiah’s Kingdom nothing ever dreamed will compare with it. But the great work of God will not be perfected until every human being will have reached perfection, or will have been destroyed in the Second Death, because of refusal to come into harmony with the laws of righteousness. Then every creature in Heaven and on earth, will be heard saying, “Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb, for ever and ever.” (Rev. 5:13)

The Dragon, then, symbolizes the Roman power, represented by the civil power in the world. The Beast is the Papal system of government. The third symbol, the False Prophet, remains to be interpreted. This, we believe, is another name for the system elsewhere called “the Image of the Beast.” (Rev. 13:14) According to the Scriptures, this Image is a very exact representation of the Beast. The False Prophet, or Image of the Beast, we understand to mean the “Protestant” religions who declare, no matter which one, but one of us.

The Image of the Beast

In order to see why the Protestant Federation of Churches should be symbolized as the Image of the Beast and as the False Prophet, we must examine other symbolical Scriptures. In Rev. 17:5, our attention is called to a great “mystery.” The word “harlot” in Scriptural symbolism does not mean an immoral person. It refers to the Church, which was to be the Kingdom of God, but which lost her virginity and became united to an earthly husband, instead of her Heavenly Husband. To what earthly husband did the Church unite? To the Roman Empire. In the minds of Luther and other reformers, there was no doubt that there was a close union between the Church and the world. The Church for a time claimed to be waiting for Christ to set up His Kingdom. Finally she said, “I will not wait until the Second Coming of Christ, I will unite with the Roman Empire.”

All know the result. The Roman Catholic Church was exalted, and reined as a queen for centuries. This union of Church and State is represented in a famous picture found in Italy. On a throne, the Pope and the Emperor sit side by side. On one side are cardinals, bishops, the lower clergy and the laity, in order of rank. On the other side are generals, lieutenants, soldiers, etc., down to the common people. Thus, the union of Church and State was recognized.

On the basis of this union all earthly governments are called Christian; for they claim unity as part and parcel with the Church. History tells us that for centuries the Church appointed the earthly kings. Whosoever the Pope desired was crowned. In proof of the supremacy of the Church, a story is told in regard to Emperor Henry IV of Germany. He had incurred Papal displeasure and as a punishment was compelled to stand for three days without the castle gates of Canossa, barefooted, and clad only in the haircloth shirt of a penitent, exposed to the inclemency of mid-winter. Then he was forced to crawl on hands and knees into the presence of the Pontiff, whose silk stocking was removed in order that the emperor might kiss the Pope's great toe, in fulfillment of Psa. 2:12, “Kiss the Son, O ye kings of the earth.”

To our understanding, this is a mistaken application of Scripture. “The Son” is not the Pope. The “holy hill” is the Kingdom of God. His agency is symbolized as the holy Mount Zion. The great Messiah will completely overthrow all the things of the present time, and will establish the Kingdom of Righteousness and Truth, which will uplift mankind out of sin and degradation.

Roman Catholics believe that the Pope is the vicegerent of Christ, reigning in His stead. They believe that the present is the time when Satan is loosed to deceive the nations; that very shortly the Church will again get full power in the world; and that as a result everyone who does not obey them will be destroyed. This interpretation points us to Revelation 13th and 20th Chapters. Protestants do not appreciate the situation. Doubtless, all thinking people have noticed that overtures for union come from Protestantism, but never from Catholicism.

The question now arises, why should the Scriptures picture Protestantism as an Image of the Beast? When and how did this come about? From the time of the Reformation, Protestants had been striving individually to get out of the darkness of the past and thus had formulated many creeds and had organized many denominations. But about the middle of the last century, the leaders began to see that if everyone continued to study the Bible individually the time would come when each one would have an individual creed. To prevent what seemed to them a loss of power, they planned a union of Protestants in a system called the Evangelical Alliance.

 The Evangelical Alliance, an organization of the different Protestant denominations, was formed in 1846 for the very purpose of doing in their own way the same thing that Catholicism would do in its own way. Seeing the great power that Roman Catholics exercise because of a united system, Protestants said, “We are divided. We have no power. We will organize.” Then and there, according to the Scriptures, they made an Image of the Beast.

The Bible says, however, that before the Image can do any particular harm it must receive life from the two-horned Beast (Rev. 13:15). This two-horned Beast with horns like a lamb, but a voice like a dragon, we believe represents the Church of England, which is not a party to the Evangelical Alliance. The Church of England makes the claim which the Church of Rome makes, that she is the true Church; that all others are wrong; that she has the original apostolic suc­cession; and that no one is commissioned to preach unless he has had divine, apostolic hands laid upon him. This has been the contention of the Church of England for centuries, and constitutes the difference between that Church and all other Protestant denominations.

Although the Evangelical Alliance was organized in 1846, it has not been able to ac­complish its purpose, because it did not know how to operate. The denominations in the Alliance were united only in name, hence have worked against each other.

Denominations outside of the Alliance were declared to be unauthorized; and they, in turn, challenged the Evangelical Churches to show where they got authority to preach. As a result the Image had no power to act; it was trodden upon; and to get vitality life it would need apostolic succession; it must have something as a basis for operation. The Scriptures indicate that the Church of England will become intimate with the Evan­gelical Alliance and will give it apostolic authority to preach. Because of this union, the Alliance will be able to say, “We have apostolic authority to preach. Let no one speak unless he has our sanction.” This action on their part is described in Rev. 13:17. None will be allowed to buy or sell spiritual things in the spiritual market unless he has either the mark of the Beast or the mark of the Image.

In Rev. 16:13 we find mention of the False Prophet, another representation of the Image the vitalized product of the Evangelical Alliance, which has taken the form of Church Federation, and has today a great deal of vitality. Whether we can expect it to have more remains to be seen. The Scriptures clearly indicate that the Image of the Beast is to get so great power that it will do the same thing that the Roman Catholic Church did in the past; and that the two systems, Catholic and Protestant, will rule the civilized world with a high hand through the civil power, the Dragon.

“Three Unclean Spirits Like Frogs”

The Scriptures tell us that this result is to be brought about by the utterances of the combined power of Church and State. “Three unclean spirits like frogs came out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beast, and out of the mouth of the False Prophet.” In this passage, the spirit is a doctrine, an unclean doctrine and a false doctrine.

Each of these systems will utter the same things, and these utterances will have the effect of gathering the kingdoms of earth together to the great Battle of Armageddon.

The symbolism of Scripture, rightly under­stood, is very forceful, and there is always a close resemblance between the symbol itself and the thing symbolized. When the Holy Spirit uses a frog to represent certain doctrines or teachings, we may be sure that the application will fit well. While a frog is a small creature, yet it puffs itself up until it almost bursts with the effort to be somebody. A frog has a very wise look, even though it does not know very much and a frog croaks whenever it utters a sound.

The three most prominent characteristics of a frog, then, are pomposity, an air of superior wis­dom and knowledge, and a continual croaking.

Apply these characteristics to the picture given in the Divine Word and we learn that from the civil power of the Catholic Church and from the Protestant Churches that they will go forth with the same teachings. The spirit of all will be boastful; an air of superior knowledge and wisdom will be assumed; all will foretell dire results to follow any failure to obey their counsels. However conflicting the creeds, the differences will be ignored in the general proposition that nothing ancient must be disturbed, investigated, or repudiated.

The Divine authority of the Church, and the Divine right of kings, aside from the Church, will not be allowed to conflict; for both will be indorsed. Any persons or teachings in conflict with these boastful, unscriptural claims will be branded as everything vile, at the mouths of the frogs, croaking from pulpits and platforms, and through the religious and secular press. The nobler sentiments of some will be strangled by the philosophy of the same evil spirit which spoke through Caiaphas, the high priest, respecting our Lord Jesus. As Caiaphas declared it expedient to commit a crime in violation of justice, both human and Divine, to be rid of Jesus and His teachings, so this frog-like spirit will approve of any and every violation of principle necessary to self-protection.

Every true Christian is ashamed to look back upon the pages of history and see what terrible deeds were done in the name of God and justice, and in the name of our Lord Jesus. We are not to think for a moment that these frog spirits, or doctrines, are all bad, but rather that they are doctrines of bombast and pomposity, representing themselves to be very wise and great, and having the backing of centuries. Out of the mouth of the Dragon comes the doctrine of the Divine right of Kings: “Do not look back of the curtain of history to see where the kings got that right. Accept the doctrine; for if you do not, and if men look into the matter, there will be a terrible revolution and everything will go down!”

The Beast and the False Prophet have similar croakings. The Catholic Church says, “Do not look behind! Do not question anything about the Church!” Protestantism also says, “We are great, we are wise, we know a great deal. Keep quiet! No one will then know that you know nothing.” All say (croaking), “We tell you if you say anything against present arrange-ments, terrible things will come to pass.”

Political parties are figuring in this. All declare, “If any change should come, it will mean terrible disaster!” Some have the backbone and some have the civil power behind them, but united they croak to the people that if any change is made, it will mean ruin to the present order. In the language of our day, “Stand pat!” is the order in Church and in State; but the people are being moved by fear. It is this croaking of the Beast, the Dragon and the False Prophet that will arouse the kings of earth and gather them together to the Armageddon Battle and destruction.

The ecclesiastical kings and princes, with their retinue of clergy and faithful adherents, will be gathered in solid phalanx of Protestant and Catholic. The political kings and princes, senators, and all in high places, with their henchmen and retainers, will follow in line on the same side. The financial kings and merchant princes, and all whom they can influence by the most gigantic power ever yet exercised in the world, will join the same side, according to this prophecy. They do not realize, however, that they are coming to Armageddon; yet strange to say, this is a part of their very cry, “Come together to Armageddon!” Speaking of our day, our Lord declared, “Men’s hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” (Luke 21:26)

The rulers of Europe do not know what to do. All sectarianism is being shaken. Many people of God are in perplexity.

The croaking of the frog spirits, or doctrines, will gather the kings and princes, financial, political, religious and industrial into one great army. The spirit of fear, inspired by the croaking, will scourge the passions of other­wise good and reasonable men to fury and des­peration. In their blind following of these evil spirits and doctrines, they will be ready to sacri­fice life and everything on what they mistakenly suppose is the altar of Justice, Truth and Right­eousness under a “Divine” arrangement.

Many noble people in this great army will assume an attitude quite contrary to their pre-ference. For a time the wheels of liberty and progress will be turned backward and mediaeval restraints will be considered necessary, for self-preservation, for the maintenance of the present order of things and for the prevention of the new order which God has decreed. The due time for this is at hand. Even those who may be God’s people do not stop to consider whether it is His will that things should continue as they have been for the past six thou­sand years. The Bible says that such is not God’s will, but that there is to be a great overturning, and a new order is coming. For a brief time, as we understand the Scriptures, these combined forces of Armageddon will triumph.

            Free speech and other liberties which have come to be the very breath of the masses in our day will be ruthlessly shut off on the plea of necessity, the glory of God, the commands of the

Church, etc. The safety-valve will be turned off, thus ceasing to annoy earth’s rulers with the sound of escaping steam.

          All will seem to be serene until the great social explosion described in the Revela­tion as an earthquake, will take place. In symbolic language, an earthquake signifies social revolu­tion, and the Scriptural declaration nothing such as this ever before occurred (Rev. 16:18,19). See our Lord’s reference to it in Matt. 24:21.

the Lord's Great Army

At this juncture the Scriptures show, “Divine Power” will continue as they have been for the past six thousand years. The Bible says that such is not God's will, but that there is to be a great overturning and a new order is coming. For a brief time, as we understand the Scriptures, these combined forces of Armageddon will triumph. Free speech, and other liberties which have come to be the very breath of the masses in our day, will be ruthlessly shut off on the plea of necessity; the glory of God, the commands of the Church, etc. The safety-valve will be sat upon, and will cease to annoy the earth’s rulers with the sound of escaping steam. All will seem to be serene until the great social explosion described in the Revel­ation as an earthquake, will take place.

The Lord's Great Army at this juncture the Scriptures show, Divine Power will step forward and God will gather the marshaled hosts to Armageddon, to the Mount of Destruction (Rev. 16:16). The very thing they sought to avert by their union, federation, etc., will be the very thing that they will hasten. Other Scriptures tell us that God will be represented by Messiah, and that He will be on the side of the masses. “At that time shall Michael [the Godlike One, Messiah] stand up.” (Dan. 12:1) He will assume authority. He will take possession of His Kingdom in a manner little looked for by many of those who erroneously have been claim­ing to be His Kingdom, and authorized by Him to reign in His name and in His stead.

        Our Lord Jesus declared, “His servants ye are unto whom ye render service.” Some may be rendering service to Satan and to error, who claim to be rendering service to God and to right­eousness; and some may serve ignorantly, as did Saul of Tarsus, who “verily thought that he did God service” in persecuting the Church.            

  The same principle will apply in the com­ing Battle of Armageddon; God’s side of that battle will be the people’s side. That very nonde­script host, the people, will be pitted at the begin­ning of the battle. Anarchists, Socialists, and hot-headed radicals of every school of reason and unreason, will be in the forefront of that battle. He who has any knowledge of army life knows that a great army is composed of all classes.

The masses will be restless under their restraints, but will be conscious of their weakness as com­pared with the kings and princes, financial, social, religious and political, which will then hold sway. The majority of the poor and the middle class prefer peace at almost any price. The masses have no sympathy with anarchy. They realize truly that the worst form of government is better than no government. They will seek relief through the ballot and the peaceful readjustment of earth’s affairs for the elimination of evil, for the placing of monopolies, utilities and the supplies of nature in the hands of the people for the public good. The crisis will be reached when the hitherto upholders of the law shall become violators of the law and resisters of the will of the majority as expressed by the ballot. Fear for the future will goad the well-meaning masses to desperation, and anarchy will result when Socialism fails.

The Lord’s saints are not to be in this battle at all. God’s consecrated people, longing at heart for Messiah’s Kingdom and the glorious Year of Jubilee and Restitution which it will inaugurate, will patiently abide the Lord’s time, and wait without murmuring for it. Their lamps trimmed and burning, they will not be in darkness respecting the momentous events of the impending battle; but they will be of good courage, knowing the outcome portrayed in the “more sure word of prophecy,” to which they have done well to “take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the Day dawn.” (2 Pet. 1:19)

The question now arises: Why did not God establish His Kingdom sooner? Why is Armaged­don necessary? The answer is; God has His own times and seasons, and HE has appointed the Great Seventh Thousand-Year Day for the reign of Christ. Divine Wisdom has withheld until our day the great knowledge and skill which is breeding at the same time millionaires and discontents. Had God lifted the veil of ignorance a thousand years sooner, the world would have lined up for Armageddon a thousand years sooner. God did not bring these things before the present time because His Plan has various parts, all of which are converging at the same time.

In kindness, God veiled the eyes of mankind until the gathering to Armageddon would immediately precede Mes­siah’s taking to Himself His great power and beginning His reign (Rev. 11:17,18).

The attitude of the people of God should be that of great thankfulness to the Giver of every good and proper gift. They should make provision for the great storm that is coming and keep very quiet, not unduly interested in the side of either rich or poor. We know in advance that the Lord is on the side of the people. He it is that will fight the Armageddon Battle, and His agency will be that peculiar army of all classes.

When this great “earthquake” of social revolution comes, it will not be a mere handful of anarchists, but an up­rising of the people to throw off the great power that is strangling them. Selfishness is at the bottom of the whole matter.

Soon but not quite yet, though the Armageddon forces have been mustering toward the conflict. People of all races, and per­sua­sions worldwide are frightened and growing more and more angry at unfairness and injustice.

People everywhere are finding terrible shortcom­ings in their once comfortable beliefs. Incidental skirmishes are breaking out in all parts of the world and in many instances caused by perceived violations of rights and greed. Banking, political, army and police scandals are prolifer­ating all over the world, shaking the public’s confidence. They are making each distrustful of the other. Bitter and angry feelings on both sides are more and more manifested. The lines of battle are daily becoming more distinctly marked.

Nevertheless, Armaged­don will not yet be fought. The Image of the Beast must yet receive life–power; trans­formed from a mere mechanism to a living force. Protestant Federations realizes that their organizations will con­tinue to be futile unless they receive vitalization unless their clergy directly or indirectly shall be recognized as possessed of apostolic ordination and authority to teach. The prophecy indicates it will come from the two-horned Beast, which we believe symbol­ically represents the Church of England. High-handed activities of Protestantism and Catholi­cism, operating in conjunction for the suppression of human liberties, wait this vivifying of the Image.

This may come soon, but Armageddon cannot precede it, but must follow–perhaps a year after, according to our view of the Prophetic Word. Still another thing intervenes. Although the Jews are gradually flowing into Palestine, obtain­ing control of the land of Canaan, and reports say that already more than a few millionaires are there. Prophecy evidently requires an even larger number of wealthy Hebrews before the Armageddon crisis be reached. Indeed, we understand that “Jacob’s trouble” in the Holy Land will come at the very close of Armageddon. Then Messiah’s Kingdom will begin to be manifested. Thenceforth Israel in the Land of Promise will gradually rise from the ashes of the past to the grandeur of prophecy.

Through its Divinely appointed princes, Mes­siah’s Kingdom, all-powerful, but invisible, will begin to roll away the curse and to lift up mankind, and to give beauty for ashes. “I can see His coming judgments, as they circle all the earth, The signs and groaning promised, to precede a second birth; I read His righteous sentence, in the crumbling thrones of earth; Our King is marching on. The seventh trump is sounding, our King knows no defeat, and He will sift out the hearts of men before His judgment seat. Oh! Be swift, my soul, to welcome Him; be jubilant, my feet; Our King is marching on.”

Garnered from That Servant Charles T. Russell’s Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 4, “The Battle of Armageddon.” Introduction Page XIII.

No. 660 HAS GOD CHANGED HIS PLAN REGARDING HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE?

Since God selected Israel as his “Chosen People” to be the light-bearer of truth and righteousness to the world, and since Israel has been unfaithful, “stiff-necked and rebellious,” has God changed his plan and purpose concerning them?

Our answer: No, thank GOD. HE emphatically affirms the fixedness of HIS purpose:

“The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: The Lord of hosts hath purposed and who shall disannul it.” (Isa. 14:24-27)

 “...I am God and there is none else; I am God and there is none like me... my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure... yea I have spoken it, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed it, and I will also do it.” (Isa. 46:9-11)

However unfaithful, stiff-necked and rebel­lious Israel has been, and however unfavorable, hard and drastic God’s dealings with them may appear, His original and unalterable purpose of making His Chosen People the light-bearer of righteousness to the world is destined to progress gradually to com­pletion. When the temporary permission of af­flic­tion shall have served its Divine purpose, God will restrain it. When Israel shall have humbly ac­knowledged Jesus as the Messiah, and shall have accepted His Atonement-sacrifice for sin, they will then understand their punishment was a wise feature in the Divine plan and policy of their education for the dispen­sing of His blessings to all the other families of the earth.

It is a mistake to regard the punishment meted out to Israel as merely punitive; it was corrective and educative as well, and intended to fit them for their Divine calling and destiny. Thus God intends that His Kingdom rule on earth shall yet be the ultimate constitution of Israel’s gov­ernment. But Israel must first be purified by a complete severance from the association of Gentile rulership. They must regain spiritual freedom, in their own land, and amid welcome surroundings they must revert to the love of truth and righteousness, and to the practice of faith and godliness. We must therefore view the exodus today as a great forward step in the development of Israel’s religion. Their special mis-sion as a nation to bless other people could never be accomplished as long as they remained scattered throughout Gentile lands. It is time therefore that all pious and serious-thinking Jews studied the history of their national experience with intent to go back to their nation and right themselves with their God. The sooner they return to their homeland and become reinstated to Divine favor, the sooner God will bless them, and the sooner His predestinated and unalter-able purpose of blessing all the families of the earth will come through them.

Glancing backward we notice God’s special selection of Abraham and certain of his offspring as the channels through which the promised bles­sing of all the families of the earth should come. God chose Abraham because of His faith. He is styled The Father of the Faithful, not because certain indivi­duals, Noah, Enoch and Abel before Him had not been faithful, but because with Abraham God started a faith family.

That family became known as a nation – the nation of Israel. The reason Abraham was called the “Father of the Faithful” was because those faithful ones that preceded him exercised faith more along abstract lines, whereas Abraham was head of a faith family – his wife, Sarah; his son, Isaac; a grandson, Jacob; and then came the great grandsons, the twelve sons of Jacob, all of whom, though, as we have seen, not always faithful by any means, nevertheless, belonged to the faith family and were members of the “Chosen People.”

“In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 22:18) The Divine promise and revelation to Abraham was made with an oath and it meant a definite and permanent selection of Israel, of the family of Abraham, from among all nations, as the one in whom the great work of blessing the world should be accomplished. Any blessing coming to any Gentile is destined to come as a fruitage of that oath-bound promise. GOD, speaking to Israel, declar­ed, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” (Amos 3:2)

 Israel alone was recognized and honored of God, and when His Son came, His ministry was confined exclusively to the Chosen People, and He would not permit His disciples to go to others, saying, as He sent them out, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.” Why, Jesus we might ask? Because, He explains, “I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 10:5,6; 15:24)

Israel was permanently selected of God to be His special people, a treasure unto Him above all other people. Separated from the Gentile world, they were the recipients of special favor from God for over eighteen hundred years. This national favor began with the beginning of their national life when they were first recognized and called, “The Twelve Tribes of Israel” – a national name (Gen. 49:28; 46:3; Deut. 26:5).

The long years of national life and Divine favor temporarily ended with their tragic rejection of their Messiah when, five days before His crucifixion, He presented Himself to them as their King, and, not being accepted, he declared, “Your house is left unto you desolate.” (Matt. 23:38)

This, the temporary end of their national favor, was the point of their fall from Divine favor, which fall continued for years, ending in the total destruc­tion of their national polity, as well as their city, Temple, priesthood and Atonement Day.

During the period of God’s favor to Israel, at which time Gentile nations were ignored, Israel had chastisements and blessings combined. But even their chastisements for willful sins were evidences and elements of God’s concern and His Fatherly care over them. He permitted trouble to come upon them, and frequently allowed them to be carried away into captivity when they became indif­ferent and disobeyed Him. Yet when they repented and cried unto Him, He always heard the prayer and delivered them. The entire his­tory of Israel, as recorded in Exodus, Joshua, Chronicles and Samuel attests to the fact that God did not long hide His face from them, and His ear was ever open unto their repentant cry, down to the very day their house was left desolate.

Even on that day, God had sent them the long-promised Messiah in the person of Jesus, His Son. The unfitness of Israel in any meas­ure to represent God and His Kingdom on earth, was evidenced in their rejection of the holy, harmless, and undefiled One, and their desire for Pilate to deliver unto them Barabbas, a murderer, in His stead.

Thus, because of Israel’s unfitness to represent God and His Kingdom, the day of their greatest favor became the day of their greatest fall from favor. Blinded, as a people, by national pride and prejudice, the great opportunity to be the first to recognize and herald the Messiah was taken away from them, and it went to Gentiles, a people whom, in the Jews’ ar­rogant pride, they despised as “dogs.” We note that in Israel’s conception of things, God was not con-cerned about the Gentiles.

They were deeply conscious of the age-long promise of The LORD GOD to their father Abra­ham. “Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation.” They were quite unconscious of the mean­ing of the rest of the promise, “and all nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.” (Gen. 18:17-18)

They knew that this promise had been reaf-firmed to Isaac: “I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father”; but, again, the rest of the reaffirmation, “and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed,” was not compre­hended (Gen. 26:3-4).

They knew that the promise and reaf­firmation had been repeated to Jacob: “I am the Lord God of Abraham, thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed,” but the rest of the promise, “and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 28:13-14) was lost upon them.

Thus God’s favor was not to return to Israel as a nation, to remove their blindness, and to lead them as a firstfruit of the nations into earthly blessings “until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in [be finished].” (Rom. 11:25)

Paul declared (Rom. 11:7), “Israel [in their national pride] did not obtain that for which they sought [expected]” as the first people to recog­nize and herald the Messiah. In their pride of heart, expecting and claiming the chief blessing as their natural birth­right as God’s Chosen People, and as further merited by their keeping the Law of Moses, they rejected the bless­ing as simply a favor of God. As David prophe­tically foretold, their table, so bountifully spread with rich promises of God, became a “stumbling block, and a recom­pense unto them” (Psa. 69:22; Rom. 11:9-10) because of their hardness of heart.

Jesus who came humbly as an Atonement-sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and who would have exalted Israel to a position of glory above other nations of earth and beyond their expectation or their ability to desire or to hope, was to their pride a “stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” (Rom. 9:32,33; Isa. 8:14) Yet the blind­ness of Israel was only a blindness “in part” and not a total loss of sight (Rom. 11:25); and any Jew who, at any time, would resolutely brush away the films of prejudice and national pride, and humbly and thankfully accept the favor of God through Jesus Christ, was privileged to do so (John 1:11-12).

As previously stated, after Israel rejected and crucified the Messiah, they had no marks whatever of God’s favor. Their house was “left desolate.” Jews must honestly admit that they have been “fed with the bread of tears, and given tears to drink in large measure” (Psa. 80:5) and their groans and prayers have, for centuries, gone unanswered; and as foretold by their prophets, their name has been a “byword and a hissing unto all nations.” (Deut. 28:37; Jer. 29:18)

Though formerly God heard their prayers, marked their tears and returned them to their own land, and continually favored them, since the rejection of the Messiah, He has heeded them not and shown them no favor whatever. Since they said, “His blood be upon us and upon our children,” theirs has been one long continuous chastisement; they have been scattered and persecuted among all nations. These are physical facts as all may read them on the pages of history. We turn to the prophets and see how particularly these facts were foretold and what the same prophets have to say concerning Israel’s future.

Through the prophet Jeremiah (Chapter 16:13), after telling Israel how they had forsaken Him, the Lord declares: “Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods [rulers] day and night, where I will not show you favor.” (Verses 9‑13) These days came when they rejected the Messiah and declared, “We have no king but Caesar.” How literally this threat has been fulfilled all the world may judge, and Jews them­selves must honestly admit. This prophecy cannot refer to any of their previous captivities to sur­rounding nations, Syria, Babylon, etc.; such an inference is guarded against in the expression, “into a land which ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers.” Abraham came from Ur of the Chaldees – Babylonia (Gen. 15:7), and Jacob from Syria. Israel’s dispersion among all nations since the end of their time of Divine favor, and no other of their captivities, fits this pointed expression – “a land which ye and your fathers have not known.” So then, this together with the “no favor,” positively marks this prophecy as relating to Israel’s disper­sion among all nations.

As previously stated, though God cast them off from all favor for a long time, it was never His intention to leave them cast off forever. He declares, “Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north [Russia, Germany] and from all the lands whither he had driven them; and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.”

This has been fulfilled, the great re-gathering of Israel to the land of promise. It shall, include, by and by, their awakened dead as well as the living. God’s express purpose of driving and gathering them out of all the lands whither He has scattered them is being accomplished in our day.

It was on this promise of the receiving of Israel back again into Divine favor that Paul based an argument for the resurrection of the dead, saying, “If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them [back to Divine favor] be but life from the dead?” (Rom. 11:15) The “receiving of them” will imply that the whole world, of which Israel is the first-fruit, is to receive shortly the gracious opportunity of Resur­rection and Restoration which the death of Jesus secured, and His glorious reign shall accomplish.

Among the very pointed references in the New Testament to the favor which is to be restored to Israel, is that by James (Acts 15:14-­16) and by Paul (Rom. 11:26). But first it was necessary for Israel to drink the very last dregs of their chastisement; and thus it is expressed in this remarkable prophecy (Jer. 16:18): “And first [before I return my favor] I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double.” This double of punishment was to be the measure by which Israel should be brought back to their true position as the Chosen People of God. During their cast-off condition, Jews have been but “dogs” to be cuffed, kicked and abused by Gentile rulers, and even denied, by Mohammedan rulers, the most ordinary privileges of existence in the land sacred to them with memories of the past, and with promises touching the future.

At the same time that the door of Palestine was beginning to open before them, a fierce persecution arose in Germany and in Russia, where it still continues. By one regulation after another, they have been despoiled of rights and privileges by Gentile governments, as well as mobbed, robbed and slain, until they are being compelled to leave in large numbers. But this persecution is a disguised favor, as it will tend, and has already tended, to cause them to look toward Israel and the covenants, and to remind them that they are still heirs of certain rich promises in the land of their fathers.

But we must remember that this is only the turning point of returning favor to Israel. Jerusalem and its people will continue to be “trodden down” – controlled and oppressed by Gentiles “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled,” and hence, though Divine favor has begun, Jews will not be considered back into full favor until no part of Jerusalem is longer in the hands of Gentiles. Israel’s rise again to favor will be gradual, as was their fall from it.

Let us turn back to the prophet Zechariah, (9:9-12). In a vision he walks beside Jesus who rides into Jerusalem on an ass and offers Himself as Israel’s King, five days before His crucifixion. To the people the prophet cries, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee! He is just, and hav­ing salvation; lowly; and riding upon an ass.” Mark the clear fulfillment of these words as recorded in Matthew 21:4-9, John 12:12-15 and Luke 19: 30-42.

Every item was fulfilled even to the shouting. When Jesus came to the people, riding upon an ass, the common people shouted “Hosanna!” The Phar­isees and other leaders of Israel asked Jesus to rebuke the people, but He refused. Why? Because it had been prophesied that there would be a shout, and every item of prophecy must be fulfilled.

After briefly noting the evil and bitter con­sequences to follow the religious leaders’ rejection of their national King, the prophet, speaking for God, addresses the people again, saying, (Zech. 9:12): “Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will ren­der double unto thee.” Israel had, for years, been under the Roman yoke, but they were “prisoners of hope,” for a coming King who would deliver them from their oppressors and exalt them to the promised dominion of earth. Now their King, their “Stronghold” had come, riding to them on an ass, so meek and so lowly that they, in their ignorance of the prophecies and pride of heart, could not recognize Him as such a Deliverer. And much more, they were sin’s prisoners, and this Deliverer not only proposed to release them from Roman bondage, but, by His Atonement-sac­rifice, purposed the greater release also. Jesus had been with them for three and a half years, performing miracles and fulfilling prophecy in their very midst, and now came the last and final test; would they accept Him as King? The fore­knowledge of God, that they would reject their Messiah, is shown by the prophet, who, taking an assumed position in Jesus’ day, declared, “Even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee” (Zech. 9:12) This prophecy not only leaves no doubt about there being a double – a duplication – of chastisement added to Israel’s experience because of their rejection of their Messiah, but it also marks the exact day when it began, and makes the conclusion drawn from Jeremiah’s prophecy, and fixed by Jesus’ words, “Your house is left unto you desolate” (Luke 13:36) – doubly strong, exact and clear.

Call to mind Jesus’ words at that time, and in that connection He said, “O Jerusalem, Jeru­salem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not. Behold! your house is left unto you desolate; for I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Matt. 23: 37-39) Also we read that on the very last day of Israel’s favor, “When Jesus was come near [riding on an ass], he beheld the city and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace...” Here Jesus paused and left unsaid what would have been the condition of Jerusalem if she had accepted Him as her Messiah and King. If Jerusalem had known what things belonged to her peaceful existence as a nation, if she had heeded the light which God had sent her, she would have stood forth in the pride of prosperity, the queen of the kingdoms of earth, free in the strength of her God‑given power. Had she accepted her “Passover Lamb,” she would have been “passed-over,” and there would have been no armed soldiers standing at her gates, no Roman banners waving from her walls, no siege of Jerusalem; there would have been no Hitler’s concentration camps, no “Times of the Gentiles.” The glorious reward which would have blessed Jerusalem, had she accepted her King and Redeemer, rose before the vision of her Messiah, and He saw that she would, through Him, have been healed of her grievous malady, liberated from Roman bondage, and established as the mighty metropolis of the earth. From her walls the dove of Peace would have gone forth to “all the families of the earth.” She would have been the world’s diadem of glory.

But the bright picture of what Jerusalem would have been, had she known the things that belonged unto her peace, fades from the Mes­siah’s sight. He realizes that she must stay under the Roman yoke; she must stay with the king she had chosen, bearing the disfavor of God, not “passed-over” but “smitten” and doomed to be left desolate.

In His grief, He takes up the broken thread of His lamentation: “But now [henceforth] they are hid from thine eyes. For the day shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy [Messiah’s] visitation.” (Luke 19:42-44)

Jesus knew the terrible retribution which would be visited upon the doomed city. He saw Jerusalem encompassed with armies, the besieged inhabitants driven to starvation and death, mothers feeding upon the dead bodies of their own children, and both parents and children snatching the last morsel of food from one another, natural affection being destroyed by the gnawing pangs of hunger.

He saw that the stubbornness of Israel, as evinced in their rejection of His Atonement, would also lead them to refuse submission to the invading armies, and He beheld Calvary, on which He was to be crucified, set with crosses as thickly as forest trees. He saw Israel suffering torture on racks, her beautiful palaces destroyed, the Temple in ruins, and of its massive walls not one stone left upon another, the city plowed like a field. Well might the Messiah weep in view of that tragic scene. Jerusalem had been the child of His love and care, and as a tender father mourns over a wayward son, so Jesus wept over His beloved city (Luke 19:41-42).

But we thank God, now that their “double” of chastisement is complete, we can see that their blindness is beginning to be turned away, and the things which “belong” unto their “peace” are no longer “hid” from their eyes. God, who evidently wished to settle all inquiring minds beyond doubt, has given further information concerning Israel’s “double” by another of His most honored servants – the Prophet Isaiah. This prophet takes a pro­phetic stand down here in our day when Israel’s punishment has been fulfilled, and, addressing us who now live and understand these things, he gives us God’s message, saying, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her appointed time [of punishment] is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isa. 40:1-2)

The prophets vary their standpoints of utter-ances, sometimes speaking of future things as future, and sometimes assuming a position future, and speaking from the assumed standpoint; as, for instance, Isaiah, speaking of Messiah’s birth, as-sumes to stand beside the manger where the babe, Jesus, lay, when he says, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder” etc. (Isa. 9:6) The book of Psalms cannot be read intelligently unless this principle be recognized.

No better illustration of this principle of dif­ferent prophetic standpoints can be given than the three prophecies relating to Israel’s “double” of punishment already noticed. Jeremiah foretold that the days would come when God would scatter Israel among all nations, and that, when they had received their “double” of punishment, He would gather them again by a more mighty display of power on their behalf than when they came out of Egyptian bondage, saying, “They shall no more say the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel... from all the lands whither he had driven them...” (Jer. 16:14-15) Zechariah speaks as though living at the time of Jesus’ offering Himself to Israel as their King, and he tells us that there, in that very day, their “double” of punishment began to count. Isaiah stands beside us in this, our day, and calls our attention to the fact that God had a fixed or appointed time for returning His favor to Israel, and he admonishes us that we who understand this message should now give to Israel the com-forting testimony that her double of punishment is complete, her iniquity pardoned; her appointed time of disfavor accomplished. Each of these three prophecies is strong and important, but combined, they are a threefold cord of wonderful strength to the humble, trustful Israel of God.

Be it remembered that Israel, regardless of their stiff-necked rebelliousness, and the disgrace which they have repeatedly brought upon their name, are, nevertheless, a Chosen People. It was God who chose them, and God makes no mistakes. The mistakes have been on the part of Israel for which they have suffered. God is still Israel’s God, and He has separated them from other people. Let us notice for a moment the Divine decree that Israel shall be separate from all others: “I am the Lord, your God which have separated you from other people... I have severed you from them.” (Lev. 20:24-26) “...[it] shall not be at all, that ye say we will be as the heathen, as the families of the country...” And Moses declared, “So shall we be separated from all other people that are upon the face of the earth.” (Exodus 33:16)

Ever since the people of Israel have borne the name Israel, Prince of God; they have been set apart from others, a separate people, a Chosen People and have occupied a special position, enjoyed special favors, experienced special punishments and have played a special part in the Divine arrangement. Israel, as a Chosen People, did not come under the general head of all mankind during Jesus’ first presence on earth; He was sent to them only – “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” And now, during the time of His second presence, Israel, as a separate and Chosen People will play a special and leading role in the Divine program. Jews, as a separate people – a Chosen People, are promised the same restoration, and more; God has promised that their “house” that was “left desolate” shall be “set up” again; the “ruins” shall be rebuilt. Moreover, He declares “And I will restore thy judges as at the first and thy counselors as at the beginning! Afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteous­ness, The Faithful City.” (Isa. 1:26)

Thus Israel, who, at Jesus’ first presence, was given first consideration, will again, during His second presence, have a priority of consideration, for “he will save the tents of Judah first.” (Zech. 12:7)

(Chapter Six of THIS IS THE MILLENNIUM, by Shelah Ben-Hanan)

 The Chosen People are destined to pick up again the thread of their national polity and play a special and leading role in the Divine program. This is evi­denced by the Scripture which, speaking for the Messiah, declares,

“I will return and build again the tabernacle of David [the Jewish polity] that has fallen down.” (Acts 15:16) It fell down because of their unfaith-fulness. Although Jesus said, “Your house is left desolate,” He has not utterly and permanently cast them away. After they have sufficiently experienced desolation and ruin, he will “return and build again the ruins thereof and set it up.” (Acts 15:16) This is in contrast with the fact that no “ruins” of any Gentile polity will ever be rebuilt; no “fallen” Gentile government will ever be “set up” again. All Gentile peoples are promised a general restoration to what they lost.

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STRENGTH SUFFICIENt

     Oh, ask not thou, How shall I bear

          The burden of tomorrow?

     Sufficient for the day the care,

          Its evils and its sorrow,

     God imparteth by the way

          Strength sufficient for the day.

QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION – You quote from Pastor Russell as though he was infallible. Do you think he was infallible?

ANSWER – No, we do not think he was infallible. However, our Lord appointed Brother Russell as That Servant at His Second Advent:

 “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)

We believe That Servant gave the household more truth than was given by any of the Reformers of the Gospel Age.

The Reformers gave the truth to the household of faith due in their time. That Servant was the last Reformer of the Gospel Age therefore had a clearer understanding of the due truth at the Second Advent.

That Servant gave us the Plan of God as no man has done since the days of the Apostles. His writings were not inspired as were the Apostles, but he gave us Scriptural proof for what he taught. It is not because of his wisdom that our Lord appointed him as That Servant, although he was wise, but the truth was given to him because of his faithfulness to the inspired Word. The Lord found him “so doing” – searching the Scriptures. (v. 46)

Those consecrating between the ages

The whole Plan of God was due at our Lord’s Second Advent, and Brother Russell made it clear to those who were “of the truth.” (John 18:47) He did not fail to give “all the counsel of God.” (Acts 20:27) He taught the four elect classes: the High Calling, the Great Company (crown-losers) as the two Heavenly classes; the Ancient Worthies and the unbegotten class as given in Reprint 5761 as the earthly elect classes.

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

The thought is that whoever under such conditions as these will make a full consecration to the Lord, to leave all to follow in his ways, and will live up faithfully, loyally, to that consecration, may be privileged to be counted as a similar class to those who proceeded this Gospel Age. We know of no reason why the Lord would refuse to receive those who make a consecration after the close of the Gospel Age High Calling and before the full opening of the Millennium. The Apostle Paul gives us 2 Tim. 2:20: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor and some to dishonor.”

Here the Apostle Paul also gave four elect classes: gold (the Saints) and silver (Great Company, crown-losers), the Heavenly elect; the wood (Anc­ient Worthies), earth (the unbegotten class we call Youthful Worthies); and also two classes of the world, the sheep (honor) and the goats (dishonor).

It does not matter if the Apostle Paul knew the interpret­ation of this text. The under­standing of it for the Lord’s people was not due until His Second Advent. The teaching of most of the Old Testament Prophets was not understood by them. But these Prophets and the inspired writings of the Apostles make the Plan of God one harmonious whole. But the Prophets did look forward to a Kingdom of Peace on Earth as their teachings reveal. Abraham looked forward to Jesus’ day and was glad (John 8:56).

The faithful are in the School of Christ and will learn more and more of the Grace and Know­ledge of the Lord until they finish their course. Brother Russell, too, was in the School of Christ and learned more and more until his death as is attested by his articles in the Watch Towers.

“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” (Prov. 4:18)