NO. 699: A CHOSEN PEOPLE

No. 699

“For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” (Deut. 7:6)

So long as the natural Children of Israel kept the Law to the best of their ability, the Lord prospered them. But they didn’t do this. They not only were contaminated by the sins of the nations around them, but they rejected the Messiah: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11) It has been much the same with Gentiles who made a Covenant with God. They, too, have failed to keep their Covenant of sacrifice, and the majority has fallen into disfavor. None of them, natural Israel or Spiritual Israel, have been able to keep a perfect Law; but all those who have done so to the best of their ability have been blessed and protected from many evils of the nations around them.

But we are now discussing natural Israel: they were chosen because of their forefathers – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In the eleventh chapter of Hebrews we see that there were individuals who had God’s favor before He chose Israel as a nation: Abel, Enoch and Noah, as well as Abraham, are mentioned as faithful. This chapter mentions some of the faithful Ancient Worthies, but not nearly all of them. The reason we call them “Ancient Worthies,” is because they were the “Ancients,” and verse 38 tells us, “Of whom the world was not worthy.” So Ancient Worthies is a Biblical expression. These Ancient Worthies not only kept the Mosaic Law to the best of their ability, they lived above the Law ‑ sacrificed to do God’s will amidst very adverse conditions. “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tor­mented.” (Heb. 11:37) For doing God’s will they underwent such sufferings, the same as the faithful footstep followers of our Lord have suffered. Natural Israel, however, was blessed and favored of the Lord when they made an honest attempt to keep the Law.

Deuteronomy 7:6‑18 tells us: “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people. [And that is true of Spiritual Israel in the Gospel Age – they have been the fewest of all people.] But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them. Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers. And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. And thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee. If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt.”

But with all these promises they didn’t hearken unto the Lord. They did this despite Joshua’s encouragement: “Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right or to the left.” (Josh. 23:6) And “One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.” (Josh. 23:10) And also this assurance, “And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.” (Josh. 23:14)

Not only did God choose Israel as a nation but He specially used certain ones among them – such as the Prophets, David, Solomon, John the Baptist, et al. David is called Beloved of God – and God was pleased that Solomon asked for “an understanding heart to judge thy people.” (1 Kings 3:9) “And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast thou asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee... riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.” (1 Kings 3:11‑13) But Solomon loved many strange women – and when he was old “his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.” (1 Kings 11:4)

Here are some pertinent quotes from That Servant:

“Nevertheless, the Scriptures most clearly declare that the natural seed of Abraham, the Jews, are still heirs of a certain promise of God, which in due time will come to them. To their nation will come the great privilege of being the foremost nation amongst men during Messiah’s glorious reign, when the church glorified, spiritualized, will be with Him in His throne, invisible to men. St. Paul thus explains that the full number, to complete the elect Kingdom class, must be first found amongst the Gentiles, and then, these being glorified in the first resurrection, natural Israel will obtain the great earthly blessings which are still theirs and which were promised to their fathers. Natural Israel will receive blessings from Spiritual Israel. ‘They shall obtain mercy through your mercy.’ – Rom. 11:25‑34.” (Excerpt from Reprint 5101, September 15, 1912)

From this we can see that it will be the Church Glorified who will convert the Jewish nation, through the Worthies. Then the Jews will help convert the world of mankind.

You might ask why Israel was specially chosen. Let That Servant answer:

“‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.’ (Matt. 6:33) At the beginning of our Lord’s earthly ministry the Jewish nation was invited to become the Kingdom of God. The offer of God’s chief blessing was ‘to the Jew first.’ For many centuries they had been God’s special people. They had been called to be unto God ‘a kingdom of priests and an holy nation’ – a peculiar treasure unto God, composed of a priestly class and a chosen, holy people. (Ex. 19:5,6) We do not understand that all Israel from the time of the giving of the Law could have been of the Heavenly Kingdom, however faithful they have been. None could be of this Kingdom class before Jesus came to earth; for He was the Forerunner of this class. The offer was made to the Jews of His day. But those of the nation who lived previously, and who had been faithful to God, true to their covenant, shall be greatly blessed of the Lord on the human plane. They shall be used to bless all nations under Spiritual Israel – the Kingdom of God now being set up.

“God’s special favor to the people of natural Israel in choosing them above any other nation was especially because they were the seed of His faith­ful friend, Abraham. God had promised Abraham that because of his faith and obedience his seed should be blessed. It was not because they were of themselves holier or better than other peoples. (See Ex. 32:9‑13; Deut. 9:4‑8) But for their fathers’ sakes God chose them to be His people.

“At our Lord’s First Advent the time had come for the offer of membership in the Kingdom, for the testing of the whole nation of Israel, to prove whether they were ready for this choice blessing. Jesus was the One to offer this Kingdom; for He had consecrated Himself a sacrifice for sin, which would constitute a basis for the establishment of the Kingdom on earth.

TRUE AND FALSE IDEAS OF THE KINGDOM

“The sermon on the Mount, from which our text is taken, points out the earnestness and singleness of heart necessary in those who would become members of the Kingdom class. The Master intimates that not all of this favored nation who heard His message would be ready to accept it. Many were absorbed in the things of this life – in what they would eat, what they would drink, what they would wear. But in order to be ready to receive the proffered blessing, in order to be acceptable to God, they must make the Kingdom their first interest. ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,’ enjoined the Savior, not the earthly things. If the Kingdom was made first, all their earthly needs would be supplied; ‘All things shall be added unto you,’ was His promise.

“Not many of the Jews were ready for so drastic a Teacher. They had their own plans – business plans, political plans, social functions. Hence this invitation of Jesus to leave all to obtain a Kingdom of which they knew nothing and which seemed so intangible did not find a very ready response. The twelve Apostles were among the first to accept His offer. At the time of Jesus’ death, something over five hundred had joined themselves to Him as His disciples. Of these we are told that one hundred and twenty were gathered in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, where they received the begetting of the Holy Spirit. After Pentecost some thousands of Jews came to the point of decision to make the Kingdom of God their first business. These, however, were but a small minority of the nation of Israel.” (Excerpt from Reprint 5917-18, July 1, 1916)

Nevertheless, there is still that promise of God to natural Israel that they will become the foremost nation on earth. Pastor Russell gives a very beautiful picture in Volume 4:

“JEHOVAH’S FEET ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES”

“This prophecy [Zech. 14:4,5] is generally misunderstood, and applied to the feet of our Lord Jesus, at His Second Advent. Indeed, those who thus err generally go farther and assert that it will be the feet of flesh, pierced with the nails of Calvary – not realizing that our Lord gave His human nature, complete and forever, as our ransom; and that He was raised from the dead, by the Father’s power, a glorious spirit‑being, the express image of the Father’s person. (See Volume 2, Chapter 5)

“But a glance at the preceding verse (3) shows that the Prophet speaks of the return of Jehovah’s feet; for the verse (referring to the trouble by which the Kingdom will be established) is: ‘Then shall Jehovah go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle [anciently for Israel]. And his feet will stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be divided in its center, from east to west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove northward and half southward.’

“As soon as any see the fact that the feet mentioned are Jehovah’s feet, they will not dispute that this language is symbolic, and refers to the Lord’s re-establishment of His dominion in the earth, that has long been comparatively abandoned to the ‘god of this world’ Satan, except as the Lord was represented first by the typical Tabernacle, secondly by the Temple at Jerusalem, and lastly by the present tabernacle condition of the Church of Christ, during this Gospel Age. Surely, no one will err and get the thought that Jehovah literally rests His feet upon this earth as a ‘footstool.’

“And if the placing and resting of Jehovah’s feet is symbolic, and signifies the return of Divine favor and dominion to earth, so, we may be sure, other features connected in the same prophecy are symbolic: the Mount of Olives, its peculiar division, its valley, the flight of the people, the waters of life from Jerusalem (Compare v. 8 with Ezek. 47:1‑9), etc., are all symbolic statements, pictures of grand spiritual truths.

“The olive is a meaningful symbol: in olden times it was the source of artificial light, its oil being generally used for this purpose. (Ex. 27:20) Indeed, in the Hebrew the olive tree was called shemen or oil tree. Olive oil was also used as the basis of many of the precious ointments of olden time – such as that used in anointing the priests and kings, typing the holy spirit upon the antitypical ‘royal priesthood.’ (Ex. 30:25) And from time immemorial the olive branch has been used as a symbol of peace. (Gen. 8:11; Neh. 8:15)

“If then the olive be the symbol of light, peace and divine blessing through the holy spirit, and if mountain be considered as elsewhere the symbol for a Kingdom, the significance here of the term Mount of Olives is easily seen to be the Kingdom of Light, Peace and Divine Blessing. And the standing or establishment or fixing of Jehovah’s ‘feet’ upon it, signifies that the Divine favor and law will be re-established in the earth by and through the holy Kingdom.

“This application of the term Mount of Olives, is in full accord with Paul’s statement (Rom. 11:17,24) in which he compares fleshly Israel with the original cultivated olive tree, and Gentile converts to wild olive branches grafted in where the natural branches had been broken off. (Compare Jer. 11:16,17) He explains that the root of the tree is in the promise of God, the Abrahamic promise, that the seed of Abraham should finally bless all the families of the earth, etc. Finally the same root or promise will bear two kinds of branches, the engrafted wild olive branches, and the re‑engrafted natural branches: when Israel shall have his blindness turned away, and shall look with the eye of faith on the Savior crucified and pierced eighteen centuries ago, a sacrifice for sin. We remember also that fleshly Israel was God’s typical Kingdom or mountain for a long time, and that spiritual Israel of this age is called to be the real Kingdom of God, as Jesus said ‘Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’ (Luke 12:32)

“Further, from these two Kingdoms (even before Jehovah’s glory rests on them to make them His channels of blessings to all mankind) has proceeded all ‘the light of the world’ during all the darkness of the past: for are not these the representatives of the Old and the New Testaments, the two parts of the oath‑bound Covenant? Are not these related to the Lord’s two witnesses and to the two olive trees of Zech. 4:3,11,12, distinctly mentioned also in Rev. 11:4? – in that these two parts of the mountain symbolize the outcome of that covenant, the results of the witnessing – the Kingdom in its heavenly and its earthly phases?

“Here we see, then, that the two halves of the Mount of Olives mean the two parts of the Kingdom of God, distinctly separated according to a Divine order or arrangement. The separation indicates no opposition between the two parts of the Kingdom. It is, on the contrary, for the purpose of making the ‘Valley of Blessing’ between – to which all who desire Divine aid may flee and find succor under the blessed protection of both the heavenly and the earthly phases of the Kingdom.

“The Prophet David (Psa. 84) seems to have been given a foreview of this great ‘Valley of Blessings,’ close to Jehovah’s ‘feet,’ when he sings first of the saints of the Gospel Age and then of those blessed in the next Age, saying:

‘How lovely are thy dwelling places

O Jehovah of Hosts!

My soul desired, yea, it even fainted

For the courts of Jehovah.

My heart and my flesh shout with joy

Unto the living God.

Even as the sparrow hath found a house,

And the swallow a nest for herself,

Where she may lay her young: (so

I have found) thine altars, O Lord of Hosts,

My God, my King.

Happy are they that dwell in thy house:

They shall be continually praising Thee. Selah.

Happy is the man whose strong confidence is in thee,

Whose heart reflecteth (wholly)

On the paths of righteousness.

Passing through the valley of mourning,

They change it into a place of (joy) springs

[Valley of Blessings].

The Autumn rain brings them blessings

[Joel 2:28]:

They go from strength to strength

That each of them may be presented (perfect)

Before God in Zion.’

“The 85th Psalm also pictures the return of divine clemency and blessing under the Millennial Kingdom, the Olive Mountain (Kingdom) of two parts.

“The removal of one part of the mountain to the north and the other to the south is significant; the North is the direction of the Pleiades, the celestial center of the universe, the supposed seat of divine empire. (See Vol. 3, p. 321) This would seem to indicate the ‘change’ of the Gospel Church at this time, from human to spirit conditions as ‘partakers of the divine nature’; and the removal of the other half of the mountain would seem to signify the complete restitution, to perfect human conditions, of those ancient worthies accounted worthy to constitute the earthly representatives of God’s Kingdom.

“The valley thus produced would be one full of light – free from shadows: for the sun would stream through it from east to west. This speaks pictorially of the Sun of Righteousness and its full light of divine truth and blessing scattering the shadows of sin, ignorance, superstition and death, and healing and restoring the willingly obedient of men who will flee to this valley of blessings, the valley of mercy. The valley of mercy, between and under the care of the spiritual and human phases of the Kingdom of Light and Peace (the standing of Jehovah’s feet) will surely be a ‘Valley of Blessings’ to all who enter it with broken and contrite hearts.

“We must recall, further, that while it is said to Israel only, ‘Ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains,’ yet as a name Israel meant ‘The people blessed of the Lord,’ ‘The people of God,’ ‘The Lord’s people.’ (2 Chron. 7:14) While, as we have seen, the first or spiritual blessing of the Kingdom shall come to spiritual Israel, and the second or earthly blessing shall begin with Israel according to the flesh, yet it will not stop there; for whosoever will may become an Israelite: by exercising the faith and obedience of Abraham, all mankind may become Israelites indeed, ‘the people of God.’ Hence the Prophet Isaiah declares that when Israel is called back to divine favor, at the establishment of the Kingdom, it will include ‘Every one that is called by my [Jehovah’s] name: for I have created him for my glory; I have formed him, yea, I have made him.’ (The name Israel will then apply to all who are God’s people.) – Is. 43:7; Rom. 9:26,33; 10:13.” (Volume 4, pages 649‑654)

“Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.” (Matt. 24:46,47)

(Written by Brother John J. Hoefle in 1978. Reprint of No. 520, September 1, 2000, with minor editing.)

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REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY

Replacement Theology is a misguided systematic approach to the Bible that has not only led millions of Christians astray over the years but it has in addition birthed evil of the most horrific proportions, i.e., it played a role in the persecution of Jews by the church through the centuries, including the Holocaust and it was the theological thinking behind the nightmare of apartheid.

Definition: Concisely put, Replacement Theology states that Israel, having failed God, has been replaced with the Church. As a consequence all the Biblical promises made to Israel are transferred to the Church. The Church is now the real Israel of God and Israel’s national destiny in God is forever forfeited. The restoration of the modern state of Israel is thus an accident enjoying no Biblical credential – and Christians who believe that it is an act of God, in faithfulness to His covenant cut with Abraham some 4,000 years ago, are considered misguided. This is the basic position of those subscribing to Replacement Theology.

ERRORS OF THINKING

The Allegorical Method of Inter­pretation: Replacement Theology effectively undermines the authority of God’s Word in that it rests on the allegorical method of interpretation. That is, the reader of God’s Word decides to spiritualize the text even if its context is literal. This effectively robs the Word of God of its own authority and the meaning of the text is entirely dependent on the reader’s decision to spiritualize it or not. The problem with this approach is this: Man alone decides what he will spiritualize and what he won’t. The Word of God can thus be manipulated to say anything. So, Replacement Theology rests on a false basis of Biblical interpretation.

Inadequate Understanding of Covenant: Replacement Theology is only held by those who have not properly understood the nature of the Abrahamic Covenant. This covenant, first mentioned in Gen 12:1-4 and thereafter repeatedly asserted and confirmed to the patriarchs, is in fact the covenant of grace in Scripture, for it underlines God’s intention to bless the world with redemption. Such blessing however, is through the nation of Israel. God says to Abraham: “In you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” So the Abrahamic covenant is one covenant having three vital elements:

1.      It declares a strategy – to reach the world through the nation of Israel.

2.      It bequeaths a land – as an everlasting possession to Israel... and –

3.      It gives a promise – those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse her will be cursed.

It is important for us to note here that if one element of the covenant fails then all fails. The covenant is like a coin having three elements, e.g., a rim, a head side, a tail side. However, it remains one coin and one cannot retain one element of the coin and give away another. The Abrahamic Covenant is just the same, it is one covenant. If one element of the covenant fails then all the elements fail. Thus if God’s promises to Israel have now failed then equally His promises to bless the world have also failed.

In short if Israel’s national destiny has been forfeited, through her disobedience, then the Church is also finished. It must be remembered that the Church’s disobedience has been as great as that of Israel over the last two thousand years. No one can deny this! So if Israel is finished because of failure then the Church is as well! There is no way that we can get around this. Moreover, Paul underlines this very point in Galatians 3 where he writes, years after Israel’s rejection of Jesus the Messiah, that the Abrahamic Covenant cannot be annulled.

“What I am saying is this; the Law which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.” (Gal. 3:17,18)

According to Replacement theologians this Covenant has been annulled. Only a superficial, inadequate grasp of a covenant can lead to such a misguided conclusion.

THE PROPHETIC TESTIMONY

God’s promises to national Israel are constantly reaffirmed by the prophets. In this way He underlines the nature of His character and confirms the Abrahamic Covenant. An example of this is Jeremiah 31:35-38:

“Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night; Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name: If this fixed order departs from before Me, declares the Lord, then the offspring of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me forever. Thus says the Lord, if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out below, then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord.”

So again the fact that the sun, moon and stars are still with us confirms the ongoing validity of the Abrahamic Covenant and as a result, Israel’s national destiny. For Replacement Theology to be valid the sun and moon must also be vanquished. There is no way that Replacement thinkers can get around this!

Moreover, Replacement Theology makes a mockery of God’s character for it rests upon the premise that if you fail God in any way He will discard you... even though initially He asserted that His commitment to you is everlasting. This sounds like a typical human response to the world and not like the God of the Bible which, of course, it is since Replacement Theology is but the thinking of men!

According to the writer of the book of Hebrews, we know that God will be faithful to us because in spite of Israel’s disobedience He has kept faith with her. Speaking of the Abrahamic Covenant, he says:

“In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchange­ableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, in order that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb. 6:17-20)

Note again that we know God to be faithful because He has been faithful to Israel in all that He promised her through Abraham. In fact this knowledge, says the writer, is the anchor of our soul (v.19). According to Replacement Theology this is not true!

THE TRUTH

In the final analysis Replacement Theology is but the mere thinking of men unable to stand up to the test of Scripture. It contradicts Scripture everywhere and by so doing robs thousands of Christians from understanding God’s redemptive purposes. The truth is:

1.      God has not cast off national Israel.

2.      Canaan to this present day is Israel’s national homeland.

3.      The Church has not replaced Israel, she has only enlarged her. (Eph 2:11-13; Rom 11:17-18)

4.      The modern restoration of Israel is evidence of God’s faithfulness to His Word and promise and strong encourage­ment to the Church.

5.      The restoration of Israel will culminate in the coming of the Messiah. Therefore the Church in the world is able to make herself ready and bless Israel as much as she can.

6.      The restoration of Israel to her homeland in Canaan – including the West Bank – is the first step towards Israel’s national redemption. (Rom 11:25-27)

In closing, it would be good for us to note a quote that came from the pen of the now famous and very godly Bishop of Liverpool, the Right. Reverend J. C. Ryle. He said:

“I warn you, that unless you interpret the prophetical portion of the Old Testament in a simple literal meaning of its words, you will find no easy matter to carry on an argument with a Jew. Will you dare tell him that Zion, Jerusalem, Jacob, Judah, Ephraim, Israel do not mean what they seem to mean, but mean the church of Christ?”

(By Malcolm Hedding; published in Christian Action for Israel Newsletter, Second Quarter 1992)

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QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST

The following questions were recently submitted to a newspaper column on religion. Here we present the columnist’s answers along with our answers:

Question: “My dad died recently without being a Christian. Where did he go?”

Columnist’s answer: “Your concern prob­ably comes from the history of Christianity, which has insisted that it is the only way to salvation. That seems to be a rather myopic view of life and is dismissive of all other faiths. Christians regard Jesus as the clearest window through which we are given a glimpse of the nature of God. If this is true, we must conclude that God is pure love. Love is accepting and inclusive, not rejecting and exclusive. It is impossible to imagine a loving Father God ever rejecting one of His children. Jesus did claim to be the way, but He is not talking about intellectual consent to some doctrine. His way is the way of love. I believe the life within each of us is God-life. It cannot die and can only grow. Think of your father in the loving acceptance of The Father.”

Our answer: The views of traditional Christianity are based on the assumption that death does not mean death, that to die means a continuation of life, either in heavenly bliss or in a hell of torment. While evading a direct answer to the question, the columnist supports this view by saying the life within each of us cannot die. This view is not scriptural. In the Genesis account it was God who declared to Adam and Eve, “Thou shalt surely die” and the serpent (Satan) who said, “Ye shall not surely die.” Do we believe God or do we believe Satan, the father of lies? (John 8:44)

The Scriptures teach that the dead know nothing (Eccl. 9:5,10; Job 14:21; Psa. 146:4; Isa. 38:18) In both the Old Testament and the New Testament it is written of both the good and bad that they “fell asleep” in death. This likening of death to sleep tells us that there is hope of an awakening, a resurrection. In the Apostle Paul’s wonderful treatise on resurrection, he says that those who have “fallen asleep in Christ” are perished if there be no resurrection of the dead. (1 Cor.15th chapter)

So the proper, Biblical answer to the question “Where did he go?” is: He is “asleep in Jesus,” awaiting the resurrection.

Question: “If God is all loving and accepting, why did Jesus have to die?”

Columnist’s answer: “Throughout the history of Christianity, there have been conflicting answers to the question about Jesus’ sacrificial death.

“The oldest explanation is referred to as the Ransom Theory. It hypothesizes that all humans had fallen under the control of Satan and that God gave His Son as a ransom payment to Satan to secure humanity’s release. This concept is crudely economic and questions the omnipotence of God. It suggests that God was not able to save humanity without capitulating to Satan’s demands.

“A second theory was taught by Anslem, Archbishop of Canterbury. In a book titled “Why God Became Man,” he declares that God’s justice demanded payment for sin and that Jesus’ death was a sacrificial payment, not to Satan, but to God the Father, in order to satisfy his demands for justice. Since Jesus sacrificed his life in our place, this is sometimes referred to as the Doctrine [of] Sub­sti­tutionary Atonement. This explanation is also crudely economic and suggests that God could not lovingly forgive without his justice being satisfied.

“The third theory was advanced by Abelard, a philosopher in Paris who taught at the cathedral school of Notre-Dame de Paris. Abelard understood Jesus’ death as a sacrifice but not as a payment. Jesus sacrificed his life rather than compromise what he believed to be God’s will for his life. As such, the death of Jesus becomes an example and the inspiration for his followers to also live lives of sacrificial love.

“Although Anselm’s doctrine became the most widely accepted, I find many modern Christians gravitating toward Abelard’s doctrine of inspiring Christians to accept sacrificial love for their lives. The three theories are doctrines based on the interpretations of Biblical Scripture by individuals and can be confusing.

“Christians should read and study in order to understand. Another point about the death of Jesus was the fear of political rulers and synagogue leaders of the time period who believed that Jesus was becoming too influential and needed to be stopped. In their eyes he was crucified for political and social reasons. Their plan backfired in a way, since it became apparent that his crucifixion gave strength to the Christian movement.

“We must also note that the theories of Christ’s death serve followers as they seek their personal salvation, which is important, but I would like to note that God’s plan enabled Jesus to live a life as a human being before his death. Why? Perhaps the message is that living a life following the words and actions of Jesus is important because Jesus demonstrated the way as being loving, accepting and living peacefully.

“Living in this manner could mean that salvation is the natural outcome overshadowing the theories of human beings.”

Our answer: Scriptural testimony shows that God did not require Jesus to die but rather Jesus offered Himself voluntarily: “No man taketh it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of myself.” (John 10:18) He voluntarily laid his life in the Father’s hands saying, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” (Luke 23:46)

1 Tim. 2:6 says He “gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time.” This verse shows that of the three theories presented in the column, the second one is Biblical: The ransom price was paid to satisfy the demands of God’s justice because justice is the foundation of His throne. (Psa. 89:14)

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P.O. Box 2246, Kernersville, NC 27285-2246

epiphanybiblestudents@gmail.com.

NO. 698: IN MEMORIAM

No. 698

It has been our custom for many years to pay tribute at this time of year to Pastor Russell, That Wise and Faithful Servant, to commemorate his death on October 31, 1916. We believe his stewardship doctrine was a correct understanding of the Atonement, the central teaching of which is Restitution. It has been said that once Brother Russell received the Truth on this doctrine, he never delivered a public discourse in which Restitution did not have a prominent place. In keeping with this, we present this treatise taken from one of his public discourses.

RANSOM IMPLIES RESTITUTION

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”(1 Tim. 2:5-6)

The Apostle Paul’s words are my text. At another time we may consider the forepart of this text, but on this occasion I invite your attention to the last clause, which explains that our Lord’s sacrifice was a sacrifice for all mankind, and that in due time this great matter will be made known to all mankind with a view to their blessing.

Perhaps I should take a moment here to answer a question which I understand is frequently raised in respect to my preaching, namely: Why does Pastor Russell give so much more attention to doctrinal questions than do other ministers? Why does he not give more attention to scientific matters, political, moral reforms and practical living? My reply is, in the words of our Savior, “After all these things do the Gentiles seek.” (Matt. 6:32) All these are worldly matters, while the doctrines of Christ and the Apostles are peculiar to Christians. Hindus, Confucians and Mohammedans have a common interest in the affairs of the world and its moral, physical and political welfare, but the Christian minister is divinely directed to “preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2), and the word ignores worldly science, politics, reforms, etc., and especially deals with doctrines. I am, therefore, merely following the example of Christ and His Apostles, and the reason why this seems peculiar is that the majority of ministers largely neglect to heed the scriptural injunction and the apostolic models. When they do occasionally touch upon doctrine, they are, alas, too frequently “teaching for doc­trines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7), teaching from the creeds of the past five centuries rather than from the inspired word of the Lord.

It may be well here briefly to notice the value of doctrines – the value of those teachings which differentiate true Christians from the remainder of mankind. The ignoring of the doctrines of Scripture and the substitution of the doctrines of men during the Dark Ages have brought the world to the place where all doctrines are tabooed and distasteful, because those false doctrines from the Dark Ages are unreasonable and repulsive to the growing intelligence of the world. Instead of ignoring doctrine however, God’s people should seek and find the proper interpretation of the Bible, which is everywhere reasonable, logical and harmonious with itself and with sanctified common sense. This then, is my apology for so frequently discussing the doctrines of Christ and of the Prophets and of the Apostles.

NOT A LIMITED ATONEMENT

Our text declares a great fact, which Christian people generally ignore if they do not deny it, the fact that our Lord Jesus’ death was a ransom price whose scope covers and includes the entire family of Adam. The fact is that the Scriptures do speak of a special elect class which is being gathered out of the world during this Gospel Age, and which is promised joint heirship with Christ in His coming Millennial Kingdom. The fact is also that the great mass of mankind at the present time and throughout the 6,000 years of the past have been without “hope, and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12), because they have been without knowledge of the only “name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) These facts have led many to the erroneous conclusion that our Lord’s death has not been and never will be a ransom price or offset price for the cancellation of the sins of mankind in general.

Their reasoning has indeed certain logical features. If the world in general has not received and never will receive a blessing at the Lord’s hands, the logical conclusion must be that justice was not and never will be satisfied by a ransom price for the world’s share in original sin. In seeming harmony with this erroneous thought is the fact that only a comparatively small proportion of humanity has been specially favored of the Lord with an opening of the eyes of their understanding, and the privilege, through faith, of coming back into harmony with their Creator. Seeming to support this view also are the scriptural statements respecting the present narrow way and straight gate, which few find, and the references to the elect as constituting only a “little flock.” (Matt. 7:14; Luke 12:32)

Building upon this erroneous foundation of a limited atonement for original sin, the fathers of the Dark Ages and since have proceeded to give various explanations of the eternal torture of the world of mankind, the non-elect, those not favored by the Almighty with a knowledge of the only name given whereby they might be saved. These false doctrines, built upon the “tradition of the elders” (Matt. 15:2), have had a nauseating effect upon intelligent minds; they contradict the scriptural declaration that God is just, loving, wise and all powerful. (Psa. 89:14; 1 John 4:8; Jer. 10:12) What we need to correct the nausea, to refresh the hearts, to re-inspire love and zeal for the Lord and His word, is to see with clearness the true doctrines of the Scriptures.

The Scriptures declare that our Lord Jesus “by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” (Heb. 2:9) They show conclusively that His death was a “propitiation [satisfaction] for our sins [the Church’s sins]: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) But to appreciate these statements, to see how they can be and are true, it is necessary to know that the Scriptures nowhere declare that the present Gospel Age is the only period of divine favor, the only period for the forgiveness of sins, the only period of reconciliation with God, the only period of opportunity for being taught of God and of obtaining His blessing and favor, lost through original sin in Eden.

As soon as we grasp this great fact our eyes begin to open to other facts, namely that: (1) Prior to this Gospel Age, during the Jewish Age and previously, all the world except that one little nation of Israel, were aliens, strangers, and foreigners from God and His promises. (Amos 3:2) (2) The Scriptures clearly indicate a “world to come” (Heb. 2:5), a future epoch under new and better conditions than now prevail. (3) That future epoch is called “the day of Christ,” “the day of the Lord.” (Phil. 1:10; 1 Thes. 5:2) It is indeed the Millennial Day, the thousand years of Christ’s reign for the very pur­pose of blessing and uplifting the world of mankind, for whose sins His death was the atone­ment price and who are to be healed by His stripes. (4) Every invitation and injunction of the Gospel Age are with a view to the selection of an elect class, who shall be joint heirs with Christ during that Millennial Age, to share with Him in the great work of general human uplift.

A COMMON ERROR CORRECTED

At this point many good people laboring under a degree of blindness, the smoke of the Dark Ages, feel disposed to object and to insist that there can be no future probation. Ask them why, their reply is that the entire Scriptural teaching contradicts the thought of a future hope beyond the tomb. We reply: this is an error; the very reverse is true, as we shall show. We ask them for a single Scripture on their side of this subject. To their amazement they find none, but as a last resort quote from Ecclesiastes (11:3) the words: “In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.” But is not this a very slim text, indeed, to raise up as a barrier against the entire voice of the Scriptures, and against all the demands of reason and logic as well? And this very Scripture is in full accord with what we claim, namely, that as a tree when it has fallen is lifeless and powerless and cannot raise itself up, so is man in death under the sentence and wage of original sin. The Scriptural argument is that the whole race of Adam was thus dead – without life, without power to raise itself out of its fallen condition, without any claim upon eternal life or divine favor in any sense. But our text declares that our Lord Jesus “gave himself a ransom for all,” for Adam the transgressor in particular, and for all of his race who shared in his penalty, to rescue us from that dead condition by resurrection. (1 Cor. 15:21)

It is because man is in this helpless condition, dead, powerless to revivify himself, that God has gone to his relief through Christ. He caused the great ransom sacrifice to be made and paid to justice nearly 19 [now 20] centuries ago, and in our text assures us that the ransom sacrifice finished at Calvary was on behalf of all mankind and is consequently to bring a blessing to all mankind – “in due time.”

We are not arguing that all who have died have gone to heaven; quite the contrary. We stick to the book, the Bible, in its declaration that “the dead know not any thing” (Ecc. 9:5), that a resurrection is necessary to any future living. We hold with the Scriptures that at the end of this age, the First Resurrection will take place, the resur­rection of the “blessed and holy,” those who have pleased God both by faith and obedience. These, the Scriptures declare, will be “kings and priests unto God” and shall “reign on the earth.” (Rev. 1:6, 5:10, 20:6) The object of this reign will be to bring blessings of knowledge and opportunity to all. The participants in the First Resurrection are the “seed of Abraham,” our Lord Jesus the Head, and His Church the members of His body, as the Apostle declares: “If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29)

The promise to which Christ and His Church are heirs is that they shall be God’s instrumentality for the blessing, instruction and uplifting of the world of mankind. When will they do this unless there be a future Millennial Age? To be heirs of this promise made to Abraham, that in his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3), would be a meaningless farce and jest on the Almighty’s part had He not purchased us, and provided a time and means by which this blessing could accrue to the world. We perceive that He has arranged a time for granting the world a trial for life, a trial respecting their willingness to abandon the ways of sin and death, and to walk in the ways of righteousness under the enlightenment of the truth, which we are assured shall shine forth as the sun, whose beams shall heal humanity. (Mal. 4:2)

FEW HAVE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE

The means for the blessing we see provided in Christ and His Bride, the elect Church of the Gospel Age. It is guaranteed in the fact that Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man, or, as our text declares, became the Mediator between God and man by giving Himself a ransom for all. A point I desire to emphasize here is that the giving of this ransom price and the acceptance of it by justice imply divine intention for the blessing of all mankind, in full accord with the various testimonies of the entire Scriptures. Why should “a ransom for all” be given if it were not intended of God that all should benefit from it, or, at least, have an opportunity of benefiting from it, which would be virtually the same thing? We hold that it is beyond dispute that the giving of the ransom for all and the divine acceptance of it, in harmony with the divine promise, are the sure guarantee that ultimately a blessing must come to every member of Adam’s race as a result.

This knowledge has not yet reached all mankind; on the contrary it has reached only a small minority. Yet, knowledge of God’s favor and an intelligent acceptance of it on faith and a reasonable obedience in harmony with that faith are the demands of the divine word. Proof could be given on almost every page of the Scriptures that faith, and endeavor to obedience in harmony with that faith, are necessary to salvation, but we will content ourselves by referring to a few citations. The Apostle Paul says: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God…how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?” (Rom. 10:17,14) “Without faith it is impossible to please him [God].” (Heb. 11:6) “All that are in the graves shall hear his voice [the voice of the Son of God],” and “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (John 5:28; Isa. 11:9) “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be un­stopped.” (Isa. 35:5) “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, 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.” (Jer. 31:34)

All these Scripture statements showing the necessity for knowledge are in full accord with our text which declares that our Lord Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified “in due time.” The present then is the due time for the Church, the household of faith, to hear the voice of the Son of God, and they who now hear, pass from death unto life, to the begetting to a new nature. By and by, when the present class of called elect ones shall have been glorified with their Lord, all the remainder of mankind shall hear for the very purpose: that they may understand, may appreciate, and may be assisted to obey the voice of Him that speaks from heaven, the great Ransomer, who in that day will be King over all the earth and will bind Satan and will put down every opposing influence, to the intent that all may be judged worthy or unworthy of everlasting life, by their appreciation of God and His righteous laws and their full obedience thereto.

In Acts 3:22-23, the Apostle Peter points us to the fact that Moses was a type of Christ Jesus, the head, and the Church, His body. As the seed of Abraham, this great Messiah shall bless all the families of the earth with knowledge and every opportunity for return to the divine favor and blessing that was lost in Eden. And what of those who will refuse to hear that great Prophet, Priest and King during the Millennial Age, what of them? The Apostle answers, “It shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear [obey] that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” They will be cut off in the Second Death, from which there will be no hope of recovery, no resurrection.

“TIMES OF RESTITUTION”

In full accord with all this is the Apostle’s statement respecting the blessings that are to come to mankind during the Millennial Age, following our Lord’s Second Advent and the glorification of His Church to joint heirship with Him. He calls that period “times of refreshing … from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ” at His Second Advent. He declares that in the meantime the heavens must receive Him, must retain Him, “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 3:19-21) In other words, he assures us that these Restitution Times will follow as a result of our Lord’s second coming and the establishment of His Kingdom in glory and power.

“Times of Restitution” means years of restitution; it refers to the one thousand years of Christ’s reign. (Rev. 20:6) The word restitution signifies to put back or bring back something to an original or primary condition. The Apostle is speaking of humanity, and hence the suggestion is that the work of Christ and His Church in glory during the Millennium will be to restore mankind to the condition and privileges and blessings and favors enjoyed before sin entered the world, before the curse passed upon all by one man’s disobedience. (Rom. 5:12)

Evolutionists would have little sympathy with the Apostle’s statement here, for, according to their erroneous theory, restitution to the original condition would be the last thing for humanity to desire or hope for or for God to promise as a blessing. But we are not consulting evolutionists in this matter, we are taking “the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” (1 Pet. 1:23)

The world of mankind has been in a fallen and falling condition with ups and downs, especially downs, for six thousand years. When the Lord’s time shall come and Times of Restitution shall begin, the present downward or fallen conditions will give place to upward conditions, to Restitution Times, for the general uplifting of all mankind.

We have just seen that the great ransom sacrifice finished at Calvary is the basis upon which God can be just and yet be the justifier of those who believe in Jesus, and release them from the sentence of endless death which was justly upon them as the imperfect posterity of the fallen Adam, unworthy of life eternal under divine conditions. The more we look into this matter the more logical, reasonable and satisfactory we see the divine plan to be. The first man perfect, the image of God, sinned with deliberation, and received as a penalty a death sentence. After waiting more than 4,000 years God sent a Redeemer in the person of His Son. Since man was not a spirit being but a human being, therefore the Apostle declares that Christ took not hold upon the stature of angels, but humbled Himself and came to the still lower plane of humanity and became the man Christ Jesus – “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.” (Heb. 2:16; 7:26) Then as the man Christ Jesus He gave Himself a ransom for all, as our text declares, “to be testified in due time.” The testimony has already been in the world for 19 centuries [now 20], and it has selected the very class which God foreknew and foretold, a “little flock” of footstep followers who are to be joint heirs with their Redeemer and Lord. Next in order will come the testimony to the remainder of mankind, first those who have not yet gone into the tomb, and secondly to those who have already gone there, and who will be awakened for the very purpose of receiving this testimony and of being tested by it.

DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT SALVATIONS

Here note the difference between the blessing God designed for the elect Church and the one He purposes for the world of mankind. The Church’s blessing is not “restitution,” and in harmony with this we can see no evidence of restitution anywhere about us. The restitution work waits for the Restitution Time, which begins with the estab­lishment of the Kingdom. Believers of this present time receive, indeed, a faith equivalent to restitution, in that they are recognized as having their sins covered with the robe of Christ’s righteousness, reckoned as having passed from the sentence of death in Adam to a share of life in Christ, reckoned as having received again the fellowship and communion with God, lost by Adam through his disobedience in Eden. All this in a sense serves as an equivalent to the “restitution” which is to come to the world in its “due time.”

But the world will not attain these things by faith, but will attain them actually, gradually during the thousand years. At its close all who shall have appreciated God’s favors and obeyed the voice of the great Prophet, Priest and King, will be actually perfect, as perfect as was Adam in every talent, quality, and power, but with increased capacity through increased knowledge.

The Church of this Gospel Age gets none of these restitution blessings actually. She merely has them by faith, for the special purpose of sacrificing those restitution blessings in order to present her body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, her reasonable service. (Rom. 12:1) She participates in the sufferings of Christ that she may be accounted worthy to participate in His glories, the Millennial glories. The gospel invitation to the Church is to lay down her life, to exchange these earthly privileges and blessings bought by the precious blood of Christ, for heavenly privileges offered to her as a reward of obedience. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Rev. 3:21)

Glory, honor and immortality – the divine nature – will be the great change from present earthly conditions to heavenly conditions far beyond anything possible for the natural mind to appreciate. This great change, which is to come to the Lord’s faithful Bride in her participation in His resurrection, the First Resurrection, the resurrection to spirit perfection, is the great hope and ambition set before us, dear brethren and sisters. It is for this that we are exhorted to lay aside every weight and every besetting sin and to run with patience, sacrificing earthly things and treasures that we may have this better treasure, this pearl of great price, this participation in the Kingdom with our dear Redeemer.

The Apostle declares that these Times of Restitution were spoken of “by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”(Acts 3:21) Suffice it now that we take the Apostle’s words, calling to mind merely the various statements and promises of the law and the Prophets, pointing out these glorious good things for the world of mankind, that are delayed only until the completion of the elect Church. The Prophets speak of the restoration of Israel to divine favor, of how their blind eyes shall be opened, that they shall see in very truth that He whom they have pierced is the Messiah indeed, who gave His life for their ransom, and that God will pour upon them the spirit of prayer and supplication to this end.

The Apostle Paul most clearly points out in Romans, chapters 9, 10, and 11, that not only the falling away of Israel was foretold in the Prophets, but also their regathering, their restoration to divine favor; but this he points out to us will be after the completion of the gospel Church, spiritual Israel. Again he declares that, “Through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.” (Rom. 11:31) The glorified Church, with Christ at her head as the great King, is to dispense the mercies of God to the Jew first, but also to “all the families of the earth.” (Rom. 11:12, 25-33; Acts 15:16,17)

Let us, dear brethren and sisters, hold fast to these doctrines of Christ, set forth not only in His own teachings that He came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10); that He beheld mankind as a treasure in a field and bought the whole field that He might develop the treasure (Matt. 13:44); but as set forth also in the decla­rations of the Apostles and of all the holy Prophets since the world began.

While the doctrines of men would be inclined to lead us away from God, to make us think of the Almighty as unjust and cruel, heartless, loveless or powerless, the doctrines of the Scriptures open the blind eyes and give us to see the King in His beauty, the glorious majesty of the God of love, the God of wisdom, the God of justice, the God of power. They give us to see, as declared by the Prophet, that “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my [God’s] ways higher than your [man’s] ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:9)

With this greater enlightenment on the divine character, we will have greater desire to serve and to please Him, esteeming it a great privilege to lay down our very lives in His service, counting all things as but loss and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, that we might win Him and be found in Him and be made sharers in His resurrection. (Phil. 3:8-11)

Our dear friends and relatives and the heathen who have died out of Christ are “safe in the arms of Jesus.” They are safe in the care of Him who died for all. God will not torture any of His enemies to all eternity as once we feared. We now find this fear to be unscriptural. But let us see that while the Scriptures teach that the worst that can befall any of His enemies will be “everlasting destruction” without hope of a future life, there is a grand hope taught for the ignorant, that all such shall be brought to an accurate knowledge of the truth that they may be saved in God’s due time. (1 Tim. 2:4) Let us recognize the truth of the statement: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not [everlasting] life.” (1 John 5:12; John 8:36) God’s salvation is by knowledge and not by ignorance, through faith in the precious blood of Christ and not in ignorance of it; by a resurrection and Millennial Kingdom

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(From an oral address given by Pastor Russell in 1904, with minor editing. It was published in Harvest Gleanings, Volume 3. The list of Scriptures and comments following were derived from Harvest Gleanings Volume 1, beginning on page 335.)

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PARTIAL LIST OF SCRIPTURES TEACHING RESTITUTION

In Acts 3:19-24 the inspired Apostle applies the words of Moses (Deut. 18:15,18,19) to the Times of Restitution, declaring that all God’s holy Prophets spoke of these times; therefore we expect to find something concerning Restitution in the writings of each Old Testament Prophet. The following is a partial list of Scriptures which we understand to teach Restitution and future probation:

Gen. 12:2,3; Gen. 18:18; Gen. 22:17,18; Gal. 3:16,29; 1 Cor. 12:12,27; Eph. 1:22,23;[1] Lev. 25:10; Heb. 10:1;[2] 1 Kings 17:22; 2 Kings 4:33-36;[3] Psa. 46:9,10; Psa. 72:1-15; Psa. 96:10-13; Psa. 98:4-9; Isa. 2:2-4; Isa. 25:6-9; Isa. 35:1-10;[4] Isa. 49:8-10; Isa. 52:7; Jer. 30:18;[5] Jer. 31:8,9,29,30,34;[6] Ezek.16:44-63;[7] Dan. 2:44; Dan. 7:13,14,27;[8] Hosea 6:1-3; Joel 2:32; Joel 3:1,2,17,18; Amos 9:11-13;[9] Oba. 17,21; Jon. 3:10; Jon. 4:11;[10] Mic. 4:1-4;[11] Na. 1:15;[12] Hab. 2:14; Zeph. 3:9; Hag. 2:6,7; Zech. 8:20-23; Mal. 4:2;[13] Matt. 25:31-46;[14] Luke 2:10, 30-32; John 3:17; John 5:25,30;[15] John 17:9, 20,21,23;[16] Acts 3:19-24; Rom. 5:18,19; Rom. 8:19-22; 1 Cor. 15:21-23;[17] 2 Cor. 5:19-6:2;[18] Gal. 3:8; Eph. 1:10; Phil. 2:9-11; Col. 1:20; Titus 2:13;[19] Heb. 6:13,14; Heb. 8:11; 1 Pet. 2:9;[20] Jude 14,15;[21] Rev. 20:11-12; Rev. 22:1,17.[22]

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[1] The Genesis verses show that all families of the earth will be blessed. St. Paul explains that the Seed that will confer the blessing is Christ and His Church (the mystical body of which Jesus is the Head).

[2] Israel’s Jubilee was a type or shadow of the world-wide Restitution which will follow the estab­lishment of God’s Kingdom at the Second Advent of our Lord Jesus.

[3] The restoration of life described in Kings fore­shadows the Times of Restitution.

[4] By comparing the words, “ransomed of the Lord” in verse 10 with “a ransom for all” in 1 Tim. 2:6, we see positively that all the families of the earth will be blessed.

[5] See Rom. 11:12,15 for comments.

[6] Compare Rom. 5:12, John 1:9 and 1 Tim. 2:4.

[7] Although God saw fit (verse 50) to take away the Sodomites, our Lord Jesus said (Matt. 11:23) that they would have repented under such a ministry as had been granted to Capernaum, which did not repent. Since God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), and since it is His will that all shall come to a knowledge of the truth, this indicates that the death imprisoned Sodomites shall be brought forth (John 5:29) to their “former estate” (Ezek. 16:55), and “in that day” be given an opportunity to believe in the only name given under heaven or among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) Our Lord declared it would be more tolerable for Sodom in the Day of Judgment than for some who heard and rejected Him, implying that it will be tolerable for all in proportion as their sins had been sins of ignorance. (Matt. 11:24; Luke 12:47,48) In fore­telling of the restitution of the Sodomites, an extreme example of clemency, our Lord evidently intended us to see that the sacrifice which He gave was unquestionably “a ransom for all.”

[8] Any prophecy of the Kingdom of Christ and His saints is a prophecy of Restitution; for the Kingdom is to be set up at the Second Advent of our Lord Jesus, “whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things.”

[9] See Acts 15:13-18 for comments.

[10] Compare Matt. 12:41.

[11] Compare Isa. 2:2-4.

[12] Compare Isa. 52:7.

[13] Compare also Psa. 30:5 and Matt. 13:43.

[14] It should be noted that when the Lord occupies His throne, the Church reigns with Him. (Col. 3:4) Christ will not reign over His glorified Church, nor will the members of His glorified Church reign over each other, but the Church complete will reign over all nations, dead and living (Rom. 14:9), else their title “Seed of Abraham” (Gal. 3:29) is a misnomer.

[15] Our Lord’s words in verse 30 indicate that the destiny of those who come up to judgment (vs. 29, R.V.) is not fixed beforehand. Testimony is to be taken, and “as I hear, I judge.” This therefore refers to the “Times of Restitution.”

[16] Our Lord’s last prayer was not on behalf of the world, but on behalf of His disciples and those who should believe through their word, and His prayer for the whole Church was made that the whole world might afterward have the opportunity to “believe that thou hast sent me” in the Times of Restitution.

[17] Note here that the expression “they who are Christ’s at his coming [parousia, presence]” evidently does not refer to the Church, for they are Christ’s before His Second Advent, and with Him constitute the first-fruits. (Note also Jas. 1:18) The expression evidently refers to “all them that believe in that day;” the Day of Christ, the Times of Restitution. (2 Thes. 1:10)

[18] Some think that 2 Cor. 6:2 teaches that there will be no opportunity to exercise faith and repentance in the Millennial Age, but a careful reading of Isa. 49:8-10, from which it is quoted, indicates that the Body of Christ is helped and succored in its day of salvation, in order that it may be the instrument of God for the blessing and releasing of those who are in the prison house of death. Here also Restitution is taught.

[19] “The blessed hope” is to usher in the “Times of Restitution.”

[20] Since the Church is to be a Royal Priesthood, there must be some for whom they will perform the priestly offices; and for whom, if not for the world of mankind, ransomed by the great High Priest and His “better sacrifices?”

[21] A prophecy of Restitution, by Enoch, who “pleased God.”

[22] All the events in these Revelation verses, including the invitation to “whosoever will,” are to be fulfilled after the Second Advent of Christ, after the Church has become the “Bride, the Lamb’s wife,” after the establishment of His Kingdom. Observe also, that the invitation is to be extended to all the dead, before the throne.

NO. 697: CONCERNING CONTROVERSY

No. 697

“Ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3)

Today it is a proper appraisal to say that Protestantism is almost dead – the spirit of the Reformers, John Wessel, Martin Luther, John Wesley, et al (all confirmed Protesters) has almost vanished from the earth. In this grouping we may also include Brother Russell, because the “protest” that he began in 1874 and continued to 1916 has almost vanished from the Truth movements. While the Jehovah’s Witnesses do continue the attack upon established systems of religious error, they themselves have become such errorists that it is rank travesty to include them with those genuine reformers – protesters – who manifested “the patience and the faith of the saints.” (Rev. 13:10)

But, with the passing of the spirit of the real protesters there has now come a wide surge of Combinationism. Let us forget our differences, they say, and cooperate against the common enemy now attacking the Church; let us defeat the atheistic rabble now so apparent on every hand. And such a combining is just what we should expect. In the 34th Chapter of Isaiah the Prophet says this: “Yahweh hath wrath against all the nations, and indignation against all their host. He hath devoted them to destruction... and, the mountains, shall melt away with their blood... the heavens [the present day prominent religious sects] shall roll up as a scroll.” (Isa. 34: 2-4, Rotherham; see also Rev. 6:14) On every hand there is loud acclaim for this rolling together as the “unlearned and unstable” blindly follow their blind leaders – to fall into the ditch. (2 Pet. 3:16; Matt. 15:14) “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.” (Amos 6:1)

THE PRINCE OF PEACE MAKES WAR

In Rev. 19:11‑21 there is a description of the action of this day in which we now live, clearly revealing God’s attitude toward the combining forces of this time. We quote parts of it (from the Diaglott):

“I saw Heaven opened [the Plan of God made very clear], and behold a white horse [clear spotless doctrine – a ‘pure language’... Zeph. 3:9]; and He who sat on him was called Faithful and True [just another name for the Prince of Peace, a name not used here in order not to conflict with the ‘war’ to be waged], and in righteousness [not for greed, territory, revenge or other selfish interests, but according to the supreme Law of Justice] He judges and makes war... And He was invested with a mantle dipped in blood [indicating the bloody nature of the present conflict]; and His name is called, The Word [The Logos, the spokesman] of God... And out of His mouth proceeds a sharp two‑edged broadsword [to cut asunder error, secular and religious, in whichever way it is wielded], so that with it He may smite the nations... on His mantle and on His thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords [the promise to Jesus’ faithful followers is that they shall be Kings and Priests, and the omnipotent Jesus is to be the King over those Kings, and the Lord over those Lords].”

Much of this Scripture is also revealed in Mal. 4:1-2, “Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven,” with the accompanying promise that “the Sun of righteousness [shall] arise with healing in his wings.” This great and dreadful day is to accomplish two things: “He maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.” (Job 5:18) Clearly enough, it is only by considering both sides of the situation that we shall come to a proper appraisal of our own personal privileges and obligations, if we would be faithful to the Lord, the Truth, and the Brethren.

It is directly counseled by the Apostle Paul that we should, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14; See also Rom. 14:19 and 2 Tim. 2:22); but the Apostle James limits the words of Paul by his statement in Jas. 3:17, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable....” And this principle had been emphasized by Jehu hundreds of years before in 2 Kgs. 9:22 when asked by Joram, “Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms [corrupt teachings and practices] of thy mother Jezebel [typical of the Roman Church – see Rev. 2:20] and her witchcrafts [especially deceptive false teachings] are so many?” But some – even some who have supposedly been schooled in Present Truth – ignore these outstanding and vital exceptions, stressing only peace, and quoting 1 Tim. 3:16 to justify their position, “Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness.” That this text has been badly corrupted by the translators is quite clear when we read it from Dr. Rotherham’s translation: “Confessedly [most certainly] great, is the sacred secret of godliness, – Who was made manifest in the flesh.” (Also see 1 Tim. 3:16, Diaglott) This “sacred secret” is further mentioned by St. Paul in Eph. 5:32: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.” It needs no argument that it has been a “great mystery” all during the Age that Christ is not one member, but many (Christ and the Church – the Head and the Body).

Furthermore, the contention “without contro­versy” is directly contradicted by such statements as “endure hardness, as a good soldier” – “fight the good fight,” etc. (2 Tim. 2:3; 1 Tim. 6:12); and these statements are also supported by certain Scriptures that apply especially here in the end of the Age – e.g., Isa. 28:17: “The hail [hard cutting Truth] shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters [great floods of Truth] shall overflow the hiding place.” Also, Isa. 41:15,16: “Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument [the Harvest sickle of Present Truth – See Rev. 14:14 and Berean Comment] having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains [great strong kingdoms], and beat them small, and shall make the hills [democracies and lesser governments] as chaff... and the whirlwind [the great Time of Trouble] shall scatter them.” The greatest “refuge of lies” of all time has been the Papacy, which has counterfeited almost every fundamental truth of the Bible – and especially so, and in very profuse manner, the truth concerning the glorious Kingdom reign of Christ and the Church.

It is a very easy matter to reach a hasty, but erroneous, conclusion from reading just one Scripture; and such is true of those who conclude that “without controversy” means we should follow peace at any price. Old Testament precedent directly contradicts it, as can be seen from the Prophets who “waxed valiant in fight... were tortured... were stoned, they were sawn asunder... slain with the sword.” (Heb. 11:34-38) All of these outrages occurred because the Prophets exposed the evils of teaching and practice of their time – particularly, the evils of the religious leaders of their time. Note specifically 2 Chr. 24:19‑21: “He [God] sent prophets to them… they testified against them: but they would not give ear... the spirit of God came upon Zechariah ...[who] said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord?... because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you. And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king...” Many who were one time in the forefront of the Harvest battle now seem to feel that the laurels gained in the past will suffice to bring them to the Heavenly Canaan; but the entire record decries such an attitude. Of Jeremiah, Isaiah, Zechariah, Jesus, the Apostles, and the multitude of Gospel‑Age martyrs, the sublime report is that they died with their boots on – “faithful unto death.” Those people today who advocate the preaching only of winsome truths – giving no offense to any one – can scarcely be classified as enduring hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ – nor will they eventually be in the same record book with those who have done so – the fully faithful. We consider it a truthful observation that none can be faithful to Present Truth without contending for that Truth. “Ye should earnestly contend for the faith [the Truth] which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3)

WHO MAY ENDURE THE DAY OF HIS COMING?

“Behold Me! sending my messenger... But who may endure the day of his coming? And who is he that can stand when he appeareth [is made manifest]? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ alkali; Therefore will he sit as a refiner and purifier [polisher] of silver, and will purify [polish, develop] the sons of Levi [primarily the Little Flock and the Great Company], and will smelt them, as gold and as silver; so shall they belong to Yahweh, offering a gift in righteous­ness.” (Mal. 3:1‑3, Rotherham) These texts are undoubtedly prophetic of Jesus’ Second Advent; and they itemize some of the things He would accomplish at that time. It is stated that He will be (1) like a refiner’s fire; (2) like fullers’ alkali; (3) sit as a refiner and purifier (polisher) of silver (the Truth); (4) purify (thoroughly polish, develop) the sons of Levi, so they may (5) offer a gift in righteousness.

Our concern in this writing will be mainly with No. 3 above: A refiner and polisher of silver. It needs no argument that literal silver is not here meant. Quite clearly it means the Truth. All who are familiar with the facts know only too well that the Lord did refine the Truth since 1874, by separating from it the conglomeration of error that had attached to it during the interim from His First Advent. And not only so, once the error was eliminated, a great polishing work was done with the then refined Truth, giving it a brilliance that made it a thing of real beauty to all who were “of the Truth.” This was true not only of religious Truth, but also applied with great force to secular truth. The “unclean spirits” (teachings) of the Divine Right of Kings, Clergy, Aristocracy and Labor have been mercilessly exposed, so that today in the more enlightened countries very few still cling to the doctrine that “The King can do no wrong,” or that the preachers and priests can consign to eternal torment all who do not “hear” them. “Truth shall spring out of the earth [the organized social order]; and righteousness shall look down from Heaven.” (Psa. 85:11) The Holy Spirit will “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” (John. 16:8)

But just as human agents waged battle against secular error, so human agents were also used of the Lord as He “looked down from Heaven.” These human beings were that group that wielded the sickle of Harvest Truth, chief of whom was Brother Russell. He not only put the “ink” into the “inkhorn” (Ezek. 9:2) for all to use, but he himself was foremost of the antitypical “three hundred” who waged antitypical Gideon’s battle against the hosts of antitypical Midian (religious errorists – Judges, Chapter 7). Of course, there was much of turmoil and great controversy in all this, with the victory surely coming to those who held to the polished brilliant Truth on the state of the dead, etc. This victory had become so pronounced that toward the end of Brother Russell’s life one secular writer wrote that “he put the fires out of Hell!”

As was the case with David, Brother Russell was very much a man of war – always in the forefront of some battle somewhere. One brother once said to him, “Brother Russell, you are the most loved man on earth.” To which Brother Russell replied, “Yes and the most hated!” But we believe it is a fair appraisal to conclude that those who knew him well, would certainly classify him as a gentle man – a man who would much prefer peace to war. It has indeed been a great Gospel‑Age paradox that the “sons of peace” led by the Son of Peace – have been in almost continuous battle; and many of such have done so contrary to their inherited dis­positions. Many of them would have followed a more peaceful path had they been allowed to do the choosing; yet they had forced themselves to be “good soldiers” as duty had appeared to them.

To do any task well, there must first of all be the knowledge to do; then the will to do; then the tools wherewith to do; then the capacity to do; and finally the providential circumstances to do (the physical, mental and financial strength). This is very well summed up by St. Paul in 2 Tim. 3:15‑17, Dia.: “That from a child thou hast known those Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise for salvation, through that faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture, divinely inspired, is indeed profitable for teaching [doctrine – what we should believe], for conviction [reproof of error – that which we should not believe], for correction [that which we should not do], for that discipline which is in righteousness [that which we should do]; so that the Man of God may be complete, thoroughly fitted for every good work.” Usually it is by controversy that the clear untainted truth is established; and this has been especially true here in the end of the Age. Thus, the prophecy of Malachi forcefully applies: He (Jesus) will sit as a refiner and a polisher (developer) of the Truth.

And those who clamor for peace without first having purity, those who have faulted Brother Russell and others for engaging in controversy, such have in effect been finding fault with our Lord Himself; because this controversy, this polishing, this developing of the Truth is specifically one of the outstanding activities of His Second Advent. It is this “polishing” of the Truth that has directly resulted in polishing, developing the Sons of Levi. And the reason the Sons of Levi must be so developed is that they may make an offering in righteousness unto the Lord. Until all such have come into Present Truth, to appropriate the Truth from the table the Lord has provided for His people at this time, no activity on their part can be acceptable to the Lord regardless of any outward appearance of prosperity they may have. Jesus said one of His primary purposes at His first Advent was: “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” (John 18:37) And, just as the Truth at that time brought life and immortality to light, so in His Second Advent “the hail [hard cutting Truth] shall sweep away the refuge of lies.” (Isa. 28:17) Note the Berean Comment on 1 Tim. 6:13: “It was the Lord’s witness to the truth that cost him his life.”

SOME CORROBORATING CITATIONS

The following is something on this subject from Brother Russell: “Having put on the whole armor of God, and boldly withstood error by clear and fearless presentation and defense of the truth during this evil day, when giant errors so boldly and defiantly stalk abroad, the saints are exhorted, ‘Having done all, to stand,’ clad in full armor, with the sword of the spirit ever ready for defense, and with watchfulness and perseverance and prayer for all saints.” (Vol. 3, p. 212; Eph. 6:13) “And suffering with Christ, we have seen, is not the ordinary suffering, common to all in the fallen state, but only such sufferings as are the results, more or less directly, of the following of Christ’s example, in advocating unpopular truths and in exposing popular errors.” (Vol. 3, p. 209, emphasis added)

In the face of such clear statements by Brother Russell, it seems ridiculous in the extreme for any to decry controversy, and yet claim they are fully faithful to the Harvest Truth and That Servant’s teachings. Indeed, he was fully alerted to the fact that one of our Lord’s outstanding Second‑Advent works would be the polishing, developing of the Truth; and those who do not understand this are just that much out of Present Truth.

And more from Brother Russell in Vol. 2, pp. 236, 237: “As there [in the Jewish Harvest] the truth set the father against the son, the daughter against the mother, and the mother‑in‑law against the daughter‑in‑law, so again, a man’s foes are often they of his own household. This cannot be avoided. They who love peace more than truth will be tested, and they who love truth supremely will be accepted and approved as the overcomers, as in the Jewish Harvest... As we should expect we find it here: the blindest are the leaders of the blind, who, like their types, Know not the time of their visitation.” (Luke 19:44)

Now follows something from Reprints 5546, 5547 (emphasis added): “Today, as in Jesus’ time, many are influenced by the false representations of those to whom they have been accustomed to look as their spiritual shepherds. If then the world should come to be in sympathy with us as a people, and should speak well of us, and we should become popular, we should come under the condemnation expressed in the Master’s words, ‘Woe unto you when all men speak well of you; for so did their fathers unto the false prophets’... There are all manner of evil forces and influences surrounding us. These evil influences are of Satan and the fallen angels... As we look back, we can see that all who have walked in the narrow way have received persecution. Whoever has been in accord with God has been out of accord with the course of this world. There were the Baptists, and then the Methodists, who in the early days had persecution because they had had more light than others. The Presbyterians also for a time, because they had greater light than others, received persecution [from their former brethren, as was the case of our Lord and others – JJH]. And we must expect the same today. Persecution will come to those who have the courage of their convictions. The Lord tells us that the anointing that we have received of Him is for the very purpose that we may show forth His praises.” (1 Pet. 2:9)

In 2 Tim. 3:12 we are told, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” The only way such persecution may come is by “a good confession” of the Truth. Regardless of how much Truth we may know, if we do not sound forth the “trumpet,” nobody will bother us.

All of the foregoing is quite in harmony with St. Paul’s words in Rom. 12:2: “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed [changed in disposition, and the like] by the renewing of your mind [with Present Truth], that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Clearly enough, the great Apostle was a non‑conformist – “beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.” (Acts 26:24) As Mark Twain so ably stated, “Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform.” But in all of this it is well that we retain “the spirit of a sound mind” and, that we consider well the Apostle’s words to his beloved Philippians (Phil. 2:3-4, Dia.): “doing nothing from party‑spirit [Sectarianism], or vainglory... not each one regarding his own interests, but each one also those of others.” This same point was impressed upon the Jews immediately after they were delivered from Egyptian bondage: “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil [in sectarian blindness, or do‑nothing complacency].” (Ex. 23:2)

To be a “good soldier” one must have courage and combativeness ‑ not a good runner, but a good fighter. And, while “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,” (2 Cor. 10:4) many of God’s people throughout the Age have willingly answered the call to battle with “the sword of the spirit, which is God’s Word.” (Eph. 6:17, Dia.) The Adversary, ever seeking whom he may devour – and being a shrewd appraiser of human frailty – was quick to discern that many would face lions in the Roman arena, rather than forsake the “good fight.” Consequently, he aroused their combat­iveness against each other, with both sides on occasion being in error; yet contending so strenuously for their error that they destroyed each other. This mistake we should studiously and determinedly avoid, giving heed to the Prophet’s words, “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” (Isa. 30:15) We should ever bear in mind it is not characteristic of the Lord’s true people to wish destruction upon the gainsayers (Luke 9:53‑55); but to recover them if possible from their path of error. (Jas. 5:20, Dia.)

2 Tim. 2:25,26 (Dia.) offers excellent com­ple­ment to the foregoing: “In meekness cor­recting the opposers; perhaps God may give them a change of mind in order to a knowledge of the Truth; and that they may be recovered from the snare of the enemy...” Those of us who were not “born in the Truth” know by experience that at one time we had no ear for it; but God eventually gave us a “change of mind.” Thus, there may be some today who occupy our identical position before receiving this “change of mind”; so time and instruction may eventually cause them to receive it. This thought should always be in our mind as we appraise those who do not hear us now; they may hear us next year if we give them courteous and generous treatment.

Early in the 20th Century a few prominent preachers were alerted to the peace‑at-any‑price disposition already appearing. One said: “When Christianity disposes wholly with controversy it will be like a sleeping man – harmless and helpless ... Controversy was the life of Paul’s works – polite controversy, brotherly controversy; but strong in exposing error and building up the Truth. The Epistles were full of controversy. Moreover, many of Christ’s sayings were strictly controversial.” [The Christian Advocate, March 23, 1911] It is plainly evident that many who attend services in the various sects, and claiming to be “in the Truth” do no more about it than attend meetings. They have a nice place to “go to church.”

We now offer one more quotation from Brother Russell, found in Parousia Volume 2, pp. 358, 359: “In 2 Thes. 2:8‑12, the Apostle Paul declares concerning Antichrist: ‘Whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the spirit of his mouth, and annihilate with the bright shining [Epiphaneia] of his presence [Parousia].’ The light of truth is to penetrate every subject. By exposing rights and wrongs it will lead into the great struggle between these principles, and between the human exponents of each – causing the great time of trouble and wrath. In this struggle, wrong and evil shall fall, and right and truth shall triumph. Among other evils now to be finally and utterly destroyed is Antichrist, with which nearly every evil, of theory and practice, is more or less directly connected. And it will be this bright‑shining [Epiphaneia], this sunlight from the Lord’s presence, which will produce the day of trouble, because of and in which Antichrist, with every other evil system, will be destroyed. ‘Whose presence is with [accompanied by or during] an energetic operation of Satan [Satanic energy and action] with all power, and signs, and lying delusions, and with every iniquitous deception for those perishing; because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be preserved. And for this reason God will send to them a deluding power, that they might believe the error [pronouncedly true of those who have had Parousia Truth and now contend for ‘peace and tranquility’ instead of contending for the Truth – JJH]: so that all not believing the truth, but taking pleasure in iniquity, may be judged’ unworthy to share the Millennial Kingdom as joint heirs with Christ.

“We understand these words to imply that in the time of the Lord’s presence (since 1874), through this Antichrist system (one of the principal of Satan’s agencies for deceiving and controlling the world), as well as through all his other agencies, the devil will make a most desperate resistance to the new order of things about to be established. He will take advantage of every little circumstance, and all the inherited weaknesses and selfishness of the human family, to enlist their hearts and hands and pens in this final struggle against liberty and the full elucidation of truth. Prejudices will be enkindled where, if the truth were clearly seen, none would exist; and passionate zeal will be evoked, and partisan unions formed, which will deceive and mislead many [beginning at the House of the Lord among the Truth groups – JJH]. And this will be so, not because God has not made the truth clear enough to guide all the fully consecrated, but because those who will be deceived were not sufficiently in earnest in seeking out and using the truth provided as meat in due season. And thus it will be manifested that the class misled received not the truth in the love of it, but rather through custom, formality or fear.”

The manifesting is in this Epiphany. The Berean Comment on 2 Thes. 2:11: “Great delusions are just before us, and some of these may come closest upon those possessing the most light of Present Truth.”

To which the words of St. Paul may be added: “Praying at every season... on my behalf, that eloquence may be given me... to make known the secret of the Glad Tidings... that I may speak boldly concerning it... Peace to the Brethren, and Love with Faith, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. The favor be with all who sincerely love our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 6:18‑23, Dia.)

(Written by Brother John J. Hoefle in 1967. Reprint of No. 522, November 1, 2000, with minor editing.)

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A HARMONIOUS VIEW

Among Christian people there are three leading views relative to Christ’s coming. Stated briefly:

First: Second Adventists look for Christ’s coming, expecting that soon He will appear – a fleshly being – in the sky, when instantly the Church will be caught up into the air above the earth and there remain with Him, while fire and brimstone are rained upon the earth, burning it to a cinder. During the time it is burning, and until it cools off (probably thousands of years), Christ and the Church will be waiting in the clouds.

These will then take possession of the earth, which will become as the Garden of Eden again. There they expect to build houses and inhabit them, plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them, and long enjoy the work of their hands. (Isa. 65:21,22) There they expect to reign with Christ as kings and priests – over whom none can tell (unless over one another), since all the rest of man­kind must have long since burned up.

Second: Pre-Millenarians expect Christ to come unawares and gather the Church, and with them leave the world and go to heaven for a few years. During the absence of Christ and the Church, the world will be full of trouble, distress of nations, pouring out of the vials of wrath (more or less literal), etc. This trouble and distress will destroy or subdue unruly sinners, and then Christ Jesus and His Church will return to earth and inhabit a new Jerusalem City which will (literally) descend from the sky.

Christ and His saints – all glorious fleshly beings – [called spiritual as a compliment to Paul (1 Cor. 15:44-50), though held to be really fleshly] will then reign over the few of the nations which have survived the trouble. This reign will last a thousand years. Then the dead, so unfortunate as not to live during the Millennial Age, will be brought out of a “lake of fire” to earth, and arraigned for mock trial and condemnation before Christ Jesus and His Church. All will speedily be condemned and sent back to hell for never ending ages; then Christ and the Church will go to heaven and deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, and the world will be set on fire and melted – possibly to become, at some future time, again a stage for combat between new races of men and devils; or possibly to continue to roll through space a blackened cinder, a lasting memorial of the lost cause of man’s dominion, and of God’s lack of wisdom in undertaking to establish an earthly government of which man should be king. (Psa. 8:6)

Third: Post-Millenarians, by far the largest class, including nearly all so-called orthodox Christians, claim that the foregoing views are too gross and materialistic. They claim, and with good reason we think, that it would be very absurd to think of the glorious Christ and His Church (spiritual beings) either building houses and planting vineyards and enjoying the work of their hands, or reigning and living in a city in Israel. They think this would be progress backward and not forward. During this age, they say, the Church walks by faith and not by sight. To bring in a new age, in which it would walk by sight, would prove it to be a dispensation on a lower plane and not progression.

They claim that the Millennium, or 1,000 year reign of truth and righteousness, will be marked by no visible manifestation of Christ to men’s natural eyes, but that the Church, in her present condition, will stem the tide of evil and cause righteousness to prevail, and that thus God’s Kingdom – Church – (which they claim is now reigning) will conquer the world, and bring about the foretold blessedness and happiness to fill the earth. All this is to be accomplished without Jesus’ personal presence here, though they claim that the Church will have special spiritual help and power from Him in the great work. When the point is reached where all evil and wrong is subjected to right, the plan ends (i.e., if so aimless a supposition can be called a plan at all), and then Jesus comes and the mock trial and condemnation of the ignorant and unfortunate billions, who lived before the Millennial light had fully blazed forth, are re-consigned to endless woe and the earth destroyed by fire, much as Pre-Millennialists believe.

We cannot find words to express our thankfulness to our Father that we have been led into a much more harmonious and reasonable understanding of His plan than any of these views present. These are the human reasonings on the Word of God before the true light was due. Many still tenaciously hold these ideas of the past, but those who walk in the path, which shines more and more, are led into a more reasonable and harmonious view. (Prov. 4:18) We rejoice to be of those free from fetters of human creeds – free to search and believe God’s Word – free to be taught of God. Hence, as the Millennial morn is breaking, we are prepared to see light in God’s light.

The truth seems to lie between – the last two views being the extremes – Second Adventism being, in our judgment, the grossest and farthest from truth, except on the one point of man’s condition in death (unconsciousness).

Now, let us state briefly a fourth view of this subject. We ask a careful comparison of it, not only with the three above, but with God’s Word as a whole.

THE FOURTH VIEW

This view recognizes plan, system, purpose in all God’s works, reading them in His statements and in His doings. God did not form the earth to be burned, but to be inhabited. “He created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited” (Isa. 45:18). He created various orders of creatures adapted to the earthly home, of which man was the Chief – Lord – Ruler – King (1 Cor. 15:40; Psa. 8:6). This is God’s plan, and must ultimately be accomplished, but its accom­plishment requires the work of seven thousand years.

Man, to be in any degree a likeness of God, must have a free will, and, in order to properly use his will, he must have knowledge. God could have given him knowledge without experience, but instead He has permitted man to gain by experience. When man sinned by the exercise of his free will, God inflicted a righteous punishment and withdrew his life, and thus death reigned by sin, and man for 6,000 years has been experiencing “the exceeding sinfulness of sin” and the bitterness of its fruit.

During all this time God’s plan did not change. Man knew not of it, nor did the angels, for “angels desire to look into” these things, but have not been permitted. (1 Pet. 1:12) Meanwhile, God gave laws, and caused types and shadows of His plan to be enacted in a nation which He chose for this purpose (Israel). These shadows showed the leprous character of sin and pointed to the slain Lamb of God as the means and agency for its removal.

In due time Christ Jesus came and “gave himself a ransom [equivalent price] for all.” (1 Tim. 2:6) Did He come too soon, since sin must reign the full 6,000 years? No, our Father had another part of His plan hidden in this plan for earth! It was to select “a peculiar people,” “a little flock,” “the Bride,” who should be lifted out of the human nature entirely and become new creatures, partakers of the Bridegroom’s Divine nature. Thus the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, was not too soon, but in “due time.” All must be bought before any could be selected, and there was just sufficient time for the selection of the Bride before the due time should come for giving the human family a knowledge (experience) of good, and bringing in everlasting righteousness, and restoring the lost dominion to such as would have it.

We are now in the early dawn of the Millennial day. It is the best day of man’s week (7,000 years); the only one in which right will rule and wrong be fully subjected. Man will be restored by natural processes to the perfection once lost by the disobedience of one man, the right to which has been redeemed by the obedience of the man Christ Jesus. (Rom. 5:18)

During this Millennial Age Jesus and His Bride, no longer men but spiritual beings, will be personally present, directing and overruling the affairs of earth, but invisible to men, as angels have been in the past. As Satan and his angels (presently invisible yet ruling among men) have used Rome as so willing an agent that it is scripturally called by his name – the devil and Satan – so this spiritual Kingdom of God will operate through restored fleshly Israel, and find in it so willing an agency that it will be properly called also the Kingdom of God, and will extend its borders righteously, as the Roman counterfeit has attempted to do unrighteously, until the Kingdom shall fill the whole earth. Then shall be fulfilled the prayer of the Master, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10) Restored mankind shall plant and build and long enjoy the work of their hands, for “the earth abideth forever” (Ecc. 1:4) and was formed to be inhabited.

When sin and Adamic death are wiped out, and all its traces removed, and the incorrigible destroyed in the Second Death, then man, being in the condition in which he was first created – an image of his Creator, and possessed of an experimental knowledge of both good and evil – will be in the proper condition to receive and rightly use the first dominion. Then the dominion will be delivered up to God, even the Father, men being made accountable thereafter directly to God, instead of to Jesus as during the Millennial Age. During the Millennium the Father has committed all judgment unto the Son as His agent and man’s Redeemer. (1 Cor. 15:24; John 5:22)

Thus we glimpse God’s plan for bringing many sons to glory – some to the glory of perfect human nature and some to the glory of the Divine nature, the two glories being entirely different things. (1 Cor. 15:40) Surely we can say that it is a plan worthy of our God – full of Wisdom, Love, Justice and Power. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Rom. 11:33)

We are in the dawn of the glorious day. It is not yet sunrise (the shining forth of the Church – Matt. 13:43), but the “day star” (Jesus) has arisen in our hearts. (2 Pet. 1:19) We know of His presence – and the sunshine will before long dispel the darkness and storm with which this day opens. We believe this Millennial era commences with a time of trouble and the pouring out of symbolic plagues and vials. We believe the trouble and distress will be of a sort at first little appreciated by many. First, the nominal church systems, having filled their mission, are due to be destroyed. Secondly, earthly kingdoms, having served their purpose, are vessels of wrath fitted for destruction. (Rom. 9:22) Mankind, long held in bonds of ignorance, oppression and superstition, is to be released and prepared for their experience with good during Messiah’s reign.

As this Gospel Age is the time for trial of the Church, those called to the heavenly nature, so the Millennial Age is to be the time of trial of the world of mankind, both those living at the beginning of the Age and the resurrected dead, to determine who of them are worthy of human perfection and the dominion of earth.

(The above is from Pastor Russell reprint 469, with minor editing.)

________________________________________________________

Please direct all correspondence to:

P.O. Box 2246, Kernersville, NC 27285-2246

epiphanybiblestudents@gmail.com.

NO. 696: "THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN IN HEAVEN"

No. 696

“Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matt. 24:30)

Scholars have made various suggestions regarding the significance of this prophecy by the Master. Some have guessed that the sign would be a Cross in the sky. Others have thought it would be Christ Himself who would appear to humanity in some wrathful form, causing fear and dismay. The Parousia (presence) of Christ will not be known to the tribes (families) of the earth in general, so we cannot say that the sign of the Son of Man in heaven will be His Parousia, which will be known only to the most saintly ones of the Church of Christ. Consequently, the sign of the Son of Man must be related to His Epiphania, or shining forth in the “flaming fire” of judgment, which the whole world of mankind will recognize. (2 Thes. 1:7-9)

The word “sign” has broad meaning; for instance, black crepe is a sign of mourning; the Cross represents Christianity; the Crescent represents Islam. In other words, a sign is merely an indication. So when we read of the “sign of the Son of man in heaven,” the thought is that something will occur indicating the presence of the Son of Man – that He has assumed His great power and has begun His reign. Since the Son of Man is to be revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance, it follows that this sign must be some sign of vengeance, some indication of righteous indignation against wrong. (Isa. 59:17-18)

JUDGMENT TO BEGIN WITH ECCLESIASTICAL SYSTEMS

One might wonder how such a sign or indication could appear in the literal heavens, in the sky, but that is not the thought. We must remember that the Bible repeatedly uses the words heaven, mountain, and sea in a symbolic sense – the earth representing organized society; the mountains representing kingdoms (the backbones of this organized society); the seas representing the restless masses of humanity, continually seeking to swallow up the “earth” (the organized social structure).

In the same symbolic sense, the heavens represent the ecclesiastical powers of the world – organized nominal Christ­ianity (or “church­ianity”). The sign appearing in the heavens signifies that Christ’s judgments will begin with the eccles­iastical systems of our day. The flaming fire of judgments will first manifest itself in ecclesiastical affairs and circles.

Mankind will gradually awaken to the awareness that a new Government is in control, and that its policy will be the law of “judgment … to the line, and righteousness to the plummet.” (Isa. 28:17) Since unrighteousness prevails as a result of man’s fallen condition, the conscience of the whole world will be awakened. Fear and dread will come upon all classes everywhere, not only because they see the effects of Christ’s righteous judgments in religious affairs, but because they sense His judgments drawing nearer and nearer to their own affairs. Hence there will be mourning and wailing because of Him. (Rev. 1:7)

All the families of the earth have very crude and incorrect views of Messiah and the object of His Second Coming and Kingdom. The “doctrines of devils,” brought into the church creeds during the Dark Ages, have so made void the Word of God that the majority of mankind fear the Almighty, dread Him as their Almighty Foe, instead of realizing Him to be the God of all grace and the Father of all mercies: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father….” (1 Tim. 4:1; Jas. 1:17) The eyes of the world have been blinded to the goodness of God. Terrible dread in the hearts of humanity will lead to the wail of fear as they perceive Christ’s righteous judgments encircling all the earth.

Not knowing of the glorious blessings which Messiah’s Kingdom will bring to mankind, human hearts will be filled with dread and apprehension. Only those who are truly the Lord’s and are rightly informed respecting the Divine Plan of the Ages will be able to lift up their heads and rejoice, knowing that their “redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)

THE FIRE OF THAT DAY

St. Peter describes this sign of the Son of Man in the heavens, this revelation in flaming fire, saying, “the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved,” and “the earth also [shall take fire] and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Pet. 3:10-12) While our forefathers supposed that these descriptions meant a literal burning of the literal earth, we realize that the symbolic earth and the symbolic heavens are to catch fire and pass away with a great commotion, while the physical earth will remain practically as it is, and will begin to undergo the transforming influences of Restitution under the new King, the Restorer of all things – The Christ. (Acts 3:19-21)

The Apostle tells us that “the elements shall melt with fervent heat.” (2 Pet. 3:10) We see the division between the elements of capital and labor; we see the growing divide between the privileged elements and the under­privileged elements. We see the preparations for the great conflagration, the great Time of Trouble. We sometimes speak of it in this language, saying, “Things are getting very hot.” They will eventually be so hot that spontaneous combustion will set in.

The fire of that Day will be extreme and its results drastic, fulfilling the Master’s words that “except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matt. 24:22) Because of the Elect, because of the Kingdom which will then be set up, those days will be shortened – brought to an end. Nothing will be destroyed except that which is injurious. The world-wide results of that flaming fire of Divine judgments will be corrective, preparing men’s hearts for the blessings which the Lord will then pour out. Thus it is written, “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” (Isa. 26:9)

Notice that St. Peter mentions the fire as coming to the heavens before it reaches the earth, in just the same order that Jesus stated the matter. The sign, manifestation, of the flaming fire of judgments will appear in the heavens; and subsequently the sign of the Son of Man in judgment will be seen coming nearer and nearer to earth’s affairs – society and its political, financial and social organizations – for the purpose of purging them absolutely from everything sinful, selfish, and unjust. We are to expect the ecclesiastical systems to pass away with a great noise – a great commotion – before the social order is fully reached by the consuming fire.

THE FALL OF BABYLON

The same thought is brought to our attention in Revelation, where a wide distinction is made between the nominal church systems, called Babylon, and the true Church, which is admonished in advance to come out of Babylon and to stand in personal relationship to God through Christ. This general call, which belongs to the end of the Age, before the judgments come upon Babylon, reads, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:4-5) The intimation is that as soon as the loyally obedient have been gathered out of Babylon some drastic trouble will come upon her.

We do not believe the Scriptural term “Babylon” applies to any one denomination or sect, but rather refers to the general conglomeration of systems and denominations. Likewise, when reading of the utter destruction that is to come upon Babylon, we are to differentiate between the systems and the individuals connected with those systems. We should not apply this term “Babylon” to individuals, but to the great systems, outwardly having a form of godliness, but really mis­representing the Divine character, the Divine Plan, the true teachings of the Bible. Of course, the individual leaders of these systems are more or less responsible, depending upon their official position and influence, so consequently they may have tribulations in conjunction with the fall of Babylon.

The judgments of the Lord are not designed to crush or destroy humanity, but to destroy utterly the systems of error, bondage and superstition which have fettered humanity and hindered it from fuller progress and development in the knowledge and favor of God. With the fall of the great systems (Babylon, confusion) men’s eyes and ears will begin to open, “And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.” (Isa. 29:18) As a result, the high praises of God will arise as a sweet savor.

The fall of Babylon is declared to come speedily and suddenly: “…in one [figurative] hour is thy judgment come.” (Rev. 18:10) The descriptions of her fall are various but all point to her total destruction. In one place we read that she shall be utterly burned with fire, while in another place we read that Babylon shall be cast like a great millstone into the sea and be found no more at all. (Jer. 51:58; Rev. 18:8-21)

“EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM”

Throughout this Gospel Age, the Lord’s people have with the eye of faith recognized Jesus as their Redeemer and Deliverer, but comparatively few have had such eyes of faith and understanding. The majority, as the Apostle Paul declares, are blinded by Satan and by error, and fail to get a proper, true view of Christ: “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.” (2 Cor. 4:4) But God’s gracious promise is that all the blinded eyes shall be opened.

The experiences of two thousand years have done little toward opening the eyes of the world; but the revelation of Messiah in flaming fire will attract their attention quickly: “Behold he cometh with clouds [of trouble]; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him” – the Jews. (Rev. 1:7) Instinctively, they will be fearful. It may require a considerable time for them to become fully persuaded that the One feared is their best Friend, who gave His life as their Redemption-price, whose judgments in the earth are for the very purpose of breaking the bondage of fear, ignorance, superstition, sin, selfishness and injustice, allowing the whole world to go free from the sin-slavery which has long oppressed them. (Rom 11:25-27)

In due time they will learn that the fire of God’s anger does not burn against the sinners but merely against their sins, and they will begin to see the length, the breadth, the height and the depth of God’s Love, which the Apostle describes. (Eph. 3:14-19; Rom. 5:6-8)

The Bible clearly points out that the Jews will be in the trouble. It will be “the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.” (Jer. 30:7) By that time the Gospel Church will have been completed and will have passed beyond the veil. God’s favor will then be restored to Natural Israel, and the time for the special manifestation of that favor will be in the dark hour of Jacob’s trouble, when the Jews are surrounded by enemies. In and through that trouble the Lord will pour upon them the spirit of grace and of supplication, and they will look upon Him whom they pierced. (Zech. 12:10) They will discern that they made a great and horrific mistake in crucifying the Friend of Sinners, their long-promised Messiah. We are told that they shall mourn because of Him, and that then the spirit of supplication will come to them and they will see Jesus in His real character.

Divine favor will be manifested on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord will deliver them, as in olden times. Their eyes of faith and understanding will open more and more widely. Eventually, according to the Bible, they will become the leaders of mankind in returning to God, who will abundantly pardon their iniquity and grant them a prominent share in the blessings of His Kingdom. (Zech. 14:3; Rom. 2:10; 11:25-27)

FEW STRIPES AND MANY STRIPES

The great Messianic Kingdom will not spare the rod, but will inflict punishments for the world’s correction in righteousness. Some will suffer more and some less, according to the Master’s own statements. Those understanding the principles of righteousness and willfully violating them will be beaten heavily, “with many stripes”; while others who knew little will receive fewer stripes in proportion to their ignorance. All the stripes, however, will be reformatory, intended to help and encourage the transgressors to abandon the ways of iniquity and to walk in the paths of righteousness. (Luke 12:47-48; Isa. 26:9)

That will be a happy Day for earth’s billions – a Day with the Lord being a thousand years. (2 Pet. 3:8) Everywhere there will be evidences of the operation of Divine Mercy and Justice, and the necessary lessons will be quickly learned by all people. We cannot doubt that even fifty years of Kingdom influence will make a wonderful change in human affairs and conditions. The blessing of the Lord will come to the earth in proportion as God’s will shall be done by mankind.

Finally, with sin eliminated and all the willfully wicked destroyed, every creature on earth, as well as in Heaven, will be heard saying, “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Rev. 5:13) Then, and not until then, will God’s will be done on earth, even as it is done in Heaven; for not until then will there be a perfect human race capable of doing God’s will. Having passed the test of God’s judgment, all of mankind will delight to do His will.

Let us not be identified with the ecclesiastical heavens nor wail with the world at the sign of their dissolution. Rather, it is our privilege as followers of Jesus to walk in His steps, to the best of our ability, and to stand for the Truth.

We’ve been watching, we’ve been waiting,

For the star that brings the day;

For the night of sin to vanish,

And the mists to roll away.

We’ve been watching, we’ve been waiting,

For the beauteous King of day,

For the chiefest of ten thousand,

For the Light, the Truth, the Way.

We begin to see the dawning

Of the bright Millennial day;

Soon the shadows, weary shadows,

Shall forever pass away.

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(Based on a discourse from

Pastor Russell’s Sermons, page 420)

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THE JUDGMENT DAY PICTURED BY JESUS

“For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me…Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matt. 25:35-36,40)

This Scripture is generally misunderstood and misused, most believing it to refer to the Gospel Age. But the context shows that the Lord is here referring to those living in the Millennial Age. The principle, however, is helpful to us now, because whoever does a kindness for any one belonging to the Lord at any time is counted by Him as doing it unto Him.

In the parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matt. 25:31-46) we read, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations.” Those spoken of here as gathered before the Throne will be the whole world of mankind (not the Church, which will be with Him on His Throne – Col. 3:4; Rev. 3:21).

Those gathered are sometimes referred to as Gentiles, meaning those not in covenant relationship with God. In the past God made a covenant with the nation of Israel alone; therefore, all other nations and peoples were outsiders. During this Gospel Age God has made a covenant with the Church, through Christ, a special Covenant. The opportunity to make this Covenant of Sacrifice has been open throughout the Gospel Age; and those coming to God through that covenant are said to be Israelites indeed. (Gal. 3:8,16,29; John 1:47)

In this parable Jesus refers, not to Christians, but to Gentiles – the world in general who will be gathered before Messiah’s Throne. “And he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” It is not a separation of classes, but a separation of individuals. Whoever is tried and demonstrates that he is a goat will go to the left. Whoever proves himself to be a sheep will go to the right. In figurative language the Lord thus designates the place of disfavor on the left and that of favor on the right. The parable shows that these two classes will not be aware of the fact that they are going to the right or to the left. Not until the conclusion of the trial do they find out where they stand.

The whole picture refers to the thousand years of the Messianic Reign, the world’s judgment, the world’s trial. The sole object of that Reign is to prove who of mankind will desire to be God’s sheep, coming into His fold and having His Son as their Shepherd, and who will not come into harmony with Him, but will have a goat-like nature. They will then be rewarded or punished accordingly.

MINISTERING UNTO MILLENNIUM BRETHREN

In what way will the people have an opportunity of ministering to the Lord’s brethren during the Millennial Age? We note that the Apostles were in prison sometimes because of their service to the Lord and were ministered unto; and that some of the Lord’s followers since have been in prison or in need of assistance; but probably not very many have been in prison or hungry or naked. Hence it is difficult to see how this parable could refer to the Church. Now we see the explanation: Throughout the Millennial Age the Messiah will be dealing with the world of mankind, the majority of whom are now in the great prison-house of death.

The Apostle Paul, in speaking of the resurrection, says that the dead shall come forth “every man in his own order” (company or class). They will not all come forth at once. The Church class will come forth first; then the Great Company class; and early in the new order of things will come forth the Ancient Worthies, who will be the earthly representatives of God’s Kingdom. (1 Cor. 15:21-23) As Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews who rejected Him, “Ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 13:28) They will be the human representatives of the Heavenly Kingdom, which will be invisible. Jesus said nothing about them seeing Jesus Himself or His disciples in the Kingdom. He did say, however, “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more.” (John 14:19)

St. John tells us that the Church shall be like her Lord (1 John 3:2), thus if the world will not see Him, they will not see the Church; for the Church will be spirit beings that cannot be seen. So we have these orders, at least: The Little Flock, the Great Company, the Ancient Worthies, and the world of mankind – “every man in his own order.”

Jesus said, “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth;” and “they that hear [obey] shall live.” (John 5:25,28-29) As those of the world return from the tomb, we think it will be in answer to prayer, very much the same as did Lazarus. The Lord Jesus, said, “Where have ye laid him?” Then He lifted up His eyes and prayed to the Father, after which He said, “Lazarus, come forth.” (John 11:34,41-44)

We do not understand that in the Millennial Age the people will have power to command the dead to come forth from the tomb, but that our Lord Jesus will have that power. As He prayed for the restoration of Lazarus, not because of any service which Lazarus would do for Him, but because Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary, so we conceive that nearly all the world will come forth in answer to the prayers of their brothers, their sisters, their parents, children and friends.

We think that as Restitution progresses during the Millennial Age, the Lord will let the people know of the privilege they might have of cooperating with God, joining with Christ in the work of Restitution. Thus they will pray for the return of their loved ones and will make provision for them. Each will thus be brought forth, preparations being made to assist them when they would come back into life. This whole work of bringing mankind back into life will be God’s work. It will be the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the work of spirit beings, as God’s agents. But human beings will be permitted to cooperate, through their love for humanity. The “sheep” class of that Age will be those who will have the Lord’s spirit; and as the Lord’s purpose will be to bring people back from death, to teach them and to prepare them for eternal life, all the sheep will feel the same way. This they will do gladly, because they have a love for this work. They will be feeding, clothing and helping those whom they have gotten out of the prison-house of death. Their prayers will go out continually after those in prison. This explains the whole work of the Millennial Age, and shows how all the people will come into harmony with God.

A SELFISH CLASS AND AN UNSELFISH CLASS

There will certainly be some who will not be interested in helping their fellow men, but will be more interested in enjoying the abundant blessings available in the Millennial Age. The sheep class will be busy working, but the goat class will be showing their selfish disposition. God does not purpose that any who are selfish shall have everlasting life. Selfishness came into the world as a result of sin. We were all born selfish, but we have better knowledge now and are beginning to see God’s way. All in true sympathy with God and righteousness will then cultivate love in their hearts.

As the sheep class provides for those already recovered from the prison-house of death, they will ask for others to come back. Those with the sheep-like disposition will not be reluctant to help those not considered worthy or desirable before they died. They will be glad to welcome back all (even those who believed they were going to eternal torment when they died) and introduce them to the blessings they never imagined would come. The sheep class will seek to cooperate with Christ in the work of blessing the world and in the process they will develop a noble, Christ-like character. They will be helping themselves, as well as helping those raised from the dead.

At the close of the Millennial Age the Lord will place on His right hand the sheep class who ministered to His Millennial brethren, saying to them: “Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matt. 25:34) The Kingdom referred to is the earthly paradise originally given to Father Adam (Gen. 1:26-28), but lost through his disobedience. No other class will be given this earthly Kingdom.

The heavenly Kingdom is for those of the Church who have been proven worthy. Those of the world who cultivate the Lord’s spirit will receive the Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world while the Church will receive the Kingdom prepared from before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:4)

EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED

There is another part to this parable that we cannot neglect. It reads: “And these [the goat class] shall go away into everlasting punishment.” (Matt. 25:46) We believe in everlasting punishment because we always believe in everything the Bible says. But what kind of punishment it will be is another matter. The Bible says that the punishment will be death, and we believe the Bible. (Rom. 6:23; Ezek. 18:4)

The creeds of the Dark Ages tell us that everlasting death means everlasting dying, endless torture. So when the Bible speaks of everlasting death, some people have their heads so twisted that they make death mean life. There is such a thing as everlasting death. When the goat class are remanded to death, they will become dead everlastingly. They will remain dead to all eternity. The Greek word kolasis, here rendered punishment, is from the root word kolazo, meaning to cut off, or to restrain by cutting off.

God will give men all the opportunities they wish to be selfish, to choose the wrong way. They will have the opportunities and blessings of the Millennial Age, as long as they do not outwardly violate the Law, as long as they do not injure somebody else. They will not be forced to help those returning from the dead, as that work will be one of charity, of love. But unless they attain the spirit of love, they will not be fit for the Kingdom; for God is Love. No one shall attain everlasting life except those who are in accord with God, whether on the spirit plane in the heavenly Kingdom or on the human plane in the everlasting Kingdom of mankind upon the earth. All others will be everlastingly destroyed, cut off, from life: “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.” (Psa. 37:9; Acts 3:23; Psa. 101:8; 2 Thes. 1:9)

FIRE A SYMBOL OF DESTRUCTION

Concerning the wicked, our parable says, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41) Fire always symbolizes destruction, and everlasting fire would mean an everlasting destruction. The Devil is the father of lies, “a murderer from the beginning,” the one who “abode not in the truth.” (John 8:44) He has assistants, “the angels which kept not their first estate.” (Jude 6) Instead of remaining holy angels, they became demons, associated under Satan. Their final penalty is to be quite appropriate for them – fire, the fire of God’s anger, the fire of God’s opposition. As fire destroys, so God’s anger will destroy Satan and all in harmony with him. Because the goat class of mankind will manifest the selfish spirit of Satan, contrary to the Divine spirit, they will have their portion with Satan and the fallen spirits and be destroyed in the Second Death. This will cleanse the universe and have everything pure. Not a sinner will be left in it.

Thenceforth all will be governed by love. The Lord Jesus Christ and the Church having been tried; the Great Company will be tried before being received into the Heavenly condition. In the days of Noah all the angels were tried (those who did not maintain their condition of loyalty to God were cast down to tartarus – that is, to our earth’s atmosphere, and there restrained until the judgment day – 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). So all mankind will be tried during the thousand years of Messiah’s reign, and only the victors will go into the everlasting conditions. No wonder that the Revelator, prophesying of that glorious time, says: “And every creature which is in heaven [the Church, the Great Company, the angels, the cherubim and seraphim], and on the earth, and under the earth [those now in the tomb]…heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Rev. 5:13)

Soon all shall sing Hosannas to our Heavenly King; hail Him Lord of all!

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(Based on a discourse from Pastor Russell’s Sermons, page 224)

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INTO THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW

It is with great sadness that we report the death of our faithful brother in the Truth, William Dallas Dunnagan. He was born on October 28, 1925 and entered into the “sleep in Jesus” on May 31, 2015. As a member of the Mount Dora ecclesia, he spent countless hours in the work of the Bible House, until advancing age made it no longer possible. As a faithful student of the Bible, he always testified of the promises of God – namely the coming Kingdom, the resurrection of the dead, and the times of restitution of all things. The Daily Heavenly Manna book entry for his birth date is most appropriate:

“The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me…to comfort all that mourn,…to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning... (Isa. 61:1-3)

“OUR commission is to seek out the meek and the mourning ones, who have appreciated their own shortcomings and weaknesses, and who are looking for refuge and deliverance. It is part of our commission to point them to the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world, to point them to the beauty of the resurrection for the ashes of death, and the glories which the Lord has promised by and by to take the place of the spirit of heaviness and disappointment and sorrow and trouble of this present time. It is our commission to tell such that ‘Joy cometh in the morning,’ and to assist them to arise and at once put on the garments of praise, and to begin to walk in newness of life, with a ‘new song in their mouths – even the lovingkindness of our God.’ Z. '04-295 R3436:1”

________________________________________________________

Please direct all correspondence to:

P.O. Box 2246, Kernersville, NC 27285-2246

epiphanybiblestudents@gmail.com.

NO. 695: "THY WORD IS TRUTH"

No. 695

“Your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2:5)

So-called “higher criticism”1 is rapidly effacing all Bible doctrines, discrediting them and claiming that they are unnecessary to the Christian life. We hold the opposite view that sound doctrinal faith is essential to proper Christian living. The unchristian persecutions of the Dark Ages were founded upon false doctrines, the traditions of men, which made void the word of God. Over time the faith returned to some extent to a proper scriptural foundation, and to that extent better Christian living and the cessation of persecutions resulted.

The tendency today is in the opposite direction, toward the loss of all scriptural faith, hope and love. Today it is claimed that education will take the place of a divinely inspired faith and will promote righteousness and love. This is a misleading claim. So long as selfishness constitutes the basis of the fallen human nature, it cannot be trusted to lift itself into the realm of loving righteousness. The calamity of this error will soon manifest itself in selfishness and lawless anarchy.

In the meantime, all true Christians should seek earnestly for the old paths and for the “faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3), not standing in the wisdom of men, no matter how highly they may regard their own wisdom as Higher Critics, Evolutionists, etc. The true Christian, if at all logical, will quickly discern that if the Bible is a divine revelation, its testimonies should be received absolutely. If its divine inspiration is denied, it should be accredited no more honor than any other book. Thankfully, as the eyes of our understanding open more and more widely, we discern internal evidences in the Scriptures which demonstrate their truthfulness and establish our faith more and more firmly.

The Bible is commonly judged, not on its own merits, but on the erroneous doctrines of the Dark Ages which are in reality perversions and misrepresentations of the divine message. When these unreasonable and false doctrines are exposed, the faith of God’s true people will be strengthened, standing in the power of God as revealed to us in His Word.

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1“Higher criticism” (also called “historical criticism”) treats the Bible as texts created by human beings at particular historical times and for various human motives (in contrast with the treatment of the Bible as the inerrant word of God). It originated with anti-Christian writers whose goal was to discredit and ridicule the Bible and Christianity, but eventually liberal (and some mainstream) theologians began to adopt higher criticism analysis techniques. It is distinguished from “lower criticism” (also called “textual criticism”) which endeavors to determine what the texts of the Bible originally said before they were altered through transcription and translation errors, intentional or unintentional. We have no objection to this type of analysis.

AN INTELLIGENT CREATOR

The Bible does not attempt to prove the existence of a first great cause; on the contrary, it assumes and declares that the whole universe demonstrates God’s existence and intelligence: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.” (Psa. 19:1-3) The Bible declares, and mankind almost universally admits, that the one who at heart denies the existence of a God is of unsound mind – non compos mentis. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” (Psa. 14:1)

If we knew no Bible, no revelation of the divine plan in connection with our earth and its inhabitants, we would instinctively look for one. Reason would teach us that the great system, the universe of which we are a part, could not have come by chance, and that the One so great, so powerful, must be correspondingly wise, correspondingly just, correspondingly loving. Such being His character, He must have created the human race with some good, just, wise, loving intention, which He would not be ashamed to have His creatures know. Moreover, having endowed us with mental powers and aspirations, He must know that some at least of the human family would be deeply interested in every feature of His plan, even though other minds might be able to satisfy themselves with the earthly things of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

May we not assume then that the Almighty would be pleased to note the interest of some in His great plan, and that He would have pleasure in making known to them its provisions for their blessing and comfort? The very qualities of the divine character that reason points to would seem to imply that divine justice, wisdom, love and power would provide a revelation, a Bible. Our question then should be “Does the Bible furnish satisfactory proof of its divine authority, so that we can rest our faith upon its testimonials?”

THE INSPIRATION OF THE SCRIPTURES

Disbelief usually attacks the Bible from the outside, claiming lack of evidence that it came from God, asserting that it is of merely human production. No other book bears stronger outward evidences of the sincerity of its writers. The complete harmony of these writings, spreading over eighteen centuries, well corroborates their testimony that they spoke and wrote under divine inspiration. What other collection of writings covering so long a period could be found in absolute accord, one with the other? We know of none, and assert that this harmony of the sacred writings corroborates their old claim that they were all composed by the Holy Spirit of God.

It is true there are other books from which wise and just sayings may be quoted, but we believe that no one thoroughly acquainted with those writings would for a moment claim for them a parity with our Bible. Those who claim that the Genesis account of creation is not sufficiently ample and scientific will not appreciate the reasonableness and simplicity of the record until they begin to compare it with the statements of other religions. Take for instance the ancient Chinese teaching upon this subject as an illustration. It depicts the great god and his son in a skiff. To prevent grounding, the son-god put out his hand to push off from the shore and shallows and incidentally caught a handful of pebbles and mud, which he shaped into a ball and tossed out upon the waters, and the ball grew and grew until it became the present earth. The most obstinate critic who will turn from this record of creation to the one given in our Bible must admit that the Genesis account is sublimely grand, clear and explicit in comparison.

It is when we examine the internal evidences of the Bible’s credibility as the word of God that we find ourselves astonished. Its testimony is so satisfactory and so far superior, not only to the creeds of the Dark Ages, but towering high above the theories of its modern critics. Even its opponents must admit that it has been a torch of civilization and liberty. Its influence for good in society has been recognized by the greatest statesmen, even though they for the most part have viewed it through the various glasses of conflicting creeds which grievously misrepresent its teachings.

The central figure of the Bible is Jesus of Nazareth. Every promise and every prophecy of the Old Testament points to Him as the one through whom comes hope for a fallen and condemned race. Every testimony of the New Testament points to Jesus alone as the one whose sacrificial death atonement has been effected, and they all point also to Him as the coming one, at whose second advent the blessing of God will be poured out in harmony with all the prophecies of the past. They give us the assurance that the work of this Gospel Age has been the selection from among believers of a “little flock” of fully consecrated followers of Jesus. Through disciplines and trials these faithful followers shall ultimately be perfected in the first resurrection, constituting with their Lord Jesus the long promised Kingdom of God. All the families of the earth shall be blessed through the just and loving rule of this Kingdom, and those who will come into heart accord with righteousness shall obtain eternal life.

A plan of salvation so deep, so broad, so just, so kind, so far beyond the scope of human ingenuity, demonstrates that those who proclaimed this Gospel with such absolute unanimity and with such absolute faith in it themselves, were indeed supremely directed.

The sincerity of the Prophets and the Apostles is demonstrated by the fact that their faith was not to their earthly advantage. On the contrary, it brought them trials, testings and in many cases persecutions even unto death. The Apostle Paul sums up the experiences of Abraham and of all the faithful who walked in his steps down to the time of Jesus, saying, “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented, (Of whom the world was not worthy).” (Heb. 11:37-38)

The writers of the New Testament give similar evidences of their sincerity. Their advocacy of Jesus as the Messiah did not bring them wealth and influence and honor of men, bringing instead self-denials, persecutions, etc. According to all reasonable rules of evidence such men must be considered truthful, honorable, upright, witnesses of the highest character. No other history in the whole world stands upon such unimpeachable foundations.

Having established the sincerity of the writers, let us examine the character of the writings claimed to be inspired, to see whether their teachings correspond with the character we have reasonably imputed to God, and whether they bear internal evidences of their truthfulness.

The first five books of the New Testament and several of the Old Testament are narratives of historical facts known to the writers and vouched for by their characters. It is obvious that it did not require a special revelation to simply tell the truth with reference to matters with which they were intimately and fully acquainted. It in no way invalidates the truthfulness of certain books of the Bible, such as Kings, Chronicles, Judges, etc., when we say that they are simply carefully kept histories of prominent events and persons of their times.

The Hebrew Scriptures contain history, as well as the law and the prophecies. Their histories, genealogies, etc., were explicitly detailed because of the expectancy that the promised Messiah would come in a particular line from Abraham. Knowing this, we see a reason for the recording of certain facts of history. For instance, a clear record of Judah’s children is given, of whom came David, the king, through whom the genealogy of Mary, Jesus’ mother, as well as that of Joseph, her husband, is traced back to Abraham. (Luke 3:23,31,33,34; Matt. 1:2-16)

Since the king of Israel, as well as the promised Messiah, was to come of the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10), it was necessary to thoroughly establish this genealogy. Hence the minutiae of detail not given in other instances. (Gen. 38)

THE BOOKS OF MOSES

That the Bible contains no positive statement that these books were written by Moses does not disprove the thought; for had another written them to deceive and commit a fraud, he would surely have claimed credit.

The distinguished law-giver Moses did not seek to perpetuate or increase his own power by placing the government of the people under the control of his direct relatives of the priestly tribe, to use their religious authority to fetter the rights and liberties of the people. On the contrary, he introduced to the people a form of government calculated to cultivate the spirit of liberty. The histories of other nations and rulers show no parallel to this; in all other cases, the rulers have sought their own aggrandizement and power, even in instances where they have aided in establishing republics.

Moses was a champion of freedom, putting the government of the people completely into their own hands. Although it was stipulated that the weightier cases which the governors could not decide were to be brought unto Moses, yet they themselves were the judges as to what cases went before Moses. Thus we see that Israel was a republic whose officers acted under a divine commission. And to the confusion of those who ignorantly claim that the Bible sanctions an imperial rule over the people, instead of “a government of the people, by the people,” be it noted that this republican form of civil government continued for over four hundred years. It was then changed for that of a kingdom at the urgent request of the people themselves.

The instructions given to those appointed to civil rule were a model of simplicity and purity, as from God. Moses declared to the people, in the hearing of those judges: “I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger [foreigner] that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.” (Deut. 1:16-17)

In view of these facts, what shall we say of the theory which suggests that these books were written by knavish priests to secure to themselves influence and power over the people? Would such men for such a purpose forge records destructive to the very aims they sought to advance, records which prove conclusively that the great Chief of Israel, and one of their own tribe, at the instance of God, cut off the priesthood from civil power by placing that power in the hands of the people? Does anyone consider such a conclusion reasonable?

Again, it is worthy of note that the laws of the most advanced civilization of our time do not more carefully provide that rich and poor stand on a common level in accountability before the civil law. Absolutely no distinction was made by Moses’ laws. And as for the protection of the people from the dangers incident to some becoming very poor and others excessively wealthy and powerful, no other national law has ever been enacted which so carefully guarded this point. Moses’ law provided for a restitution every fiftieth year, their jubilee year. This law, by preventing the absolute alienation of property, thereby prevented its accumulation in the hands of a few. (Lev. 25:9, 13-23, 27-30)

All the laws were made public, thus preventing designing men from successfully tampering with the rights of the people. The laws were exposed in such a manner that any who chose might copy them; and, in order that the poorest and most unlearned might not be ignorant of them, it was made the duty of the priests to read them to the people at their septennial festivals. (Deut. 31:10-13)

Is it reasonable to suppose that such laws, and arrangements were designed by bad men, or by men scheming to defraud the people of their liberties and happiness? In its regard for the rights and interests of foreigners and of enemies, the Mosaic Law was many centuries ahead of its time. Indeed, the laws of the most civilized nations of today do not equal it in fairness and benevolence. We read:

“Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger [foreigner], as for one of your own country: for I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 24:22; Ex. 12:49)

“And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land … thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Lev. 19:33,34)

“If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again….” (Ex. 23:4,5)

Even the lower animals were not forgotten. Cruelty to these as well as to human beings was prohibited strictly. An ox must not be muzzled while threshing the grain, for the good reason that any laborer is worthy of his food. Even the ox and the ass must not plow together, because so unequal in strength and tread; it would be cruelty. Their rest was also provided for. (Deut. 25:4; 22:10; Ex. 23:12)

The priesthood may be claimed by some to have been a selfish institution, because the tribe of Levites was supported by the annual tenth, or tithe, of the individual produce of their brethren of the other tribes. To state that the priesthood was a privileged class is an unfair presentation too common to skeptics. It was, in fact, founded upon the strictest equity. When Israel came into possession of the land of Canaan, the Levites certainly had as much right to a share of the land as the other tribes; yet, by God’s express command, they got none of it, except certain cities or villages for residence, scattered among the various tribes, whom they were to serve in religious things. Instead of the land, some equivalent should surely be provided them, and the tithe was therefore this reasonable and just provision.

Furthermore, though the tithe was a just debt, it was not enforced as a tax, but was to be paid as a voluntary contribution. No threat bound the people to make those contributions; all depended upon their conscientiousness. The only exhortations to the people on the subject are as follows: “Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.” (Deut. 12:19) “And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee” (in the land). (Deut. 14:27)

Moses, the pious and noble law-giver, denied that the laws were his own, and attributed them to God. (Ex. 24:12; Deut. 9:9-11; Ex. 26:30; Lev. 1:1) In view of his general character, and his commands to the people not to bear false witness and to avoid hypocrisy and lying, is it reasonable to suppose that such a man bore false witness and palmed off his own views and laws for those of God? Although Moses’ successors included bad men who did seek their own and not the people’s good, it is evident that they did not tamper with the sacred writings, which are pure to this day.

THE PROPHETS OF THE BIBLE

Glance now at the general character of the Prophets of the Bible and their testimonies. A rather remarkable fact is that the Prophets, with few exceptions, were not of the priestly class. In their day their prophecies were generally repugnant to the degenerating and time-serving priesthood, as well as to the idolatrously inclined people. The focus of their message from God to the people was generally reproof for sin and warnings of coming punishments, intertwined with promises of future blessings that would come once the people were cleansed from sin and returned to favor with God.

In some instances, their true character as God’s Prophets was not recognized until years after their death. We should remember that there was no priestly intervention in the giving of the law to Israel; it was given by God to the people by the hand of Moses. (Ex. 19:17-25; Deut. 5:1-5) Furthermore, it was made the duty of every man seeing a violation of the law to reprove the sinner. (Lev. 19:17) Thus all had the authority to teach and reprove; but as in our own day, the majority were absorbed in the cares of business, and became indifferent and irreligious. Accordingly, compar­atively few fulfilled this requirement of reproving sin and exhorting to godliness; and these preachers are termed “Prophets” in both the Old and New Testaments.

The term prophet generally signifies public expounder, and the public teachers of idolatry were also called prophets. Out of the large class called prophets, God at various times made choice of some whom He specially commissioned to deliver messages, relating sometimes to things then at hand, at other times to future events. It is to the writings of this class, who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit of God, that we are now giving attention. They are properly designated as divinely commissioned Prophets or seers.

When it is remembered that these Prophets were mainly laymen, drawing no support from the tithes of the priestly tribe, and when, added to this, is the fact that they frequently not only reproved kings and judges, but also priests (though they did not reprove the office but only the personal sins of the men who filled it), it becomes evident that we could not reasonably decide that these Prophets were parties to any league, of priests or others, to fabricate falsehood in the name of God.

Let us next inquire whether there exists any link, or bond of union, between the records of Moses, those of the other Prophets, and those of the New Testament writings. If we find one common line of thought interwoven throughout these writings, which span a period of eighteen hundred years, this in connection with the character of the writers will be a good reason for admitting their claim that they were divinely inspired. This is especially true if the theme common to all of them is a grand and noble one, conforming well with what sanctified common sense teaches regarding the character and attributes of God.

THE BIBLE ONE AND HARMONIOUS

This we do find: One plan, spirit, aim and purpose pervades the entire book. Its opening pages record the creation and fall of man; its closing pages tell of man’s recovery from the fall and its intervening pages show the successive steps of the plan of God for the accomplishment of this purpose. The harmony, yet contrast, of the first three and the last three chapters of the Bible is striking. The one describes the first creation, the other the renewed or restored creation, with sin and its penal curse removed; the one shows Satan and evil entering the world to deceive and destroy, the other shows Satan’s work undone, the destroyed ones restored, evil extinguished and Satan destroyed; the one shows the dominion lost by Adam, the other shows it restored and forever established by Christ, and God’s will done on earth as in heaven; the one shows sin to be the cause of degradation, shame and death, the other shows the reward of righteousness to be glory, honor and life.

Though written by many pens, at various times and under different circumstances, the Bible is not merely a collection of moral precepts, wise maxims and words of comfort. It is much more; it is a reasonable, philosophical and harmonious statement of the causes of present evil in the world, its only remedy and the final results as seen by divine wisdom, which saw the end of the plan from before its beginning. It also marks the pathway of God’s people, upholding and strengthening them with exceeding great and precious promises, to be realized in due time. (2 Pet. 1:4)

Genesis teaches that man was tried in a state of original perfection in one representative, that he failed, and that the present imperfection, sickness and death are the results. But it also teaches that God has not forsaken him, and will ultimately recover him through the Redeemer, born of a woman. (Gen. 3:15) This teaching is kept up and elaborated all the way through the Bible. The necessity of the death of a Redeemer as a sacrifice for sins, and of His righteousness as a covering for our sin, is pointed out in the clothing of skins for Adam and Eve, in the acceptance of Abel’s offerings, in Isaac on the altar, in the death of the various sacrifices by which the patriarchs had access to God, and of those instituted under the law and perpetuated throughout the Jewish Age.

JESUS IN PROPHECY

The Prophets, though credited with under­standing but slightly the significance of some of their utterances (1 Pet. 1:12), mention the laying of the sins upon a person instead of a dumb animal. In prophetic vision they saw He who was to redeem and to deliver the human race led “as a lamb to the slaughter,” that “the chastisement of our peace was upon him,” and that “with his stripes we are healed.” They pictured Him as “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,” and declared that “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa. 53:3-7) They told where this deliverer would be born (Mic. 5:2), and when He would die, assuring us that it would be “not for himself.” (Dan. 9:26)

They mention various details concerning Him: He would be righteous and free from deceit, violence, or any just cause of death (Isa. 53:9-11); He would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12); He would be numbered among transgressors in His death (Isa. 53:12); not a bone of His body would be broken (Psa. 34:20; John 19:36); and though He would die and be buried, His flesh would not corrupt, neither would He remain in the grave. (Psa. 16:10; Acts 2:31)

The New Testament writers clearly and forcibly recorded in simple terms the fulfillment of all these predictions in Jesus of Nazareth. By logical reasoning they showed that such a ransom price as He gave was needful before the sins of the world could be blotted out, just as predicted in the Law and the Prophets. (Isa. 1:18) These New Testament writers traced the entire plan in a most logical and forcible manner, appealing not to the prejudices or passions of their hearers, but to their enlightened reason alone, furnishing some of the most remarkable and compelling reasoning to be found anywhere on any subject (see Rom. 5:12-19, and onward to the 12th chapter).

In the law, Moses pointed not only to a sacrifice, but also to the blotting out of sins and a blessing of the people under this great deliverer, whose power and authority he declares shall vastly exceed his own, though it should be “like unto” it. (Deut. 18:15-19) The promised deliverer is to bless not only Israel, but through Israel “all the families of the earth.” (Gen. 12:3; 22:18; 26:4) And despite the prejudices of the Jewish people to the contrary, the Prophets continued the same strain, declaring that the Messiah shall be also “for a light to the Gentiles” (Isa. 49:6; Luke 2:32); that the Gentiles should come to Him “from the ends of the earth” (Jer. 16:19); that His name “shall be great among the Gentiles” (Mal. 1:11); and that “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” (Isa. 40:5; 42:1-7)

THE INSPIRATION OF THE APOSTLES

The New Testament writers claimed a divine anointing which enabled them to realize the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the sacrifice of Christ. Though prejudiced as Jews to think of every blessing as limited to their own people (Acts 11:1-18), they were enabled to see that, while their nation would be blessed, all the families of the earth would be blessed also, with and through them. They saw also that before the blessing of either Israel or the world, a “little flock” would be selected from both Jews and Gentiles. These being tried, would be found worthy to be made joint-heirs of the glory and honor of the Great Deliverer, and sharers with Him of the honor of blessing Israel and all the nations. (Rom. 8:17) They point out the harmony of this with what is written in the Law and the Prophets. The grandeur and breadth of the plan they present more than meets the most exalted conception of what it claims to be, “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” (Luke 2:10)

The theme of all the Prophets was Messiah as the ruler, not only of Israel, but also of the entire world, as suggested in the books of Moses. The thought of the Kingdom was uppermost also in the teaching of the Apostles; and Jesus taught that we should pray, “Thy kingdom come,” and promised those a share in it who would first suffer for the truth, and thus prove themselves worthy.

This hope of the coming glorious Kingdom gave all the faithful ones courage to endure persecution and to suffer reproach, deprivation and loss, even unto death. The worthy “Lamb that was slain” (Rev. 5:12), the worthy overcomers whom He will make kings and priests in His Kingdom, and the trials and obstacles which they must overcome to be worthy to share that Kingdom, are all faithfully portrayed in the grand allegorical prophecy which closes the New Testament.

The blessings to come to the world under that Millennial reign are then introduced: Satan shall be bound, Adamic death and sorrow wiped out, and all the nations of earth shall walk in the light of the heavenly Kingdom, the new Jerusalem.

THE BIBLE UNIQUE AMONG BOOKS

The Bible, from first to last, holds out a doctrine found nowhere else: that a future life for the dead will come through a resurrection of the dead. All the inspired writers expressed their confidence in a redeemer; one declares that when God calls them from the tomb and they come forth, the wicked shall no longer rule over the earth for “the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.” (Psa. 49:14)

The resurrection of the dead is taught by the Prophets; and the writers of the New Testament base all their hopes of a future life and blessing upon it. Paul expresses it thus: “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain… Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished... But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept… For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:13-22)

Like the works of a clock whose many wheels might at first seem superfluous, but whose slowest moving wheels are essential, so the Bible, composed of many parts, and prepared by many pens, is one complete and harmonious whole. Not a single part is superfluous, and though some parts take a more active and prominent place than others, all are useful and necessary.

It is becoming popular among the so-called “advanced thinkers” and “great theologians” of the present day to treat lightly, or to ignore if not outright deny, many of the “miracles” of the Old Testament, calling them “old wives’ fables.” Among these are the accounts of Jonah and the great fish, Noah and the ark, Eve and the serpent, the standing still of the sun at the command of Joshua, and Balaam’s speaking ass.

These wise men seemingly overlook the fact that the Bible is so interwoven and united in its various parts that to remove or discredit these miracles would destroy or discredit the whole. For if the original accounts are false, those who repeated them were either falsifiers or dupes, and in either case it would be impossible for us to accept their testimony as divinely inspired. To eliminate from the Bible the miracles mentioned would invalidate the testimony of its principal writers, as well as that of our Lord Jesus.

Miracles are with us daily. Those miracles not common to our experience find parallels about us every day which, being more common, are passed by unnoticed. We plant two seeds side by side; the conditions, air, water and soil, are alike; they grow, we cannot tell how nor can the wisest philosopher explain this miracle. These seeds develop organisms of opposite tendencies; one creeps, the other stands erect; form, flower, coloring, everything differs, though the conditions were the same. Such miracles manifest a power as much beyond our own limited power and intelligence as do the few miracles recorded in the Bible for special purposes, and as intended illustrations of omnipotence, and of the ability of the Great Creator to overcome every obstacle and to accomplish all His will, even to our promised resurrection from the dead, the extermination of evil, and the ultimate reign of everlasting righteousness.

Here we rest the case. The depth, the power, the wisdom and scope of the Bible’s testimony convince us that not man, but the Almighty God, is the author of its plans and revelations.

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(The above is based on an oral address by Pastor Russell, published in the Pittsburgh Gazette, October 16, 1905. Reproduced in Harvest Gleanings, Volume 3.)

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STRENGTH IN THE LORD PROPORTIONATE TO KNOWLEDGE

No one can grow strong in the Lord unless he grows also in knowledge. We properly esteem most highly those whose love for the Lord and for His Truth are evidenced by their zeal in the study of His Word, and whose favor with God is manifested by their being guided more into the deep things of God.

Nevertheless, the weaker ones of the household of faith are to be cared for and loved and helped that they may grow strong in the Lord. And just here the Apostle offers another word of counsel, saying, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Rom. 15:1) This does not imply that we should not expostulate with such a one and endeavor to help him get rid of his infirmity. This we should do, in the spirit of meekness and kindness, while we endure with gentleness the trial of our patience, not seeking to please ourselves, but rather to help a weaker brother or sister. “Let every one of us,” as the Apostle enjoins, “please his neighbour [brother] for his good to edification” (Rom. 15:2), i.e., not by simply ignoring his fault as though we considered it all right, but, while kindly urging him to strive against it, still humbly and patiently submitting to the discomfort it brings to us.

If this spirit prevails among the members of the Lord’s Body, the members will all have a mutual love and a mutual care one for another, a care which seeks to encourage and strengthen all that is good and to discourage all that is unbecoming, and a love which throws its mantle over a deformity and endeavors to conceal a fault, rather than to expose the weaker brother to the reproach of others.

For such self-sacrificing love how necessary is the spirit of humility and gentleness and patience and faith! How forceful are the Master’s words, “Except ye be converted [from the spirit of the world to the Spirit of Christ], and become as little children [in meekness and teachableness], ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:1-6)

We should not only have this love, but we should have it with fervency, warmth, ardor; not with a semi-indifference, but with a real interest in each other’s welfare, the rich as well as the poor; the educated as well as the ignorant. Our love should go out to these as we see any lack in them that we could supply rendering assistance of any kind; using always, of course, discretion, for love learns to be wise, and to take into consideration our motives while we endeavor to do them good.

The Apostle suggests that we see to it that this is our own experience; not merely that it is a principle which we recognize, but that we should give heed to ourselves that this should be accomplished in us, in our own lives. It would not be natural to have that benevolence of mind which would practice forgiveness of those who trespass against us. But when we think of the fact that the whole race is fallen and degraded through heredity, it should make us sympathetic; if some are more depraved, we should have the more sympathy for them. As we think sympathetically along those lines, our sympathetic love will increase; as we practice sympathetic love the New Creature develops.

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(Written by Pastor Russell. Originally published under the series title People’s Pulpit. Reproduced in Harvest Gleanings, Volume 3. It was of course addressed to the Little Flock, but the thoughts are appropriate for all of the Household.)