NO. 247: RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT

No. 247

Another year gone – with scientific advancement occurring at a speedy pace. Probably the outstanding feat of the year was the United States and Russian astronauts meeting in outer space and visiting with each other for a number of days.

In agriculture also tremendous progress. One of our acquaintances in Michigan told us he secured 159 plus bushels of corn to the acre; and Michigan is not consid­ered as one of the corn-producing states. When we were a boy on an Ohio farm fifty bushels per acre was considered a sensational yield.

IN FINANCE

In contrast to the foregoing, the financial condition in many countries is de­teriorating perhaps more rapidly than science is advancing. In England, the finan­cial center of the world prior to 1914, there is now 22% of the people unemployed, with heavy trade deficits occurring regularly. In Italy 25% of the people are out of work. Here in the United States (written Nov. 4, 1975) a number of the larger cities are insolvent, with New York City being the outstanding spectacle, and Detroit running a close second. This situation has developed because of the bungling manage­ment and thievery of past politicians. For more than fifty years we have had first­hand reliable information about the thievery that has been perpetrated; and the won­der of it all is that some of these cities have not collapsed years ago. This brings forcefully to mind the words of St. Paul: "They shall perish... they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed." (Heb. 1:11,12)

Inflation – This condition has now advanced far out of control; and no amount of financial ingenuity can cope with it. Labor has priced itself out of most mar­kets. In Detroit we are personally acquainted with a carpenter who receives $9.85 per hour, with double time for Sundays and holidays. Thus, on one holiday his wages amounted to $157.60; and he told us he just could not afford to pass that up, much as he would have preferred to spend the holiday otherwise. To secure the services of a plumber, the price is $20 per hour from the time he leaves the shop until he returns; but he requires the services of a helper at the same rate. Thus, $40 per hour for a house call. And this goes double time for Sundays. We know of one business man who had to have some work done on Sunday – two plumbers and two helpers at $160 per hour. He told us that these men took a coffee break in the forenoon, another in the afternoon; that those two respites cost him just $120. It is little wonder that such expense will be tolerated only under the most demanding conditions.

It is no longer possible to reduce wages. Not only so, but labor is constantly crying for even higher wages. Thus it is impossible to reduce costs; and reducing cost is the only way prices can be lowered. Recently on a downtown street in Detroit we were accosted by a beggar with the request: Can you spare me a dollar for a bowl of soup? A good pair of shoes cost $12 sixty years ago; now that same brand, with the quality reduced, costs $75.

Elevator operators in New York City are currently paid $30,000 per year; and trash pick-up men receive $19,000 per year. Interest alone on the United States na­tional debt is now thirty-five billion dollars per year. The interest item now in our national budget is almost equal the entire budget in 1958. Along with such situations unemployment is on the increase. In the County of Los Angeles, California, there are 870,920 people on welfare; and this staggering load must be borne mostly by business. The US Department of Health, Education and Welfare now requires eighty-one billion dollars a year to operate; another item that must be borne by business. Very few of our politicians have ever had any real business experience; and they are therefore disinclined to sympathize with our businesses.

One financial publication carries this item: "In 1965 (just ten years ago) about 480,000 people were on welfare in New York City; a decade later the figure is 1.2 mil­lion. In 1974 the Welfare Agency accounted for $3.4 billion of the city's $12 billion budget – more than education, more than hospitals, more than anything else. (It is im­portant to remember, however, that 50% of the welfare outlay is reimbursed by the fed­eral government, and 25% by the state.) The agency served 263,000 meals a month; kept 28,000 people in foster homes; it bought 35,000 gallons of liquid detergent, 48 tons of powdered soap, 10,000 mops and 18,000 brooms to clean up its 5.5 million square feet....... " Nobody can agree on the extent of welfare fraud (an especially sticky point with bond buyers), or on whether it makes any sense to try eliminating what fraud there is, or on how to go about doing it. And according to the US Commissioner of Welfare, the Human Resources Administration continues to misspend about $600 million a year by giv­ing welfare to people who shouldn't be getting it and by giving incorrect amounts to people who should."

In another direction one financial expert has this to say: "It is important to recognize what has and what is happening here if there is ever to be a return to a rea­sonable degree of price stability. Much of the inflation now being experienced by in­dustrialized nations has originated in the way governments have taken more out of the economy to finance their programs, than the economy had to give. The central banks in making up the difference by expanding the money supply have progressively diluted the value of the currencies WHOSE FUNCTION WAS THEIRS TO PRESERVE.............

"The assumption that the Fed will go a long way toward making new money available underlies the present expectation of resurgent inflation through 1976. As US Treasury Secretary Simon said: 'We hardly ever do anything in Washington for the long-run good of the country; most everything we do is aimed at the next election.'"

Surplus Intellectuals – "What do we mean by surplus intellectual? Surplus in the sense of there being far more intellectuals than there are employment opportunities with income and prestige and duties appropriate to the self-evaluation of those of us who are intellectuals. There are not enough jobs of the kind that we believe ourselves to have been created to fill, at incomes we believe appropriate to our true worth.... The in­tellectual finds it reassuring to say that the businessman gets his money by luck, or monopoly, or exploitation, or dishonesty, or what have you."

All central banks in industrialized countries will have to obey their political masters, the welfare statist governments, which are desperately spending what they do not have and can only get by creating money from thin air through monetary expansion. It has been wisely stated by some pundits: Listen carefully to what the politicians have to say; then do just the reverse, and you will win most of the time. As we have often remarked in the past – The American dollar is a promise to pay NOTHING. One writer has put it this way: "Further strength in the US Dollar can be expected during the next few months (written Aug. 1, 1975). However the inevitable weakness will reappear in 1976 that will launch the dollar on a downward path climaxing in collapse."

Germany - Says one publication: "Thanks to the Keynesian-age bred bureaucrats in Western Countries and the disastrous influence of Washington on German economic plan­ning, West Germany is suddenly becoming the 'sick man' of Europe. The West German gov­ernment, faced by a continuing recession, plans to start a $2 billion program of public works. Despite a $6 billion tax cut and $24 billion in deficit financing by federal, state and local governments, there are still more than one million unemployed. Forum readers are not surprised to see the chancellor of West Germany running to French Pres­ident Giscard D'Estains for help. France has the strongest economy in Europe.

"The west Germans are so desperate that they started talking about a sort of NEW DEAL ­building schools, bridges, railroads – anything to pump money and jobs into the economy. Last month the German Central Bank lowered reserve requirements on foreign liabilities, adding another $600 million to the funds private banks keep available for lending. To cap it all, the Central Bank lowered interest rates to 4½%. What happened to the Ger­man economic miracle? The same as that which happened to the U.S., Canadian, or any other welfare statist Keynesian economy. Government 'tuned' economy does not work."

Capitalism – Continuing along the foregoing lines: "The Free Market economy of the post World War II of West Germany was turned and turned and tuned in the sixties into a welfare statist 'managed' economy – the poison of capitalism. We have reached the stage now, in this fast deteriorating world economic picture, when more and more people question the survival of capitalism. These critics of capitalism largely con­trol the world of the academy, the news media of the pulpit and of the stage. The greatest enemy of capitalism – provided by capitalism itself – are the intellectuals. It has nothing to do with whether you are bright.... The intellectual's main chance of asserting himself lies in his actual or potential nuisance value."

Said the French President concerning the United States: "It is unbelievable that the most important economic country in the world has no economic leader in the Govern­ment." It requires no great intellect to agree with this appraisal. The prime intel­lects of the country are engaged in operating the businesses of the country; and, as we have observed on occasion: If the businesses of the country were run like the poli­ticians are running the government, capitalism in the United States would have been down the sewer years ago. The capitalist countries of the world seem absolutely unable to manage their economic and monetary situations. And the financial genius that exists in such countries is never given chance to furnish such supervision. Says one commen­tator: "The State of Illinois is going broke. The extravagance of the demagogues is crucifying the taxpayers and rendering the public treasury penniless."

Follows now a summation from another publication: "It is this world that produced the New York City crisis. Those who wanted 'theirs' with no regard to the ability of the city to pay. Greedy politicians who wanted only one thing – to be reelected and then to move on to higher office with a parting cry of 'apres moi le deluge.' Greedy bankers who satisfied the frantic cravings of the politicians for more and more and more money through short-term loans that were death to the city but fabulous profits for the money-lenders. Greed and material selfishness were the ingredients that make up all of the characters of this modern American tragedy and the people who lived for 'now' and who mortgaged tomorrow with the cynical knowledge that their children would pay, are now trapped by tomorrow that arrived off schedule too early.

"Tomorrow is today, and New York City is dying, and so are tens of other urban communities; and soon it will be the states, and after that the federal government bowing before the law that knows no repeal – one cannot indefinitely pay out more than comes in, no matter how insatiable the greed, the passion for material wealth, the crav­ing for 'more.' The disaster is compounded by the frightening reaction to it. A total unwillingness or inability to sacrifice, to cut the living standards to which we have become accustomed and which always were unreal and mad. Unions refuse to consider pay freezes, and bankers turn a cold shoulder to lower interest rates. A city is dying and its population prefers that to an unilateral sacrifice. And more. We have seen the re­action of the police who were laid off. They openly broke the law, blocking traffic just as the demonstrators they, only yesterday, so brutally beat in defense of 'law and order.' They smashed cars, and their ugly hating faces were chilling reminders of how shallow democracy is. Indeed it is at the mercy of an empty pocket, and civi­lization is an army that marches on a full stomach. Woe unto it when that stomach is empty.

"The economic crash that is coming with its unemployment and despair will join the political, psycho­logical and social crisis that grips the country. It is the Jew who will be the primary target of the anger, frustration, fear and hate that will come as a tidal wave across the country, sweeping before it the vaunted system. Now! Now is the time to go home."

Italy – Akin to the foregoing is this about Italy: "Italy has a shortage of coins, so bills in taxis and restaurants often are rounded – up, of course. Some shops and highway toll booths give hard candy or chewing gum as change. In 1974 there were 200 crimes – reported crimes – per hour. That is one per year for every seventh Italian family. Purse snatchers on motorcycles are responsible for many of the hun­dreds of daily thefts from tourists in Rome. The national crime rate is rising ten per cent a year, uninhibited by a court system that can take ten years to come to trial.

"Some cotton firms have quit supplying gauze bandages to the 1,300 government-run hospitals which owe the firms $47 million in bills dating back to 1967. The govern­ment health insurance program owes the hospitals about $5 billion which, when the bu­reaucracy pays it, will help the hospitals pay some of the more than $1 billion they owe creditors.

"The French newspaper LeMonde has said, 'Italy is the only country besides Tibet in which it is impossible to communicate through a postal service.' That is an exaggeration, but many Christmas cards from the U.S. arrive at Easter, and letters can take six months to get from one Italian city to another. Many Italians who live near Switzerland drive there to mail letters to Rome. Last year some enterprising mail man sold 400,000 pounds of mail to a processing plant as scrap paper."

During the past year the Communist party in Italy has made substantial gains, poll­ing almost as many votes as the Christian Democrats, which is the largest party in Italy and sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church. This has caused the Church much more con­cern than meets the eye, and here is what one paper says about it: "Communism holds as one of its prime doctrines the elimination of all aspects of religion. Therefore, it has been understood for years that one of its objectives is the destruction of the Ro­man Church. Because of the economic turmoil in Italy, which could lead to complete chaos, the Church authorities have good reason for their contingency plans for the relocation of the Vatican."

IN  POLITICS

The erosion in the American political arrangement has proceeded very markedly dur­ing the past year; and the future holds little hope for improvement. In fact, things figure to take a decided turn for the worse in the year ahead. Vice-President Rocke­feller has already declared he has had enough; and, while much has been said about his reasons for such decision, we venture an opinion of our own along this line: If we can rely on press reports, he is presently worth about one-third billion dollars; and his annual income is ten million (in tax-exempt bonds). Inasmuch as he was governor of New York State for sixteen years, we may be certain he is heavily involved in the secu­rities of the State and the City. With our President adamant that he is not going to bail out the City, it is quite probable that Mr. Rockefeller will be badly pinched in the squeeze that is certain to follow. In fact, according to reports that are coming to us, it is just impossible to obtain any kind of a bid for New York securities.

A similar situation existed during the depression. We recall very clearly that in 1931 the City of Sarasota, Fla., did not even make provision for payment of interest on their bonds in their annual budget, because, said they, the city had no money with which to meet the payment, so why show it in the budget at all. At that time the bonds they had sold at $100 could be purchased for $20. We are not familiar with the final dispo­sition of the obligation.

However, not all is criticism for our politicians. When the Cambodian Communist pirates grabbed the American ship Mayaguez from the high seas, it was an act of piracy of the rawest sort, and President Ford speedily dispatched sufficient force to recapture the ship and crew intact. Similar seizures were taken by the Tripoli Pirates right af­ter the War of Independence; and this is what history says about it: "For exactly forty years after the Declaration of Independence the United States engaged in a tortuous se­ries of negotiations with the piratical despots of North Africa and at last learned that the only effective argument with a buccaneer was force. In the end, the United States set an example to other maritime nations by exacting at the point of cannon a lasting peace from the corsairs."

But the peace above mentioned did not come until military force was applied. For a number of years a politician by the name of Col. Lear tried negotiations with the Barbary Coast raiders, actually paying them huge sums of money to free our ship­ping from molestation; but those pay-offs brought only more demand for further pay­offs. All of this was clearly seen by soldier General William Eaton, but his advice was not followed until the American government learned from grueling experience that the payment of money only whetted the appetites of the pirates for more money; and it is recorded that General Eaton became so disheartened with the mess that he came home and drank himself to death over the folly of the politicians. Being familiar with Ameri­can history, Mr. Ford was probably fully aware of the North African affair, and profited by it in his handling of the Cambodian pirates.

Another black mark against our politicians is to be found in the following state­ment: "Thousands and even millions of people are now beginning to realize that the Vietnam war was scientifically lost. We were defeated on purpose of the design of men of authority in our own government. Veterans of that war are now coming back tell­ing their neighbors and their friends how they were told, during the Johnson regime, to bomb empty swamps and unpopulated areas – to create the impression of fighting a war." A similar situation prevailed in the Korean war in 1953, when President Truman ordered General MacArthur not to oust the North Korean raiders. The dissension over this mat­ter became so heated that the General was summarily dismissed, which evoked the state­ment from him, when he addressed the Congress: "In war there is no substitute for vic­tory." The present unsound condition in Korea may be placed directly at the feet of the politicians. Had the General been allowed to proceed in a sound military manner, that country would now be a peaceful unity.

Follows now a statement from another writer: "Politics has nothing in common with morality. The ruler who is governed by morality is not a skillful politician; there­fore, is unstable for public office. He who wishes to rule must have a recourse to cun­ning and make-belief. Great national qualities, like frankness and honesty, are vices in politics, for which they bring down rulers from their thrones more effectively and more certainly than the most powerful enemy.... In order to operate with satisfaction it's necessary for us to hold in high regard such characteristics as rascality and slack­ness which produce instability in the population and create a lack of capacity to under­stand even the status of its own welfare. We must never forget that the mind of the mob is blind, senseless and unreasoning. The blind cannot lead the blind without bringing them into the abyss."

As the great Gladstone once said, when asked what essentials are necessary to be a successful politician, that one major item was that he must be a man without self­-respect. This is not universally true, of course, because President Lincoln was known as Honest Abe – and properly so. One of the things that has engraved his name in the history books is that he was just an honest man. During the Civil War, when things looked very bleak, one of his cabinet officials said, I hope the Lord is on our side; to which Lincoln replied, I would rather hope that we are on the Lord's side.

IN RELIGION

The same moral decay is to be found in many religious systems and individuals. Note particularly this quotation: "I groaned and wept when I read a statement from Billy Graham; who has pyramided himself into the reputation of being America's lead­ing evangelist – when he issued a statement to the effect that he would not object to the ordination of men who are homosexuals if they were properly trained for the ministry. Sex perversion among men and women has taken on such epidemic proportions that literally millions of people are using this perverted practice as a substitute for matrimony. One ordained preacher, who confesses that he is a sex pervert, organized a church in Los Angeles not long ago to which hundreds of perverts have flocked, and he gives the community to understand that he wants to limit the members of his church only to homosexuals and lesbians."

A Point Of Law – As is well known to most of our readers, various religious sys­tems have been very determined in securing public tax money in support of their own schools; but others are just as determined that this shall not be so. Says one publi­cation: "In a landmark decision of sweeping significance, the United States Supreme Court, on May 19, 1975 ruled unconstitutional two of the few remaining plans for provid­ing public support for parochial schools. In a 6-3 ruling in the case of Meek V. Pitten­ger, the Court invalidated a $26 million per year Pennsylvania program of providing in­structional equipment, materials and auxiliary services' to parochial and private schools. The Pennsylvania parochiaid laws were passed in 1972 after the Supreme Court had held the state's 'purchase of services' parochiaid plan unconstitutional in 1971, and Americans United and other groups had gone to court to challenge the state's tuition reimbursement parochiaid law."

RELIGION AND MONEY – "Lutheran Agency hit by financial crisis." Under this news heading then appears the following: "A very severe financial crisis, similar to that facing the Lutheran Council in the USA, has hit the Lutheran council in Canada. At its eleventh annual meeting here in early February, the LCIC was informed by the Lutheran Church Synod that its financial grant for 1975 will probably be $25,000 instead of the requested amount of $46,443, a difference of $21,443. The Council's operating budget for the current year totals $173,500."

At Last The Truth Comes Out! Serious involvement of the United States began under Roman Catholic President Kennedy, and we follow with a quotation from another publica­tion: "While the United States supported the French in Vietnam, our country's deep in­volvement began when our support was placed behind the dictatorship of Ngo Dinh Diem, a protégé of the late Cardinal Francis Spellman of New York. Under the Diem regime, the small Catholic mandarin class held most of the political power, top government and military jobs, and wealth, and received a disproportionately large share of American aid. Repression of the Buddhists resulted in Diem's overthrow in 1963. Diem was eventually replaced by another dictator, General Nguyen Van Thieu, also a Catholic, whose corrupt regime was so unpopular that without American assistance it collapsed like a house of cards when attacked earlier this year by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong....

"The century of church-state entanglement under French rule was largely responsible for the 1946-1954 Vietnam war, which this country helped to pay for. Cardinal Spellman and other Catholic Church officials were deeply involved in getting and holding US support for the Diem dictatorship following the defeat of the French. For 21 years after 1954 our country spent the lives of its young men and billions of dollars to support an inept, corrupt dictatorship which represented not the people of South Vietnam, but very little more than one faction within one small, non-indigenous religious group ....

"Nor was Vietnam the only time that clerical interests influenced or tried to in­fluence American foreign policy. Elements in the leadership of the Catholic Church tried to involve the United States in civil wars in Mexico in the 1920s and Nigeria in the 1960s. They failed, but their efforts in the 1930s were influential in prevent­ing our country from doing anything about the clerical-fascist insurrection in Spain that turned out to be prelude to World War II.......

"And now it has become known that the Catholic dioceses of Milwaukee and Brook­lyn, and perhaps others, require parochial school teachers to sign statements pledg­ing their commitment to Catholic values and the Catholic philosophy of education."

The Roman Catholic Church – In further detail on some of the foregoing, we offer this quotation from another writer: "This church demands support from the taxpayers, but refuses to tell the taxpayers what it already has. But the taxpayers are not alone. The members of the Roman Catholic Church themselves receive no financial re­ports from their church's headquarters. It is a well kept secret. The Vatican which houses the central authority of this church has vast wealth and far-flung investments of its own throughout the world. The $75 million Watergate Towne in Washington, D. C., and the projected multimillion dollar Italian Center in San Francisco are examples .....

"The Vatican hides its assets and operations behind a veil of secrecy, and in this it provides an example which is followed by its American branch. A spokesman for the New York archdiocese has even asserted that no record exists as to the total assets and revenues of the 149 Roman Catholic dioceses and archdioceses in the United States...... It is abundantly clear, however, that this church has tremendous financial resources which belie its cry of poverty. What makes the totals vastly more impressive is the fact that all its wealth and income are tax-exempt. All religiously used real estate is exempt and all church business profits escape tax even though they may be totally un­related to the work of the church. Since a corpus can easily double or triple in a generation if it can only escape taxes, it is no surprise that the wealth of the Catholic Church is increasing at about the rate of $3 billion a year... Some of its assets and revenues are as follows:

Religiously used real estate                             $54,000,000,000

Passive income (stocks & bonds)                        650,000,000

Active business income                                     1,200,000,000

Grants from governments                                 4,500,000,000

And this is the organization that is crying for the taxpayers to pay its bills."

It needs no great stretch of the imagination to believe that the Communists in Italy are well aware of all the foregoing, and that they are only waiting for the op­portune time to seize control. This is vividly forecast in Rev. 18:21: "A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea (a picture of the anarchistic masses of humanity), saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all."

Jehovah's Witnesses – This organization has had a meteoric rise from a small be­ginning of about 40,000 in 1917 to about two million staunch supporters now. This has been due mainly to two of their teachings: One, a doctrine of fear – proclaiming that all who do not join them will be annihilated in Armageddon; and they have been preach­ing impending Armageddon for more than fifty years now. Two, by telling their converts what they want to hear; namely, by joining them they will not die, but live through Arma­geddon into the coming Kingdom. Of course, very few people went to die, so they are being told what they want to hear; and this makes it much easier for them to believe this "strong delusion." (2 Thes. 2:11)

But along with their increase in numbers has come a great increase in the errors they are promulgating. The first general public false teaching was produced about 1920: "Millions Now Living Will Never Die" – after 1925. Most of their followers don't know anything about that; and those of them who do remember do not wish to be reminded of it – like the Roman Catholic Church does not wish to hear about their own evils of the Dark Ages, etc. Just forget the past, they say, and take what we are telling you now. The Witnesses adopt the same technique. However, their present teachings on this related subject are showing open sores of decay, because quite a few of their most earnest "dedicated" devotees have died even before Armageddon has arrived; and this requires some slippery explaining. Necessity has forced them to modify this teaching. But they are still adamant in their teaching that all who fail to join with them before Armageddon will be forever lost – that is, be annihilated in Armageddon. So even if they increase their membership to four million – twice the number they now have – by Armageddon, then there will be quite a large number of people who will die in Armageddon, with no prospect of a resurrection, according to them, with only a small number of Witnesses to survive. Gospel means Good Tidings, but their "gospel" is bad tidings indeed to several billion people living today.

In their technical gymnastics of the past fifty years they have almost totally lost the chronology, which they received from their so-called founder – Pastor Russell. About 1920 they made a praiseworthy defense of the correct chronology against some of the deflectors from that chronology, who were advocating a 19-year mistake for the Gen­tile Times, claiming those Times would not expire until 1933. Of course, time itself has proven that the change was in complete error; however, we wish to be fair with the Witnesses by stating they still do teach correctly that the 2520-year Gentile Times began in the Fall of 607 B.C. and ended in 1914. We agree, of course, as this is cor­rect chronology; and we are in full agreement that Armageddon is imminent, although we have set no date for it. However, we emphatically disagree that to survive Armaged­don one must join with the Witnesses or join with any other religious group. There will be some from all religious groups, as well as some who are not affiliated with any religious group, who will survive Armageddon – and we predict there will be many times more of these survivors than there are Jehovah's Witness survivors.

For some years now the Witnesses have been giving 1975 as the date for Armageddon's beginning; but since 1975 is now almost gone (written Nov. 12), they must once more produce another alibi. They quote Matt. 24:36: "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only." This text does not say that no man would ever know. We know from the Scriptures that Jesus later did know; and the Prophet Daniel (12:10) tells us that "in the time of the end (the time in which we are living)... the wise shall understand." However, they hold to the Truth that the end of the Gentile Times is 1914, a prediction made by a man – That Servant – thirty years before that date arrived; and Matt. 24:36 was quoted, prior to 1914, from many pulpits throughout Christendom to condemn him although the events of 1914 fully vindicated his pre­diction. In one breath they admit that a "man" who derived this date from the correct chronology, did know the end of the Gentile Times; but in the next breath, to alibi their erroneous prediction for Armageddon, based on incorrect chronology, they tell us "no man knoweth"! "Consistency, thou art a jewel." Thus, once again they are proving themselves "unstable as water." (Gen. 49:4)

General – Big city buses are being held up in the tradition of old-time train rob­beries. About a half dozen such have occurred in or near Detroit in 1975. Also, crimes are being committed so rapidly in the United States the police departments cannot even process the reports. In the one-time beautiful and valuable office buildings in Detroit the tenants are now working behind locked doors, with peepholes to determine if the visitor should be admitted. Also in Detroit bank robberies have increased 50% over the previous year. Indeed, the prophecy of Ez. 7:23 comes vividly to mind: "The land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence."

Among the more cheering items of recent times there has been the discovery of The Dead Sea Scrolls, which establish the authenticity of the Old Testament book of Isaiah. It has been hailed by some as the greatest discovery of modern times.

Due to extra heavy work and some illness, we have not made acknowledgment, and expressed our thanks and appreciation, of the Holiday greetings, good wishes, love and prayers received from many brethren. We now gratefully acknowledge these greetings and heartily reciprocate to all. All here at the Bible House join in wishing our readers cordial good wishes for your good health throughout 1976 – both spiritually and physically. "For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." (Psa. 84:11)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

============================

LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST

Epiphany Bible Students Ass'n

Dear Sirs: Would you please provide me with information about any literature you may publish. I am also interested in the background, the history, and the doc­trines of your organization. Any information along this line will be appreciated.

Sincerely yours ------- (SOUTH DAKOTA)

NO. 246: JESUS THE CHRIST

No. 246

My dear Brethren: Grace and peace through our Beloved Master!

It is rather a sad commentary that many earnest and sincere Church members do not know the clear meaning of the name Jesus Christ, the One they desire to worship. This is not only true of lay members, but is also true of quite a few of their min­isters who are attempting to “preach Christ and Him crucified.” “Thou shalt call His name Jesus,” was the command of the angel to Joseph, His stepfather. Jesus is the equivalent of the Hebrew Jeshua, or Joshua, and means Savior – “for He will save His people from their sins,” said the angel. Jesus continued with only the given name Jesus all during His boyhood, and was known by this name by His family or neighbors. However, when He presented Himself to John at Jordan for Baptism, the Holy Spirit de­scended upon Him from on High; and from that time onward He was known as Jesus Christ. The word Christ means anointed; and the clear indication is that from Jordan on, from the time the Holy Spirit was poured out upon Him, He was then known as Jesus the Christ – or the Anointed Savior. Thus, the name Jesus Christ and Anointed Savior mean ex­actly the same thing.

In a broad sense there are four offices He would hold in the saving process for the human family – that of Prophet, Priest, King and Judge. Be it noted there are also four attributes of the Divine character – Wisdom, Love, Power and Justice; and each one of these attributes finds its full application individually in the four of­fices just named.

First – The work of a prophet is to teach the people the truth: “I will send you Elijah the Prophet... and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.” (Mal. 4:5,6) And such a ministry is founded upon the attribute of Wisdom.

Second – The purpose of a Priest is to forgive and bless. “We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities... Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy (forgiveness), and find grace (favor, blessing) to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:15,16) Surely, such forgive­ness and blessing are primarily a work of the attribute of Love.

Third – As a King (Ruler), Jesus will use particularly the attribute of Power. ‘‘At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and of things in earth, and things under the earth.. that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ (the Anointed Savior) is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:10,11). It needs no argument that such a rulership, regal authority, is the direct result of the attribute of Power.

Fourth – And as a Judge He will use specifically the attribute of Justice. “God hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained (the Anointed Savior); whereof He hath  given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the Dead.” (Acts 17:31) As Judge, the risen Lord will use specifically the attribute of Justice – strict, impartial and perfect Justice. “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him... shall make Him of quick under­standing... He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears (as must now be done in our courts, thus often resulting in the con­viction of the innocent, and more often resulting in the freeing of the guilty)........ With righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth... Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins.” (Isa. 11:2-5)

A MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS

While the foregoing gives an overall summary of the Anointed Savior and His work toward men, there are various details of each of these that may be itemized under 17 subheadings; and some of these we shall now consider:

(1) Our Ransomer – “The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28); and this is further emphasized and clarified in 1 Tim. 2:4–6: “Will have all men to be saved... The man Christ Jesus (the Anointed Savior) Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” In this latter text the word ransom is from the Greek antilutron , and means a corres­ponding price – an exact equivalent. This word ransom finds a fairly good illustration in our present-day kidnapping crimes, where a ransom is demanded for the release of the victim. When demands are met, the victim is released; and it is much the same in the case of Jesus as Ransomer, one great difference being that Jesus Himself provides the ransom price. In 1 Cor. 7:23 it is stated: “Ye are bought with a price”; and we are further informed in Rom. 6:12: “By one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin: so death passed upon all men.” From the fall in Eden the great enemy has held the human race as in a gigantic vice, from which none could escape. “None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” (Psa. 49:7)

But Christ Jesus (the Anointed Savior) was well able to provide the ransom price; and He did this by “pouring out His soul unto death,” giving His human life and life rights as the exact equivalent of the man Adam in Eden. “Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book... thou wast slain, and hast redeemed (ransomed) us to God by Thy blood... Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” (Rev. 5:5–12) As such He substituted His perfect human body for the perfect human body that Adam lost in Eden; His perfect life rights for those lost by Adam in Eden. “The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost.” (Matt. 18:11) Thus, the question properly arises, What was lost? We answer, Four things were lost. First, Adam lost in Eden his peaceful fellowship with God; second, he lost his perfect home in Eden; third, he lost his dominion over the brute creation; fourth, he lost his right to life. The Dying process lasted 930 years, at which time Adam returned to the dust whence he was originally taken.

The doctrine of the Ransom is the foundation stone of all Biblical teachings; it is the touchstone by which we may gauge the truth or error of every other attempted Scriptural interpretation. If such teachings impinge in any way against this touch­stone, we may be sure there is something wrong with that teaching. Thus, a proper understanding of the Ransom immediately annihilates the idea that man is a dual being; that is, that he has a soul and body separate and distinct from each other. “In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die,” was the clear edict to the man Adam (Gen. 2:17). There are those that contend that Adam died spiritually on that day. But, if he died physically 930 years later, he must then have been both spiritually and physically dead; so just what else would be left of him?      However, the record is clear enough, “Man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). Thus, when Christ Jesus (the Anointed Savior) “poured out His soul unto death,” He provided an exact equivalent for what the man Adam lost in Eden – He became the Ransom, the corresponding price, by which He could “redeem them from death; ransom them from the power of the grave” (Hosea 13:14).

(2) Mediator – In Heb. 12:24 it is stated “Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” In the verses immediately preceding, there is minutely detailed the Covenant with the nation of Israel at Sinai, with Moses as Mediator, and compared with Jesus as the proposed Mediator of the New Covenant; so it is in order first of all to define the meaning of a mediator. He is a go-between for two parties, much the same as a broker in the stock market. When we buy stock on the New York Stock Exchange, the broker who transacts the action not only represents the buyer, but he represents the seller also, and he is legally and ethically bound to give to each a fair and impartial representation. While money is the medium of exchange in a stock deal, the buyer paying and the seller receiving the amount involved, Jesus as Mediator of the New Covenant provides not money, but His blood, His human life and human life rights, to bring the opposing parties into ac­cord. It should be noted also that the parties to a stock transaction need not be ene­mies – they may actually be good friends; but the mediation of Jesus will be between two parties actually at variance with each other. The Jews at Sinai were also out of accord with God – because of inherited and acquired sin; thus, in no position to have any direct dealings with God. But, with Moses as the go-between, the Law Covenant was completed, through the sprinkling of animals’ blood. So also with the New Covenant, the Christ – Anointed Savior – shall “make His soul an offering for sin” (Isa. 53:10), as He mediates the New Covenant.

That this New Covenant is not yet in operation should be readily apparent. If it were, man would be unable to continue in his sinful course as he has been doing for the past six thousand years. There is now no command to the Gentile world to forsake sin and follow righteousness. Rather, there has been a call (“Many are called, but few are chosen”) to such as would hear, a call to “follow in His steps.” But, as stated in the opening paragraphs, when the New Covenant and the Mediator (better than Moses) are established, then it will be a command for “every knee to bow, and every tongue to confess that Christ is Lord.” Certainly, all will agree that this condition does not prevail at this time.

The purpose of the New Covenant is to give life to all who will accept it under the terms of that Covenant. “God will have all men to be saved” from the various evils that now afflict the human race; but, once that salvation is accomplished, then it will be a matter of each individuals choice whether or not he wishes to avail him­self of the further benefits that will then be available. That will be the “resurrec­tion of judgment” (John 5:29, Dia.), the word ‘judgment’ here being from the Greek krisis, which actually means a trial time – a trial time with sufficient knowledge available to permit those tried to make an intelligent choice between good and evil.

(3) Father – In Isa. 9:6 we have the prophecy, “unto us a son is given... His name shall be called Wonderful... The everlasting father.” St. Paul states, “As by Adam all die, so by the Anointed (Savior) also, will all be restored to life.” (1 Cor. 15:22, Dia.) The first Adam did not give us life; he gave us a sentence of death, which is slowly executed upon each individual until he is finally placed in the tomb. It is a common expression for men to say, I am living in New York, St. Louis, Los Angeles, etc.; but the fact is that they are all dying in those places, of which every funeral procession gives mute evidence.

But the life that will come from the second Adam (the Anointed Savior) will be just the reverse; it will bring to the race life in perfection – “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death will be no more, nor mourning nor crying; neither will there be any more pain... These words are faithful and true.” (Rev. 21: 4,5) Instead of the aging process we now see on all hands, there will be just the reverse at the hand of the “Everlasting Father”: “Man’s flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth.” (Job 33:25) At present we see men going from youth to old age and faltering steps; under the Mediator, the Anointed Savior, the Everlasting Father, just the reverse will occur – man shall re­turn to the days of his youth.

(4) Law-Giver – “The Government shall be upon His shoulder.” (Isa. 9:6) And, since all God’s works are perfect, we may expect a perfect Government when the Anointed Savior takes unto Himself His great power to reign. Under present unfavorable condi­tions all governments are far from perfect; in fact, most of them have been miserably imperfect – due to the vicious, corrupt and selfish men who have been at the heads of the various governments. “To the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Dan. 4:17) Even with the few noble rulers of history, their efforts were much impeded and negated by corrupt and ambitious underlings. As the perfect Law-giver, the Anointed Savior  will have no selfish motives. “With righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth” (Isa. 11:4) – class distinctions will not enter into the administration of justice under the Perfect Law-Giver.

(5) The Great Physician – That the human race is in dire need of better doctors to cure their diseases is apparent on every hand. It is our conviction that many of our better physicians are men and women of high ideals, who work conscientiously and altruistically to ease the ills of the human race; yet they are forced to admit their limitations against the ailments that afflict the race. Not long back a very good and personal friend of ours dropped dead of a heart attack in just a few minutes. He had been a brilliant physician, with a very lucrative practice. We were discussing his sudden demise with perhaps ten fellow members of the Medical Association, when one of them sadly remarked that in instances such as that one they were forced to admit their limitations in their treatment of bodily ills.

The human afflictions are not only physical, they are also mental, artistic, moral and religious.  “When I would do good, evil is present with me,” is the open confession of the Great Apostle (Rom. 7:21); and it needs no argument that that noble “example of the believers” exerted all his indomitable will to combat the weaknesses which had come to him through heredity. Said the Prophet Isaiah (1:5,6): “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no sound­ness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Further on the subject by David (Psa. 51:2–5): “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity... Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Doctors have listed about 2,000 diseases that afflict humanity – many times more than can be found in any of the brute creation. “I am fearfully and wonderfully made,” is a further statement by David (Psa. 139:14); but man’s great physique and sensitive nervous system have also subjected him to more numer­ous and more intricate bodily disorders than can be found in any of the lower animals.

And for all of this the Great Physician (the Anointed Savior) will in due time produce the remedies that will effect a complete and permanent cure. “The Sun of right­eousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves in the stall.” (Mal. 4:2) “Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities (through the work of the Great High Priest); Who healeth all thy diseases (by the hand of the Great Physician)”—Psa. 103:2. This healing has been partially extended to the faith class during the Gospel Age, and will be given fully and completely to all the non-elect during the Kingdom reign who will avail themselves of it.

(6) The Great And Just Judge – Previously we touched lightly the Anointed Savior’s office of Judge, but we now offer some elaboration because of the confused and extensive misunderstanding that prevails on the subject throughout Christendom. In Prev­ious centuries the belief was general throughout Christendom that the Great Judge would eventually put in an appearance in a 24-hour day, sentence all the sinners to eternal torment, and take His faithful with Him into the heavenly abode. It is a tribute to the increase in knowledge (Dan. 12:4) here in the end of the Age that many Christian be­lievers no longer accept such an erroneous view; but many of them still have only a hazy conception of any different view on the subject. However, if we consider the Judges in Israel, after the entrance into Canaan, we find their most important work was to deliver their fellow Israelites from their enemies; and in this they were but a type of the Anointed Savior who will deliver mankind in general from their enemies of heart and mind – namely, sin, error and selfishness. “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (the Anointed Savior)—John 5:22.

Such judgment to be successful will involve several things: First, the human race will be put under providential conditions conducive to accepting the harsh, yet merciful conditions applicable to such judgment. Such conditions do not now prevail, because all will agree that it now is as easy for man to sin as for the smoke and sparks to fly sky­ward. Even with the faith class, who have resolutely attempted a better way, a certain margin of failure has accompanied their efforts to keep the perfect law of God. Sec­ondly, it will be necessary to teach the unbelief class just what the law actually is ­what is required of them – before they can even make the attempt to keep the law. All will agree that the conflicting teachings of the numerous sects today must carry with them a considerable amount of error. It has been well stated that behind every argu­ment lies some one’s ignorance. And this has been especially true of religious argu­ments. But the promise is sure to all, “I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go.” (Psa. 32:8) And, “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9). The people will first be told clearly and certainly what they must do before they will be judged for what they do. It is established law in the courts of our land that “Ignorance of the law excuses no one”; and this may continue measurably true during the reign of the Christ Anointed Savior. But the ignorance will surely and completely first be eliminated before judgment will be meted out. Then, “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9)

Such a situation would require, thirdly, that tie necessary help be given for the success of the willing, and suitable punishments for willful violations – punishments not too severe, nor yet too lenient for each individual case. Then, finally, the judgment must be pronounced – innocence for the innocent, and guilt for the guilty. “Then will the King say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed ones of My Fa­ther, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the formation of the world’... He will then also say to those at His left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed ones, into that aionian fire (annihilation), which is prepared for the Adversary and his messengers.’” (Matt. 25:34-41, Dia.)

From the foregoing it should be clear that the judgment process and the salvation process are companion accomplishments. As the one occurs, so does the other. Thus, instead of the judgment being a fearful thing, the world is admonished to “sing unto the Lord, all the earth... show forth His salvation from day to day – Declare His glory among the heathen.” (Psa. 96:1–3) He will “judge the world in righteousness”; and none will be asked to perform more than he is able to do. Such a situation today is impossible – even though the judge may have the most noble intentions. We still are faced with the indisputable truth, “Man looketh on the outward appearance,” and must judge accordingly; but in the judgment process of the Anointed Savior all will know that “The Lord looketh on the heart.”

(7) The Good Provider – Despite man’s best intentions to improve his condition, the result has been mostly dismal failure. Since the great increase of knowledge in the time of the end – from 1799 onward – almost all the great inventions have been produced, resulting in great freedom from the burdens of the curse. But, “A morning cometh, and a night also.” In the more advanced countries today we find much the same evils as were charged to Sodom: “Pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idle­ness was in her... they were haughty, and committed abomination before Me; therefore, I took them away as I saw good.” (Ezek. 16:49,50) Jesus compared the world in His first Advent to sheep that have lost their way – without a shepherd; but St. Paul writes of The Anointed Savior as “That great shepherd of the sheep, who will make you perfect in every good work.” (Heb. 13:20,21) “Our God shall supply all your needs through Christ Jesus, our Lord.” This He has done for the faith class during this Age, and will perform it for all mankind in the Age just ahead, supplying the things needful for them to gain the salvation then available.

At the outset we stated that there are 21 offices, or titles, which apply to the Anointed Savior; but we have offered detail on only about a dozen of them. Some of those we have not discussed, and which have Biblical labels are the Advocate, the Bride­groom, the Deliverer, the Captain (of our Salvation), the Head (of all things), the Prince of Peace, the Revealer, the Purifier and Refiner. Some of these operate only during this Age, while others operate now, and will also operate in the next Age. The 21 evils that are rampant among men all find their cure through the person, offices and work of the Anointed Savior; nor are they to be found elsewhere. Once this is clear­ly discerned, we may join heartily and with increased fervor in offering the prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth.” That alone will produce “the desire of all nations”; and, as we consider those things already accomplished in that direction, we may have increased confidence in the performance of the remainder, for “He is faith­ful that promised.”

All of the foregoing may be summarized in the words of St. Peter (Acts 3:19–23) ­“The restitution of all things.” The general premise, and the ultimate consummation are also contained in these texts: “A prophet (the Anointed Savior) shall the Lord your God raise up unto you... Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say un­to you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear (obey) that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” We are told further that when That Prophet occupies His office of Teacher of the people that Satan will be bound – “that he should deceive the nations no more.” (Rev. 20:3) But after that he will be “loosed for a Little Season.” That “Little Season” will be the Time of Trouble at the end of the Millennial Age, just as the present Time of Trouble now marks the end of this Age. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it.” (1 Cor. 3:13)

However, when the trial time of the Little Season shall arrive – in the eventual separation of the Sheep and the Goats – most of the 21 evils mentioned herein will have been eliminated; thus, there will be no more any need for their corrective offices to be operative. But there are several of them that will find their real prominence dur­ing that Little Season. The Anointed Savior will then act in delivering the Sheep (as Deliverer), even as He destroys the Goats; He will still be their King, because man will not obtain “restitution” of his kingly domain that was lost in Eden until af­ter the full end of the Little Season, when the Lord’s words will apply, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom.” Also, at the end of that Little Season the Judge will pronounce His final judgment upon “the just and the unjust” – after which “cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.  For He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Cor. 15:24–26) This “last enemy” cannot possibly mean the tomb, as we understand it today; because, once the resurrection from the death state occurs, in that instant the bonds of the grave are broken, and the healing, instructing, and re­viving processes begin to work – all of which must be completed by the beginning of the Little Season.

Both the sheep and the goats will have been perfected physically by the time the Little Season begins; and to all outward appearances they will all be the same. But it will require the trial time – the graduating process – of the Little Season to de­termine which of them are also perfected mentally, morally and religiously. These may be classed as the concealed vestiges of the dying process – the evils they willfully refused to forsake – even though they were outwardly obedient during the Mediatorial King­dom. All who enter that Little Season will be perfect physical specimens; most of the 21 offices of the Anointed Savior will have accomplished their full purpose, and will have passed forever out of existence as such. But a few of these titles and their works will carry right on through the Little Season to its full end. “Then cometh the end,” when all of the 21 offices will cease to operate, as the sheep “inherit the Kingdom” – ­have had all restored to them that was lost in Father Adam.

Briefly we would recap the 21 offices of the Anointed Savior as described by the Epiphany Messenger:

(1) The Ransomer – “Who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:6).

(2) The Advocate – for the Church (1 John 2:1).

(3) Our Righteousness – “righteousness of the law .. fulfilled in us” (Rom. 8:4).

(4) Bridegroom of the Bride, the Church, which is his Body (Eph. 1:22,23),

(5) High Priest who forgives and blesses (Heb. 4:15,16).

(6) Teacher – In the Kingdom the people will learn righteousness. (Isa. 26:9)

(7) Deliverer – from sin, error, pain and death.

(8) Captain – of our salvation. (Heb. 2:10)

(9) Head – of the Church and of all things. (Eph. 1:22,23)

(10) Mediator – He will stand between God’s justice and man during the Kingdom. (See Heb. 12:24)

(11) Father – “The everlasting Father.” (Isa. 9:6)

(12) Perfect Law-giver. (Isa. 2:3)

(13) Prince of Peace during the Kingdom (Isa. 9:6), but not during this Age. (Matt. 10:34)

(14) King – “King of kings” (kings, the Little Flock––Rev. 19:16, and King during the Kingdom).

(15) Revealer – to make manifest. (Mal. 3:2)

(16) Executive for God. (Isa. 11:4)

(17) Physician who healeth all our diseases. (Psa. 103:3)

(18) Lord of Lords (Lords, the Little Flock). (Rev. 19:16)

(19) Judge – together with the Little Flock – “know ye not the saints shall judge the world.” (1 Cor. 6:2)

(20) Purifier and Refiner. (Mal. 3:3)

(21) Provider – provides life, perfect home, etc. in restored paradise. (Psa. 103:4)

As said, some of these offices are operative now for the Faith Classes – for the “called” or elect classes, and many of them will continue to operate for all mankind during the Kingdom proper.         Also, quite a few of these offices will terminate at the beginning of the Little Season – such as Mediator, Ransomer, Physician, etc. But all who have received Present Truth must know that the Christ will continue all through the Little Season until the end in the offices of King, Judge, Revealer, Deliverer and Pro­vider of the Sheep – until the “end” of the Little Season when He shall have “delivered up the kingdom to God” (1 Cor. 15:24) by transferring Kingship to the Sheep, to those who entered the Little Season with perfect characters. Those who enter the Little Season with unholy heart condition, who have failed to perfect moral and religious qual­ities – who have failed to rid themselves of Adamic defilements (the dying process) ­will be destroyed in the Second Death at the end of the Little Season. Then the Resti­tution work will be finished, and Acts 3:19-23 will be fulfilled. At that time He will have “put all enemies under his feet,” and 1 Cor. 15:24-26 will be fulfilled.

The above is well summarized in E–17:124, 125, 126: “Then cometh the end (the end of the Little Season, when He shall have ruled over all the earth and given every man the opportunity to gain eternal life, which His Ransom-sacrifice, a corresponding price, enables Him to give), when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father (for God will be the final judge over the earth and will exercise His judgment through Christ, the Head, primarily, and secondarily, the Church, His Body, as His Vice­gerent); when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and (all) power (every vestige of the governorship and of the pretended authority and the pretended might of Satan, all of this will be put down by the almighty hand of Christ, the Head, and the Church, the Body, using God’s power as that almighty power in their hand). Far he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (thus we see that not only persons are these enemies, but also things. The Adamic death in the sense of the dying process is this last great enemy; and because of His faithfulness, Jesus became the One who will after the close of the Mil­lennium finally destroy it)... The sad tragedy of sin will forever have ceased to be enacted. The ages to come will witness the realization of the angels’ song of Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will to men.” (Luke 2:14)

The foregoing is beautifully summarized in the words of the angel at the time of Jesus’ birth: “Behold, I bring you glad tidings, which will be a great joy to all people; because today was born for you, in David’s City, a Savior, who is the Lord Messiah.” (Luke 2:10,11, Dia.) This is clearly emphasized by the Apostle Paul: “Now according to a plan of the ages, which He formed for the anointed Jesus our Lord.” (Eph. 1:10, 11, Dia.) Thus, the “plan of the ages” is assured of accomplishment through the Anointed Savior.

“Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men... the righteous shall see it, and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord” (Psa. 107:31–43) – through the ministration of the Anointed Savior.

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

===========================

"IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW"

SISTER GRACE PRICE finished her earthly journey on August 9, 1975. She would have been 91 years old on September 3, 1975. She had been a "good soldier of Jesus Christ" since the Parousia times; and was one of the early ones to accept Epiphany Truth. This enabled her to avoid "the pestilence that walketh in darkness" which emanated from the Society leaders after That Servant's demise.

For many winters she was a member of the Epiphany Bible House in Mount Dora, assisting in the work; and we gladly say of her, as Jesus said of Mary, "She hath done what she could." And to this we would add that whatever she did she did well! Thus we cherish fond and loving memories of her fine Christian works and character. With the passing of such "good soldiers" we may reconcile ourselves with the assur­ance that our loss is their gain. "The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance" (Psa. 112:6) – both here and hereafter. We know of no reason why the promise of the fully faithful should not include her: "Well done, good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

===============================

HOLIDAY GREETINGS

Due to an increase of work, and some illness here in the Bible House family, we are not sending individual cards to our friends, as has been our custom. However, we now take occasion to wish all of our readers the Lord's richest blessing throughout the Holiday Season and into 1976. "Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye." (Prov. 7:2)

NO. 245: THE THREE WORLDS - CONDITIONS AND PEOPLES - PART TWO

No. 245

(Continued from No. 243 – September 1975)

In our first installment of the above subject we completed discussion of “The World That Was”; and began discussion of “This Present Evil World” in its early years. We gave limited comment on the origin of various heathen religions – with Nimrod as the Sun God and Semiramus as the Moon Goddess. While much more could have been said about the heathen religions, we would merely state here that other promi­nent individuals were subsequently deified after their death, having their abode in the various stars, the same giving rise to Star Worship. Although more could be writ­ten about this latter subject, we feel sufficient detail has been presented to give a lucid picture of the overall conditions that prevailed then. Thus, we now proceed with analysis of:

THE PATRIARCHAL AGE

It should be kept in mind that all the foregoing idolatry had a very small begin­ning, with a mere handful of people involved. However, at the fall of Jerusalem in the Fall of 607 B.C., when the Jews were carried captive into Babylon, the worship of deified mortals had engulfed almost the entire human race, except the Jews; and the instances given aforegoing prove conclusively that it had also corrupted many of them.

But at no time in history was this scourge embraced by all men. We may reason­ably conclude that it had not touched Noah, or his son Shem. A little further along, we come to Abraham, who appeared on the scene not quite 400 years after the flood; and he was 175 years old when he died. He is identified as the first of “the fathers”; and he, with his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, cover the span of history known as the Patriarchal Age. At the death of Jacob (whose name had been changed to Israel—­Gen. 32:28) his twelve sons became the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel, at which time began the Jewish Age, of which more later. In Eze. 10:10 there is discussion of “a wheel in the midst of a wheel,” and we believe this has reference to the various Ages – Patriarchal, Jewish and Gospel Ages – that appear in “this present evil world.” (Gal. 1:4)

It should be borne in mind that prior to the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt there had been no written revelation from God. The means of communication between God and man prior to the Exodus had been through angels talking to individuals, or through dreams or visions that were sent to them. As stated, in the narrow sense, the Patriarchal Age was the time of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; but in the broad sense that Age began at the end of the flood, partly because at that time God made a special covenant with Noah and his descendants never again to destroy the earth (the social order—Gen. 9:11) with a flood. However, specifically speaking, the Patriarchal Age began with the Covenant made with Abraham. (Gen. 12:1-5) But because of the retroactive operation of the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant, they were anticipatorially applied to Noah, and even to Enoch and Abel. (Heb. 11:4-7, 39,40) Because of this retroactive effect, we are somewhat warranted in beginning the Patriarchal Age with the end of the flood.

The word ‘patriarchs’ means ‘first fathers’; and it is because Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were the first fathers of Israel in this period, that we call it the Patriarchal Age. Apart from the covenant with Noah, God did not deal during this pe­riod on covenant basis with every human being. As explained aforegoing, Nimrod and many others were permitted to “enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,” God winking at their ignorance. (Acts 17:23,30; Rom. 1:21-25,28) Specifically, during that time He dealt with Abraham and his family, with Isaac and his family, and with Jacob and his family. During that Age God chose those with whom He would deal – just as He has been doing in this present Gospel Age – “Them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) The others of mankind He has allowed to go their own way – a law unto them­selves; but this does not mean that the natural laws have not been operative toward those not called. Those who have sown to evil have often reaped the natural rewards of evil – “As a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” From this we must draw the log­ical conclusion that it has not been God’s will to save the world in the Patriarchal Age, the Jewish Age or the Gospel Age, or He would have done so – “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isa. 46:10)

Let us note that the Patriarchal Age endured for a period of 659 years – from the end of the flood to the death of Jacob, the last of the patriarchs. This conclusion is made because at the death of Jacob God ceased to deal exclusively with any one indivi­dual; but chose to deal with an entire nation – the twelve tribes of Israel. This is clearly stated in Gen. 49:28, where Jacob’s twelve sons and their families are for the first time called “the twelve tribes of Israel.” Thus it was that the Patriarchal Age ended and the Jewish Age began, after which time the Jews alone were dealt with on cov­enant basis. “Children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” (Amos 3:1,2)

THE JEWISH AGE

The Jewish Age began in the Spring of 1813 B.C., and continued thereafter for a period of 1845 years – until the death of Jesus, when He pronounced upon them the fate­ful sentence: “Your house is left unto you desolate... Ye shall not see Me henceforth till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Matt. 23:38,39) During this 1845 years God made no effort to convert the Gentile world; but His deal­ings during the Jewish Age were much the same as they had been during the Patriarchal Age – of an elective character. Many times during the 1845 years did the Jews forsake the true God, followed the idolatrous practices of the heathens, and often committed acts of extreme depravity. Yet they continued “beloved for the fathers’ sakes.” (Rom. 11:28) In other words, they often rode on the coattails of the patriarchs.

It is well to consider here that all during the Patriarchal Age, and for about 200 years of the Jewish Age there was no organized religious ritual, no written revelation from God. This came for the first time through Moses at Sinai, during which time most of the Pentateuch was recorded, and making the foundation for “the oracles of God” which continued to come through that nation until the prophecy of Malachi appeared to form the last book of the Old Testament. Prior to Sinai whatever of religion was practiced by the Jews was based largely upon tradition, with either the father or the eldest son of the family acting as the household priest, which readily reminds us of the great in­fluence for good or evil that could come from such an arrangement. But this was all changed when Aaron, brother of Moses, was selected by God as Israel’s first High Priest; and the ceremonies incidental to the Tabernacle were initiated. After that time addi­tional revelations came through the various prophets, which were written out, eventually producing the 39 books of the Old Testament, with Malachi being the last one.

Of course, we must bear in mind that the revelations contained in the book of Gen­esis are all recordings of past events, many of which had occurred in “the world that was”; with the remainder coming during the Patriarchal and Jewish Ages prior to Sinai. It was Moses who reduced them to writing. Some of the Old Testament revelations came by direct speech (through an angel from God, etc.), others by visions, tableaux and dreams, some by immediate inspiration, some by typical acts and institutions, and some by covenant arrangements. Putting these into writing was commenced by Moses at Sinai in 1615 B.C., and completed by Malachi about 400 B.C. John the Baptist was the last of the prophets (Matt. 11:13), although he did not contribute any Old Testament writings.

Large parts of the Old Testament were typical of future events, many of which have already been fulfilled, with some being fulfilled in our present time, and others still future. Outstanding among such is the Law Covenant given through Moses, which offers great enlightenment concerning the New Covenant that will soon be inaugurated. “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt.” (Jer. 31:31-32)

The books written by Moses – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and most of Deuteronomy – were committed to the care of the Jewish priesthood; as were also subsequent additions until the last by Malachi. Such reverence was attached to those writings that the priests in charge would have given their lives in defense of them. Parts of these writings were usually read in the synagogues on the Sabbath, or other special oc­casions; and Jesus often quoted or read parts of certain Old Testament writings. One notable instance is recorded in Luke 4:16-21. It should be stressed here also that all of the Old Testament writers were Jews – as were also all of the New Testament writers, if we make allowance that the Gospel of Luke was dictated by St. Paul. And because of all this St. Paul asks the question: “What advantage then hath the Jew?... Much every way; chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” (Rom. 3:1,2)

However, there were many times when the custodians of the Holy Writ became quite careless in their duty, putting the writings off in some obscure corner of the Temple until they were forgotten and barely being preserved at all. Such an instance is re­corded in 2 Chron. 34:14-33. Indeed, after the death of Joshua such carelessness was often manifest until their return from the 70-years, captivity in Babylon – after which they were closely regarded and respected.

As stated earlier, the fact was stressed that only two of the cardinal doctrines of the Bible were revealed in “the world that was,” these two being the Creation and the Fall of man. The third one to come into promi­nence was the Law given at Sinai, which would give the Jews life if they would keep that Law. And to this they all answered, “All the words which the Lord hath said will we do.” (Ex. 24:3) But that Law only made glaringly apparent their inability to live according to the perfect requirements of their God. St. Paul makes this quite clear in Rom. 7:7-9: “I had not known sin but by the law... I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”

And, while the Old Testament Scriptures did testify of Jesus (John 5:39), much of what they testified was very vaguely comprehended; and it was not until Jesus Himself “brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10) that the remain­ing seven cardinal doctrines became clearly understood. Those seven are the Ransom, Justification, Sanctification, the High Calling, the Resurrection, Restitution and the Second Death. Six of these seven have been rather well understood by a limited few, and all have been operative during this Gospel Age, Restitution being the only exception. Of this we shall offer some comment when we consider “the world to come.”

Jesus not only “brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel,” but He also proved his own human perfection by keeping that Law perfectly, which even the best of the Jews Moses, Daniel, Samuel, John the Baptist, and the other well-intentioned prophets had not been able to do. Jesus emphasized this point in Matt. 5:17, 18: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

And, while the best of the Jews – such as mentioned above – could not keep the Law, it did accomplish something for them, as they endeavored to keep it. It gave them a standing far superior to their fellows, and developed in them the good quali­ties which will give them “a better resurrection” (Heb. 11:35) when “the books are opened, and the judgment is set.” This is recorded in quite some detail by St. Paul in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews.

Also, in lesser degree, a small segment of the Jews made earnest effort to keep the Law. St. Paul was one of these, he says of himself, “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touch­ing the law, a Pharisee (who rigidly attempted to keep the law, many of them mistakenly believing that they did so)... touching the righteousness which is of the law, blameless.” (Phil. 3:5,6) Jesus attracted to Himself a small number of such Jews – by His own personal magnetism and His strict adherence to that law which they had come to love. Jesus spoke of such as “the Harvest” of the Jewish Age; and counseled the Apostles and others to join Him in reaping them. “Look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest... I sent you to reap that whereon you bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors.” (John 4:35-38)

Although the law and the Jewish Age did produce a “harvest” of “Israelites indeed,” it also produced the chaff: “He will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable.” (Luke 3:17) Although their house was left to them desolate at Jesus’ death, they were given an additional 36½ years of amnesty before they were required to meet their promise: “His blood be on us, and on our children.” (Matt. 27:25) In the year 70 A.D. the Roman Emperor Titus leveled Jerusalem after a long and vicious siege, at which time “the chaff” was destroyed in savage manner. When the work was fully accomplished, there was a circle of crosses around Jerusalem, with a dead Jew hanging on each one of them. It is one of the outstanding atrocities of all history. There ended the Jewish Age; there ended the Jewish rituals estab­lished by Moses and Aaron at Sinai; there began what is commonly known as “the dis­persion,” which is the foundation for the expression “The Wandering Jew.”

So thoroughly was the chaff burned at that time that the Temple was demolished and the Tribe of Levi became lost in the confusion. That loss did indeed “desolate” the Jewish religion because they can no longer have a High Priest – who must come from the Tribe of Levi; but they do not now know which Jews are of that tribe. Therefore, their present Atonement Day services, their Passover services, etc., are mere empty formalisms. When the Jewish Age ended, it ended in a way which none of them foresaw, the full import of which is today understood by only a very few in Christendom. Vi­cious persecution has followed them from city to city, from nation to nation; and it may truly be described as one of the outstanding marvels of the Age that the Jewish race still exists at all. Their tenacity in this matter offers living proof of Moses’ charge against them: “Thou art a stiffnecked (stubborn) people.” (Deu. 9:6)

As amelioration to the foregoing, we offer the conclusion that it will not be always so with them. Already we see them back in the land which God promised the “fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Deu. 9:5); and we offer also the consolation of St. Paul: “Blindness is happened in part (not an unending scourge) to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom. 11:25)

An item of special interest here is that all the four universal empires described in the metal-man image of Dan. 2:36-45 had their origin in universal reign during the Jewish Age. The first of these was Babylon, which conquered the Jerusalem Jews in the Fall of 607 B.C.; and the Prophet describes it in this manner: “Thou, 0 king (Nebu­chadnezzar) art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the fields and the fowls of the heaven hath He given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.” (Dan. 2:37,38)

Followed then the Medes and the Persians as earth’s universal sovereignty. Media is first mentioned in history about 850 B.C., but did not attain noticeable prominence until about 625 B.C., at which time Cyaxares united the many Iranian-speaking Median tribes. The Medes became subject to the Persians in 550 B.C., under Cyrus the Great. “After thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee.” (Dan. 2:39)

Came next the Grecian Empire (“another third kingdom, which shall bear rule over all the earth”—Dan. 2:39). Alexander the Great occupied Media in 330 B.C.; but his rule was short-lived; and the empire fell pretty much apart shortly after his death.

“The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron” (Dan. 2:40). The reference is to the “iron rule” of Rome – the fourth and most extensive of the universal dominions. It had a very small beginning in the 8th century B.C. on the Tiber River in Italy; and lasted until the fifth century A.D. It became mistress of all Italy about the begin­ning of the third century B.C. During the years 264-133 B.C. it crushed its chief rival Carthage, and subjugated Macedonia, Greece and Spain. In 30 B.C. Octavian (Ju­lius Caesar’s adopted son) defeated Mark Anthony at Actium – at which date the Roman Empire was founded. Octavian, more popularly known as Augustus Caesar, reigned from 27 B.C. to 14 A.D. It was during his reign that Jesus was born. The empire reached about its greatest extent under Trajan, who reigned from 98 to 117 A.D.

From the dates given aforegoing, it is evident that all four of the universal empires came to the pinnacle of their glory in the Jewish Age; and three of them be­gan their decline in the Jewish Age. The first – the Babylonian kingdom of Nebuchad­nezzar – experienced complete desolation before the Jewish Age ended. “Because of the wrath of the Lord, Babylon shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished...” (Jer. 50:13). The only one of the four that did not begin its decline in the Jewish Age was the Roman Empire.

And in closing this dissertation on the Jewish Age we offer this interesting inci­dent: Some years ago we were rather well acquainted with a Jewish magistrate who was quite well versed in Jewish customs, history and religious ritual. On a certain occa­sion he was invited to address a Christian Sunday School Class, at which time he said something like this: “When I was invited to address you I was somewhat jittery and reluctant to appear before such an august assembly of Christians; but, when I began to recall that my ancestors were kings and priests, and worshipers of the one true God for about four thousand years, while your ancestors were worshipers of idols ­some having descended from Nimrod and Semiramus – I decided I had no cause for apol­ogy; and I began to view this situation with a courage I did not at first possess. Since the Mosaic Law Covenant given to Israel through Moses, the Jews have been the only nation in covenant relationship with the true God; all the surrounding nations were Gentiles who worshipped idols, and indulged in heathen rituals. Therefore, I concluded that any Jew who tries to be faithful to the Law Covenant which was given at Mount Sinai has reason to be proud of his historical background; and I certainly make no apology for mine.”

THE GOSPEL AGE

The Gospel or Christian Age is the last “wheel within the wheel” of “this present evil world” – the third and most important of the Ages that comprise it. The word gospel means good news or glad tidings; and it is stated in Matt. 4:23, and in other Scriptures, that “Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel (glad tidings) of the kingdom.” While it is true that there were more or less of good tidings in the two previous Ages, it is preeminently true of the Gospel Age. In the first seventy years of this Christian Age the entire New Testament was written – in contrast to the many hundreds of years (more than a thous­and years) which were required to produce the Old Testament. While Jesus began this Gospel Age at Jordan in the strict sense, yet in its broader sense it did not begin until Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was then poured out on those 500 people who were waiting in the upper room, as Jesus had told them to do. (Acts 1:13) 2:1-4; 1 Cor. 15:6). This occurred in 33 A.D., and overlapped the Jewish Age until Jerusalem was taken by Titus in the year 70 A.D. And in this our day overlappings of the Gospel Age into the Millennial Age have been occurring since 1874 – just 1845 years after those that occurred at the beginning of this Age. From this standpoint the duration of the Gospel Age may be definitely stated as 1845 years, with lappings into the Millennial Age – just as was true at the end of the Jewish Age and the beginning of the Gospel Age.

As previously stated, the Patriarchal and the Jewish Ages had their own distinctive purposes; and the same may be said of the Christian Age. Also, the Jewish and Gospel Ages are of equal length (1845 years); thus, they are parallel dispensations, with the Jewish Age providing many events that were typical of things in this Age – some of them exactly 1845 years apart. The first purpose of this Age is very similar to the first purpose of the Jewish Age. To the Jews were committed “the oracles of God”; and in this Age the Christians have been made the custodian of God’s oracles. (1 Cor. 4:1,2; John 17:8, 14; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 3:16) Christians have not only closely guarded the contents of the Old and New Testaments, but they have also translated them into many different languages. So well have the Christians cared for these Scriptures that not one book, or an essential part of any one book, has been lost.

The second purpose of this Age relates very closely to the first one – giving addi­tional revelations to those contained in the Old Testament. This was begun by John the Baptist, was given very great impetus by the preaching of Jesus, and completed by the Apostles – resulting in 27 additional books being added to the Bible in what is commonly styled the New Testament. The revelation of these 27 books came through various means: by direct speech, by visions, tableaux and dreams, some by immediate inspiration, sym­bolic acts, etc. These things occurred at different times, places and circumstances, the last being The Apocalypse, or Revelation, presumably written by St. John about 100 A.D. while a prisoner on the Isle of Patmos. (Rev. 1:9) The central feature of the New Testament is Christ and His Church, but containing much prophecy of future events, clarifications and elaborations of Old Testament Scriptures, with a complete code of ethics for the Christian life, detailed information on the resurrection of the dead, as well as considerable enlightenment on “the angels that sinned.”

The third purpose of the Christian Age was to introduce the Ransom – “a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (I Tim. 2:6) The word ransom in this text is from the Greek antilutron, and means a corresponding price, an exact equivalent. The Jewish Age had produced the Mosaic Law, which made glaringly manifest that man could not save himself. The word Jesus means savior; and the angel that appeared to Jo­seph had told him, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21) This testimony was heralded primarily by Jesus; then by the Apostles and other capable men of their time; and since their time by other able men all during the Age, so that it is now more or less common knowledge, although in a more or less confused and uncertain manner by the vast majority.

The declaration of this knowledge had as its foundation the “gospel of the King­dom,” the same kingdom for which Jesus told all to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Along with this message His followers have “re­proved the world for sin, for righteousness, and judgment to come” (John 16:8-11) ­“preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47), thence to Judea and Samaria, unto the ends of the earth. The evidence is quite clear that this has been accomplished; and that the failure of the Law to save mankind estab­lishes the foundation for hope of salvation through Jesus. “What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh... condemned sin in the flesh; That the righteousness of the law might be ful­filled in us (the Apostles and those who accepted their teachings after them), who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.” (Rom. 8:3,4) This “righteousness” has been imputed to all believers who had a true faith in Jesus as Savior. This “just­ification by faith” has given believers all during this Age “peace with God” (Rom.5:1,2).

The acquisition of faith justification has been by call; not by command – “the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) And those who continued faithful in this justification were accepted into God’s family as sons, “joint heirs with Christ” to administer the future kingdom on earth “in due time.” However, Jesus said this group would be very few in number – “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Much empha­sis should be placed upon the fact that one of the purposes of this Christian Age has been to call certain ones to do certain things, for which they would then be justified in anticipating certain rewards for the faithful doing of those things. A few hundred years back it was the general belief in Christendom that those who did not respond to the call would spend eternity in torment in the lake of fire. But it must be conceded that even in Christendom many had not had opportunity to hear that call; and of those who did hear it, the great majority had a very nebulous idea of its real meaning. Then we add to that the vast heathen world, the majority of whom never had the opportunity even to hear it at all. On one occasion the Apostle Peter had told the Jewish rulers that “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved except the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 4:10-12). Thus billions of heathen who had never heard that name would be consigned to eternal torment – according to the preva­lent belief in Christendom in the Dark Ages. (Continued)

“Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.” (Psa. 70:4)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

===========================

LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Friends:

Thanks for your wonderful letter. I found one of your papers on a bus, and I liked what I read so I wrote you. I was raised a Catholic, then I studied with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I was turned off by them, and left them. They are terrible people! Now I am studying the Bible.

Please send me all the back issues of your magazine that you can – also send some of all your tracts and booklets. Please send a volume of Studies in the Scriptures. I have no literature at all from the Epiphany Bible Students Assn.

Please pray for me. Your brother ------- (Pennsylvania)

...........................................................................

Dear Brother Hoefle:

Thank you so much for your good letter of June 20. I was really pleased to get it. Thought maybe you would be in Mount Dora so decided to write to all of you.......

I am a little careful about asking any one to pray for my physical health. Maybe I need the lesson, and I want what I need. I am sure some here have prayed that I get well, and they may think their prayers have helped. Well, I appreciate their wanting to help and I try to say the right thing – but I do want what I need and only the Lord knows that.

Sister A------ writes such good letters. She seems to have many opportunities to witness to the Truth. RGJ has always carefully dieted and exercised. Maybe he will live to be 100.

I am so glad that you are well, and I am sure you will have your health as long as you need it – and it seems we need you now. Your papers are so good and helpful!

Please give my love to all three sisters. I do think of you always and pray the Lord to richly bless you.

Your sister by His kind favor ------- (KANSAS)

...........................................................................

Dear Brother Hoefle:

Will you send me a copy of your No. 7 tract called “The Great Reformer” and “The Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Africa.”

Thank you very much. Yours in Him, Brother ------- (New  Jersey)

...........................................................................

Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in our dear Redeemer’s Name!

It is almost a year since last I wrote in reply to your letter. I thank you for your admonition therein. I read with interest of the young ones there who built a replica of the Tabernacle. How blessed it is to train the children in the fear of the Lord! The people here was once this way, but alas! they themselves are becoming more and more irreligious. The results we have a very small class and not one of their children attend class.

I am still hoping to get the excerpts of Jewish Hopes and Prospects published in a magazine, D.v. I am of the opinion that the Editor of the Daily News was a J.W., a friend of them. Of the Jehovah’s Witnesses many have joined their organization. Of course it is fear that has forced them into it.

I read your letter where you say, “It is worthy of note that Ethiopia is the last of the absolute monarchies to capitulate.” This was also in the B.S., “It is interest­ing to note that recently the last of the Kings who have ruled with despotic power, King Haile Selassie of Ethiopia has been forced out of Power.” Does it mean the Brit­ish monarchy is exempted?

I heard Sister ------- was very ill. Sister ------- passed on sometime last year. I must thank you for your letters of Interest, dear Brother, and do pray the Lord’s blessings on your efforts and work. I also pray for Brother Jolly that he may see the Error of his Campers. With love and prayers on you both and all in the Ecclesia. The Lord bless and keep you. I remain,

Yours by His Grace, – Brother -------

...........................................................................

Our dear Brethren: Loving greetings!

Yesterday we sent ten pounds to Brother ------- for you. Forty pence from Sister is included in the ten pounds. We trust you are all keeping as well as can be expected. We are wonderful in spite of the heat wave in England – in fact, the British Isles.

The more one reads of Brothers Russell and Johnson, the more one can see events that are happening around us. The revealing of persons, principles and things! Also the achievements of some of the learned ones is manifest. The Ancient Worthies must have been brilliant, too, under the Lord’s guidance.

Much love to you all – and with our daily prayers... Brother & Sister ------- (England)

...........................................................................

Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in the Master’s Name!

Thanks for your letter, which is very much appreciated. The other side shows us on our Golden Anniversary. My father met Brother Russell at the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1893, and he attended all the Conventions that he could up to the second Convention at Cedar Point, Ohio. I put in over a year with the Photo Drama – and Sister’s exper­ience just about parallels it. I lived in Chicago and Rochelle, Ill., then Plymouth, Ohio until I retired. Since then much time has been spent in Key West. We have a daughter living in Orlando, but she has joined the Romon Catholic Church. Our son is a M.D., and has been active in the Grove City Berean gatherings, which we hope to attend again this year.

Yours in the one Hope, Brother and Sister ------- (Florida)
...........................................................................

Dear Brother:

Thank you for your love and for sending me your monthly papers. Enclosed is a little for the cost. Thanks!

We love God and yearn for His promises soon. He will help thee!

Christian love, Brother ------- (Michigan)

NO. 244: IN MEMORIAM

No. 244

My dear Brethren: Grace and peace through our Beloved Master!

As has been our custom for many years to pay tribute to That Servant at this sea­son, we now offer some comment on the Laodicean Star, the first of whom was Brother Russell, whose death on October 31, 1916 we thus commemorate. We do not do this with the thought of “angel worship” – nor do we wish to magnify his talent and character out of keeping with the facts. But we do emphasize that it is our desire to place him in clear focus for what he actually was – That Faithful and Wise Servant. And in keeping with 1 Sam. 2:30 – “Them that honor Me I will honor” – we follow with some analysis on the 16th Chapter of Revelation:

“A VOICE OUT OF THE TEMPLE”

The caption for this treatise is taken from Rev. 16:1, the real thought of which would be better expressed by “A Voice out of the Tabernacle.” To substantiate this conclusion it became necessary first of all to offer an analysis of Brother Russell’s Stewardship Doctrine, which we believe to be:

A correct understanding of the Atonement as portrayed in Leviticus 16, the cen­tral teaching of which is Restitution.

It should be noted that those Star Members who received special stewardship doc­trines received them early in their ministry; quite often those doctrines were the cause of their leaving the religious group with whom they had been associated; and it was the teaching that provided stimulus throughout their entire ministry. For instance, Martin Luther was motivated by Romans 5:1 to break with the Catholic Church, because this text was a direct contradiction of the Catholic belief in justification by works, as opposed to St. Paul’s clear statement that it is justification by faith that brings “peace with God” in this Gospel Age. Luther’s primary objection, of course, was the sale of indulgences, the elimination of which he believed would at least start a cleans­ing of the Roman system; but it soon became clear to him – after his expulsion from that Church – that it was simply a surface malady, fed and encouraged by justification by works. Thus, his “justification by faith” almost automatically and very quickly be­came the antithesis of indulgences and their underlying evils.

While the doctrine of Restitution was not directly responsible for Bro. Russell’s leaving his “orthodox” surroundings, it was indeed indirectly responsible for his do­ing so. His very vitals rebelled at the teaching of eternal torment for the unsaved world; and this revulsion – much the same as Luther’s experiences with indulgences ­in turn drove him toward the proper explanation, which he received when the Atonement-­Day ritual was made clear to him in type and antitype. That the doctrine of Restitu­tion sparked Brother Russell’s entire ministry after receiving this Truth surely none will dispute. It is probable he never delivered a public discourse thereafter in which Restitution did not have a large and prominent place. And those who witnessed the Photo Drama will recall the oft–repeated expressions: “India needs Restitution; China needs Restitution,” etc., etc. We know, too, that his favorite Scripture was John 3:16,17, the mainspring of which is also Restitution: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever­lasting life.” And early in his ministry he urged the Pilgrims and Bethel speakers to stress Restitution in their public discourses, as he himself also did.

To avoid argument, it should be here stated that Brother Russell taught all the stewardship doctrines of the past, in addition to Restitution, although he had to remove many a rough spot from those doctrines – taints, impurities and distortions that had been attached to them by the crown-lost leaders of the past. When the Harvest arrived, the time also arrived to restore “the faith once delivered to the Saints” (Jude 3), so that the “Harp of God” would once more be attuned to its pristine harmonious melody. This Brother Russell accomplished with all the skill of the master artisan! Without Restitution, the “Plan of the Ages” was an empty and unsatisfactory expression, a fact which was recognized by many great and good men of the past. Martin Luther’s fine mind and magnanimous heart rebelled against the fate of the unsaved as it had been taught to him by the Catholic Church; but in vain did he seek the answer. He knew full well of St. Peter’s teaching in Acts 4:12, “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”; and he was ever prodded by the indisputable fact that untold millions had never heard that Name. “Somehow there must be a way after death for them to hear that name,” he said; but he had to admit he had no Scripture to substan­tiate him, and he could not explain how or what the process would be. John Wesley also chose to stress the love of God rather than the wrath of God; he also was too delicate­ly formed to accept with good appetite the teaching of eternal torment – although he did admit to his belief in it, even though his sensitive and loving disposition caused him in­ner revulsions. Rather, he stressed “The spirit and the bride say, Come.” He could not then know he was more than two hundred years ahead of his time in using Rev. 22:17, because there was no bride then in the full sense of that term.

The struggles of these good and fully faithful men to reach a satisfying answer is well set forth by the parable of the lost coin in Luke 15:8-10; and Brother Russell’s peace of mind at finding the answer is well stated in the words, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.” To make this teaching clear to all, we here itemize what seems to be basic truths, the “ten pieces of–silver,” or the ten strings of the Harp of God: (1) the Creation – of Adam and Eve; (2) the Condemnation – the fall into sin; (3) the Law – given to Moses at Sinai; (4) the Ransom – the anti–lutron by Jesus; (5) the Resurrection – Jesus the first-born from the dead; (6) the High Call­ing – “a new and living way” (Heb. 10:20); (7) Justification; (8) Sanctification; (9) Restitution – the sounding of the Jubilee trumpet (Lev. 25:9 – See E–8, p. 659); (10) the Second Death.

But, just as preceding Star Members had their stewardship teachings perverted by the crown-lost leaders who followed them, so Azazel (the meaning of which is Perverter) immediately led the crown-lost leaders to pervert Brother Russell’s stewardship doc­trine of Restitution. This began in a mild way at first – not so much perversion in its early features, as it was failure to “wait on the Lord.”   That Evil Servant and his henchmen determined to “rush” Restitution with their “Millions-Now-Living-Will-­Never-Die.” When time itself proved that teaching to be an abortion, they then pro­duced a real perversion – No restitution at all for Adam, or any who refuse now to ac­cept their teachings!  Just as the “Millions” teaching came early after the Star Mem­ber was gone, and was then only a mild perversion, so we are probably now seeing a repetition on a smaller scale in the teaching of the “quasi–elect consecrated” and Epiphany Campers Consecrated.

REVELATION 16

The foregoing elaboration is presented to prepare the explanation of why the temple in Rev. 16:1 is really the Tabernacle. It is the same temple as described in Rev. 11:19 – “The temple (tabernacle) of God was opened (explained) in heaven (among the brethren in the heavenly places – Phil. 3:20), and there was seen in his temple (tabernacle) the ark of his covenant” – the ark representing in its chest the Christ, head and body, and in its mercy seat and two cherubim the four attributes of God, this latter being the explanation given in Tabernacle Shadows. In conversation with Brother Johnson, he told this writer several times that he had no trouble in understanding the volumes, but had some difficulty in understanding certain features of Tabernacle Shad­ows. When he mentioned this to Brother Russell, he kept repeating to him: “But those volumes all came out of Tabernacle Shadows.” From this we can readily see why Taber­nacle Shadows was basic to the understanding of Parousia Truth – just as “Elijah and Elisha” is basic to Epiphany Truth. Thus, the “voice out of the Tabernacle” was in reality the Seven Volumes of Scripture Studies given to the “seven angels” (God’s true Church in the Harvest time), with the instruction: “Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.” (Rev. 16:1) Therefore, we conclude Brother Rus­sell’s stewardship doctrine to be as aforementioned, as it occupied a large place – a very large place – in Tabernacle Shadows; and we venture the opinion that, aside from the inspired writings, Tabernacle Shadows is the biggest little book ever published.

It should be noted here that it was not many years after Brother Russell’s death that Tabernacle Shadows was cast aside completely by those who took over his executive offices. And not many years after Brother Johnson’s death those who took over his exe­cutive office perverted some of the fundamental teachings of Tabernacle Shadows – main­ly by putting Justification in the Camp, outside the linen curtain of Christ’s right­eousness, and without the cleansing access to the Laver, so vital to Justification of any kind in this Gospel Age.

And from this great little book, bearing Brother Russell’s stewardship doctrine, came the “seven vials of wrath” – better translated by the Diaglott as “seven bowls of wrath.” We say this is a better translation because it was mainly in their controver­sial features that the seven volumes “plagued” those whose errors they exposed. Bro. Johnson has ably explained in Epiphany Vol. Eight that the bowls, chargers and spoons of Numbers 7 represent refutative, correctional and ethical teachings; thus, these bowls are the same as the “refuting” of 2 Tim. 3:16. And what is it we refute? We refute error!       And it is the refutation of error that always arouses the antagonism of errorists. In these seven “bowls” there was much of corrective and ethical teachings, too; but these did not elicit the same savage reprisals as did the refutations of error. Even the members of antitypical Balaam (those who teach error for profit) agree that professing Christians should behave themselves – outwardly, at least; they endorse the correctional and ethical teachings of the Bible with lip service anyway.

It should be borne in mind that those mainly aroused by these refutations were the members of antitypical Saul and their ledlings; and a moderate analysis of their character will disclose why this was so – and still is so. Brother Russell says Saul “manifested considerable hypocrisy” (see Berean Comments on 1 Sam. 15:13); and his anti­type is also not lacking in this “dis”grace. Nor were their prototypes lacking in it, as witness the words of Jesus, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypoc­risy.” It should be noted that all of them are inclined to falsehood, and that another of the root evils of hypocrisy is an overweening approbativeness. Note 1 Sam. 15:17: “When thou wast little in thine own sight... the Lord anointed thee king over Israel”; but, having once reached the head of the crowd, he apparently became power-drunk with his own importance, and resorted to “rebellion” (Revolutionism). And with such charac­ters, the unforgivable sin that incites their hatred (Isa. 66:5 – “Your brethren that hated you.”) is to parade their errors before the gaze of the mob. Therefore, the “bowls” that came out of Tabernacle Shadows were indeed “the wrath of God” to them. To such, Present Truth has always been a “savor of death unto death” (2 Cor. 2:16); where­as, to the Faithful it has ever been a “savor of life unto life.” The observation was appropriate in the Parousia concerning the members of antitypical Saul, as it is still appropriate concerning them: They know that we know that they know they don’t know! Thus, they “receive of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:4)

“And the first went, and poured out his bowl on the earth (organized Society), and there came an evil and malignant ulcer on those men having the mark of the beast, and on those worshipping his image.” Volume One was published in 1886, and truly it proved to be a “malignant ulcer” to antitypical Saul and his henchmen; it was a ‘hot penny’: they could not hold it, and they were afraid to drop it. The stewardship doc­trine of Restitution, with which Volume One is replete, made material for a “plan of the ages,” the likes of which had not been known since the days of the Apostles; and it placed Restitution and eternal torment at opposite ends of the measure. It did indeed “spoil the vines” for many a hell–fire evangelist! Also, Chapter 14 – The King­dom of God – made a shambles of the teaching that we now have Christendom – Christ’s Kingdom; and it showed the present order to be a far, far cry from “Thy will be done on earth.” Our Lord’s Return, The Permission of Evil, The Day of Judgment, etc., etc., all combined to make this “bowl” a “malignant ulcer” – “a savor of death unto death” to many members of antitypical Saul.

This is pointedly typified in Ex. 4:9: “The water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.” “The water” in this text is the Truth as contained in the Bible – so excellently presented in Volume One – The Divine Plan of the Ages. The “dry land” typified the withered and sere condition of society as it existed at the time of the book’s appearance. And the “blood” represents the faulty reasoning of Christendom’s religious leaders, who branded the book as error – bloody, repulsive, abhorrent, death-dealing – whereas, it actually contained the water of life uplifting, life–giving, to all who were “of the Truth.” It should be noted that at that time many preachers were describing the animal sacrifices of the Law as bloody and barbaric – because they could not see the grand antitype of the “better sacrifices” (Heb. 9:23) that were offered during this Gospel Age by “the Church which is His Body.” (Eph. 1:22,23)

The second “bowl,” “The Time is at Hand,” made its appearance in 1889; and the third, “Thy Kingdom Come” in 1891 – “and they became blood.” These “bowls” defined clearly “The Man of Sin” and his counterfeit Millennium as a direct contradiction to Restitution. About this time many of the more “cultured” of antitypical Saul were describing the Jewish sacrifices as blood, blood, blood – barbaric and out of place in Christianity; but these bowls pointed to the “better sacrifices” as fundamental and in­separable to Christianity, that “without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins” (Heb. 9:22), that the consummation of the better sacrifices provided the hope for Restitution, and the only hope for “Thy kingdom come.”

And the time features were indeed a powerful refutation of those who were loudly proclaiming “no man knoweth the day nor the hour”; and of those who were lustily sing­ing, “When my work on earth is ended, and time shall be no more.” The second “bowl” demonstrated the correct translation of Rev. 10:6 to be, “The time shall be no longer delayed”; that is, the “time is at hand” for God, through the Christ, to carry out His promise of Restitution – that the time had arrived for the blessing of all the families of the earth. Many of us recall the opposition that came when “The Second Coming of Christ” was preached. As instance, the tale of one brother, long in the Truth: A Pil­grim was coming to a small town in Ohio to preach on the Second Coming; and the broth­er was trying to rally his neighbors to the meeting. Said one, “You know the Bible teaches no man knoweth the day nor the hour, and I think we ought to rotten–egg the fraud out of town when he gets here.” The brother, using considerable tact, said, “Well, come on, and bring your eggs; if he is a fraud, I’ll help throw a few at him my­self.” The Pilgrim gave a very masterful presentation, at the conclusion of which the brother went to the rostrum and said to his neighbor, “Well, Joe, you’ve now heard the man; do you want to start throwing your eggs?” The man had been most impressed, and his only answer was, “I guess not.”

It should be noted, too that Volume 3 contained a moderate explanation of the Great Pyramid of Giza, showing from the prophetic statement of Isa. 19:19–22 that the “altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt” was indeed “a sign and a witness” to the great Plan of the Ages as contained in the Bible. Thus the pertinence of v. 7: “I heard another (angel) out of the altar” – in “the midst of the land of Egypt.” This truth, too, has been completely rejected by some, and distorted by others since Brother Russell’s death.

The fourth bowl appeared in 1897; and it certainly affirmed its title, “The Battle of Armageddon,” in that “power was given to scorch men with fire.? It pointed out the prevalent sins among rulers, clergy, aristocracy and labor; and was a true fulfillment of Jesus’ words in John 16:8-11: “When the Holy Spirit is come, it will re­prove the world of sin (the wrongs they are committing), of righteousness (point out the right way to do), and of judgment” (warn them of the coming judgment, which in this instance was in its initial phase to be the “battle of the great day of God Almighty”). But, “as it was in the days of Noah,” they neither heeded nor wanted to hear that mes­sage – “repented not to give God glory.”

It should be noted that the “fourth bowl” described events that are happening to­day as though the book were written this year; whereas, it was written 78 years ago. The forecasts of that book are in part a fulfillment of Dan. 5:25-29 – the much-quoted “handwriting on the wall.” It explained that the statement, “The kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians” (v. 28) indicated that Christendom would be divided into two hostile camps: a conservative camp, consisting of church, state and capital, and a radical camp, consisting of trade unionists, socialists, communists, anarchists and nihilists.

At the time the book was written these antagonistic factions had only a faint be­ginning, which developed to some degree up to 1914; but it was the outbreak of the war in 1914 that caused a clear cleavage between them, as typified by Elijah smiting Jordan (type of Christendom and the curse) – when the waters (peoples) of that river developed into two distinct warring factions. The terse substance of Volume 4 – “The Battle of Armageddon” – gave 1914 as the end of “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21: 24); Great Babylon’s judgment and downfall; the overthrow of Satan’s empire, to be followed by God’s Kingdom on earth. All of these things were set forth in precise de­tail and accuracy – so much so that, when the great events began to transpire in 1914, it directed the world’s attention to Brother Russell as the outstanding interpreter and Bible lecturer of his time, the greatest religious teacher in Christendom. And in the Fall of 1917 the czarist regime in Russia was overthrown, it being one of the strongest and most absolute monarchies that had ever existed in all human history. There the text began to be fulfilled, “the mountains (strong autocratic governments) carried into the midst of the sea (the lawless elements of society).” This feature of prophecy has now been carried to a completion; the last autocracy being Ethiopia, which was toppled over in 1974.

In 1899 came the fifth “bowl” poured out upon the seat of the beast; and his king­dom was full of darkness (great portions of the beast’s teachings were proven to be er­ror, superstition and tradition – the “precepts of men”); and they gnawed their tongues for pain” (v. 10). It should not cause much argument when we declare that Volume 5 was Brother Russell’s masterpiece. His analysis of the Holy Spirit, of Life Everlast­ing and Immortality, of the Trinity, The Soul, of Sheol-Hades-Gehenna, left his oppon­ents “speechless.” Of a truth, “they gnawed their tongues with pain.” So clear and convincing were the presentations of the fifth “bowl” that many segments of the secular press gave it unstinted praise; although antitypical Saul and the lesser lights “repented not” (v. 11).

Then came the sixth “bowl” early in this century, which contained much less of controversial writings than the previous five had done. In fact, its title – “The New Creation” – is well in keeping with verse 12 – “that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared”; its purpose was to instruct the true church (kings of the east) in every good word and work. It was the “law,” the better way, to every one who is “of the truth.” And any one who knows and faithfully abides by the teachings of Volume Six can be assured of the best of present possessions – “a good and honest heart.”

The seventh vial – titled “The Finished Mystery” – did not appear until 1917; and, as Brother Johnson so aptly stated, it appeared in a vile condition. It had been produced by uncleansed Levites – a “rush” production, at the urging of That Evil Ser­vant in his haste to “eat and drink with the drunken” (Levites drunken with error). However, as the seventh “bowl” (its controversial features), there was not too much fault to be found with it, the reason for this being that the “bowl” portions of “The Finished Mystery” were almost completely paraphrase or exact quotation from the Star Member. It was the injection of their own ideas into what should have been a priestly production that brought those uncleansed Levites eventually to Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. They had run ahead of the Lord to publish the seventh vial; had published it in a vile condition; and the Lord rewarded them “according to their works” – by reducing them     to durance vile (prison). In fact, the expression in verse 6 regarding Vol. 3 is also emphatically pertinent here: “Thou gavest them also blood to drink (revulsive error); they deserve it.” (Rev. 16:6, Dia.)

It would seem in order here to declare that the “seventh bowl” not only plagued Big Babylon, but it also produced a severe contagion right in the backyard of those who had published it; ecclesias in many quarters were split right down the middle over the book; it was made a test of fellowship near and far. It was not enough just to keep quiet if you did not believe all of it; you must openly espouse it. At that time we ourselves were ejected from the colporteur work because we did not offer it for sale, although we were offering the other six volumes to the public.

And as evidence of its “vile condition” and nefarious influence among the brethren, it was not more than 10 or 15 years after its appearance in 1917 that “The Finished Mys­tery” (the name of the seventh bowl) was placed on the list of forbidden things – in di­rect contrast to the ruling of 1917. Those who didn’t accept the book in 1917 were dis­fellowshiped – but any one caught reading and accepting its teaching at the later date was also disfellowshiped. From one extreme violation of Christian principles to a worse violation – all by the same people in the space of a few short years! Well may the text apply to them: “Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.” (Gen. 49:5)      Note the marginal reading of the text: “Their swords (use of the Scriptures) are weapons of violence.”

It is timely to mention here that in 1969 the Jehovah’s Witnesses produced a new book – “Then Is Finished The Mystery of God” – which deals with Revelation; whereas, the 1917 Finished Mystery contained a verse by verse comment on both Revelation and Ezekiel. However, this 1969 publication is choked with error also, even more than the 1917 book. And the reason for this is readily understood: The Witnesses have gone from bad to worse, and have much more error today than they had in 1917. Will they also place this latest “Finished Mystery” on the forbidden list for another “mystery”? This remains to be seen, of course.

That Fit-Man experience had a salutary effect upon at least one of the eight who went to Atlanta: George Fisher, who wrote the Ezekiel comments of the Seventh Volume (which part Brother Johnson declared to be far superior to the Revelation part by Clay­ton Woodworth). Brother Fisher eventually saw “the Judge” in his true colors; and be­fore his death he personally wrote to the writer of this article: Any one who does not see JFR as That Evil Servant is just that much out of Present Truth.

It is worthy of note that it was not the “bowl” features of Volume Seven that brought its writers into trouble; it was their own foolish statements about the war then raging, and their diatribe on Patriotism, which remarks were definitely out of order at the time. Therefore, in their incarceration they did not suffer altogether “as a Christian” (1 Pet. 4:16); rather, they paid for their own folly – although it should be noted that any persecution which came to them because of the true and op­portune features of the seventh “bowl” would be counted to them for righteousness’ sake.

Although the Bible is high in praise of the Old Testament Prophets and the New Testa­ment saints, it is equally frank in recording some of their failings and misdeeds. This is one of the things that stamps the Bible as the Word of Truth. In like manner, we would say concerning both members of the Laodicean Star that they made some mistakes, as they were not infallible; but we often pause in amazement at the grand system of Truth they gave to us. This is especially true of Brother Russell, who was faced with a mountain of vicious error that had accumulated during the Age, with some of the best minds in Christendom sponsoring those errors. Thus, it is a tribute to his courage and faithfulness, to his sensitive and brilliant mind, that he prevailed against such an array of antagonists. It should be stressed here that he also had the exalted privilege of being held in the Lord’s hand (“He had in His right hand seven stars”—Rev. 1:16), which gave him “Eloquence and wisdom, which all of your opponents will not be able to gainsay, or resist.” (Luke 21:15, Dia.) We believe all those who knew him intimately will agree with this appraisal.

We offer the foregoing as a help and guide to all God’s people who may be inclined to follow blindly the errors and bad judgment of uncleansed Levites; because they do so at their own peril – “God brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help.” (Psa. 107:12)

We also pay tribute to the Epiphany Messenger who faithfully upheld and defended the Truth given to us by That Servant, refuted the errors and exposed the errorists ­in keeping with 1 Sam. 2:30: “Them that honor Me I will honor.” And with this writing comes the prayer of the writer that it may prove a blessing to all our brethren – and a means of growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Beloved Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, thereby continuing “in the faith once delivered unto the Saints.”

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he will give thee the desires of thine heart. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.” (Psa. 37:3,4,6)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

===========================

THE JULY–AUGUST PRESENT TRUTH

On pp. 61-63 of the above PT are some questions on “Tentative Justification in the Epiphany Camp,” etc. – a loose disjointed “profusion of words.” RGJ offers copious citations from Brother Johnson to justify his teaching of Tentative Justification in the Epiphany Camp, which citations need his own extended comments to produce support for his contentions. We concede that everything in those three pages quoted from Bro. Johnson is copied correctly; but we now make just one request: Let RGJ produce one statement anywhere from Brother Johnson’s writings – just one – to show he taught ac­ceptable consecrations in the Epiphany Camp. Tentative Justification in this Age is given for the very purpose of consecration. But the statement he himself offers from E–10:209 states the Camp in the finished picture will contain the “unconsecrated” – a clear contradiction of his present contention. As Brother Johnson would say: Why do these Levites offer Scriptures and quotations which clearly dispute their claims? Is it not because they are in the clutches of Azazel?

At least some of these “unconsecrated” in the finished picture have been tenta­tively justified before they were ejected from the Court into the Camp. At that time they lose their tentative justification and “cease altogether to be of the Household of Faith.” (See E–4:406) The only thing they do not lose is their “repentant and believing” disposition. All of us know that Tentative Justification since shortly be­fore Pentecost has been a Gospel-Age faith justification (Rom. 5:1); and E–11:169, bottom, says this: “There will be no more faith justification working during the Mil­lennium” (See also E–11:170, bottom and E–11:183, top). Also, “During that Age (the Millennium) there will be neither a tentative nor a vitalized justification.” (E–15:261) We accept those statements as the Truth, so we now ask RGJ if he does. And if he does, will his Epiphany Campers Consecrated lose their tentative justification when the Media­torial reign begins, or will they retain their tentative justification during the entire restitution process?

MORE ABOUT CORNELIUS

Along with the above RGJ makes further comment on Cornelius; and we are now told that “repentant and believing” has two meanings: (1) a “general sense,” and (2) a “spe­cific sense.” Of course, neither Messenger ever offered such conglomeration; that is just some more invention by RGJ.   And on p. 62, col. 2, par. 5, we find this: “And if Cornelius was the same centurion mentioned in Luke 7:2–9 (though it is far from certain that he was)....” Note now the Berean Comment on Acts 10:37: “Probably having heard Christ himself preach it at the time the servant was healed.” Clearly enough Brother Russell did not consider it “far from certain.” If language means anything at all, Brother Russell was fully persuaded that Cornelius was the same centurion. Of that Cen­turion (a Gentile in the Roman Army) Jesus said, “I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” (Luke 7:9) If that Centurion was not Cornelius, doesn’t it seem most strange Jesus would single out another Gentile as the first to be inducted into the Christ Company?

Also, RGJ now offers the nonsensical statement that in the “general sense” a Moham­medan can have a very repentant attitude and believe sincerely in Allah... so be “repentant and believing.” The North American Indian also had a very decided conviction about a “Great Spirit,” and a “happy hunting ground” after death. The Indians buried the dead man’s dog and horse with him so he would have them “on the other shore.” Why not include him with the Mohammedan – make the “Combinationism” all–inclusive in the “general sense”? The Adversary is still very busy with the third Slaughter-Weapon Man of Combinationism! It matters not where we dwell – with Mohammed or Confucius – we can be “repentant and believing” in the “general sense! (?)

When the Truth given to us by the Epiphany Messenger began to pinch too much on some of RGJ’s errors regarding the Epiphany as the last special period of the Gospel Age, he invented 1954 as the Epiphany’s end in a “restricted sense.” Now That Ser­vant’s conclusions about Cornelius are pinching his “strange fire” (false doctrine), so he produces another invention: One can be consecrated and converted in a “general sense” without being repentant and believing in a “specific sense!   Well, the only ‘sense, we can discern in such mumbo jumbo is RGJ’s “non”-sense! Cornelius was in much the same condition before Peter’s visit as were those sincere Jews who recognized Jesus as a prophet sent from God, but they did not clearly understand their relation­ship to Him until they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The order to open the “way” for the Gentiles was not given to Peter until 3½ years later. The “general and specific sense” regarding “repentant and believing” is simply some more of RGJ’s sym­bolic witchcraft (especially deceptive false teachings).

If RGJ is “far from certain” that Cornelius was that Centurion, then he raises the possibility that there were two Gentiles in the Roman Army that had a faith (belief) superior to the Jews. And, if that would not make them repentant and believing in the “specific sense,” we must now conclude that none of those who accepted Jesus were re­pentant and believing in the “specific sense.” Let each one be persuaded in his own mind!

Let us keep in mind that the Apostles themselves could not understand the Divine Plan until Pentecost – nor did any of them know (even after Pentecost) that the Gen­tiles would be received into the Body of Christ 3½ years later – this Truth not being due for them. Since the Apostle Peter did not know that the “way” would be opened for the Gentiles until the Lord informed him, it is no detraction from Cornelius that he did not know that Jesus could be his Savior – the Savior of the Gentiles who were “repentant and believing” – until he was informed. Some knowledge is always necessary, and the knowledge that he could accept Jesus as his Savior was necessary for him to make an acceptable consecration before he could receive the Holy Spirit. Brother Russell says Cornelius had been consecrated and converted many years before Peter came to him. If Cornelius was converted, accepted the God of Israel, and consecrated, he was no longer a heathen, as are the Mohammedan and the Indian. Four days before Peter came he had been “fasting and praying.” (Acts 10:30) Just how much more could he do to make him “repentant and believing” in the “specific sense”?

NO. 243: THE THREE WORLDS - CONDITIONS AND PEOPLES

No. 243

The request has come to us to offer an analysis of the three worlds mentioned in the Bible: (1) the world that was; (2) the world that now is; (3) the world to come – with their fundamental differences, similarities, and the time features in­volved in each one. These are very briefly epitomized in the third chapter of St. Peter’s second letter. In verse 6 he tells us that “the world that then was (before the flood), being overflowed with water, perished”; then continues in verse 7: “the heavens and the earth which are now” (the world that now is) are “reserved unto fire against the day of judgment.” Continuing in verse 13, “We look for new heavens and a new earth (the world to come), wherein dwelleth righteousness.” It is our inten­tion to correlate various statements in the Old and New Testaments – “here a little, and there a little” (Isa. 28:10) – concerning these three worlds, and depict their true Scriptural meaning.

However, before we proceed we would stress the fact that the Bible is written in two languages – literal and figurative – and this must be appreciated if we would avoid extreme confusion. For instance, the word earth in the Bible has two meanings: (1) the planet on which we live, and (2) the social order of human existence. To il­lustrate, in Gen. 9:11 we are told “there shall not be any more a flood to destroy the earth.” Surely, the planet on which we live was not destroyed by the flood, but the social arrangement in vogue then was completely destroyed by the flood. The same contention may be made for the word heaven, which has three different and distinct meanings: (1) God’s abode, which presumably is the Pleiades, the center of gravity of the Universe (see Job 38:31); (2) the atmosphere about this earth, into which Elijah was carried by the fiery chariot (see 2 Kings 2:9-12); (3) the present religious order (see 2 Pet. 3:7).

While the Old Testament of the Bible offers copious information about the above ­along with much detail about the world that was, and the world that now is, it remains for the New Testament to provide the information that enables us to accomplish our purpose. Therefore, we would initiate this treatise with the New Testament informa­tion, as we interweave Old Testament details into our conclusions.

In the New Testament the word “world” is translated from four different Greek words: 1 – Aion, meaning Age or Dispensation; 2 – Ge, land or earth; 3 – Kosmos, Arrangement or Social order; 4 – Oikoumene, the habitable earth or land. That these four words are not synonymous is self-evident; and the translation of all of them into the English word world simply reveals the inaccuracy with which the translators of the King James version of the Bible did their work. This is one great cause why so much error has arisen over the centuries, and the confusion that is now so preva­lent.

Although some of the above words may be used interchangeably, it would always be better to give the strictly correct meaning in each case. For example, in Matt. 24:3 the Disciples asked Jesus, “What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and the end of the world (aion)?” A more correct rendering would be, “What shall be the sign of Thy pres­ence, and the consummation of the Age?” In this particular text the end of the world and the end of the Age will occur at the same  time; but to give them the same meaning simply leads to unnecessary confusion. In this, the second world, in which we now live, there have been three Ages – the Patriarchal, Jewish, and the Gospel Age.  It so happens that the end of this Gospel Age will also be the end of this world; and, while the Gospel Age is fully included in this world, this world is not fully included in this Gospel Age.

The expression is often heard – “The end of the world”; and the vast majority in Christendom have come to conclude that this means the destruction of the planet earth on which we live. However, when reading Matt. 24:3 correctly, as given above, it will become readily apparent that the Disciples had no such thought in mind when they asked Jesus their question. The Greek Kosmos (the order of affairs) is the root of such English words as cosmos, cosmogony, cosmopolitan, etc. Cities such as New York and London are considered cosmopolitan districts because they contain a representation of almost all races and nations as their residents. Therefore, we believe it will provide profitable reading to offer an analysis of the three worlds in relation to the conditions and peoples that are described in the Bible.

“THE WORLD THAT WAS”

In 2 Peter 2:5 we are told that God “spared not the old world (kosmos), but saved Noah... a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world” (kosmos). And continuing, 2 Pet. 3:6 tells us, “The world (kosmos) that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.” All of us know that this planet earth was not destroyed by the great flood; and it is in order to state here that the language of the Bible is often intricate and confusing if we do not read it critically. Some of it is literal, and some of it is figurative, or symbolic, or typical.  As stated on p. 1, when Gen. 9:11 says “neither shall there be any more a flood to destroy the earth,” it does not mean the literal earth on which we live, because it is still here. The “earth” that was destroyed by the flood was the kosmos, or order of affairs; and, since Solomon in­forms us in Ecc. 1:4 that “the earth abideth forever,” we accept for certain that the destruction of this present world will not bring about the destruction of this planet upon which we live.

Nor will the dissolution of the present order of affairs bring about the destruc­tion of all the people in this world – just as the destruction of “the world that was” did not destroy all the people then – although it did destroy all of them except Noah and his three sons and their wives, eight persons in all. To the great majority in Chris­tendom the “end of the world” implies the destruction of all the people upon the planet, as well as the destruction of the planet itself; but Isa. 45:18 tells us, “God Himself formed the earth, and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.”

The Bible clearly reveals that eventually there will be many more people on this earth than there are here now; although the Bible is equally emphatic that in the years just ahead of us there will be many less people here than we have now. “Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind (the Time of Trouble) shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.  And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not he lamented, neither gathered, nor buried.” (Jer. 25:32,33)

SOME STRIKING PECULIARITIES - “Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.” (Gen. 5:5) Much visionary reasoning has been produced to alter the meaning of the word ‘years’ as it is found in the fifth chapter of Genesis; but none of it has any foundation in fact. Here is what one commentator has to say about it: “The immense duration of life assigned to the antediluvian patriarchs has always  been  the  occasion of difficulty. Attempts have been made to explain away the figures. (a) It has been suggested that the names of those patriarchs represent dynasties. But the mention of the firstborn and of other children obviously refers  to  personal  history. Nor does the transference of these enormous figures to the duration of dynasties great­ly diminish the improbability of their literal historicity. (b) It has been suggested that the Hebrew word for “Year’ (shanah) is used in this chapter to denote a shorter period of time. But this arbitrary solution is devoid of any evidence in its favor. There is no reason not to interpret the statements of the antediluvian patriarchs quite literally.”

By totaling the various figures in the fifth chapter of Genesis, then adding the 600 years that Noah lived before the flood (Gen. 7:6), we come to the grand total of 1,656 years, which provides the number of years for “The World That Was.” And this is certainly a very, very short period of time if we compare it with some of the halluci­natory deductions of would-be pundits concerning the first man upon this earth – some of them talking in many millions of years back concerning this important fact.

According to Bible revelation, Methuselah was the oldest of all the patriarchs, being 969 years old when he died. Adam was 687 years old when Methuselah was born; and Methuselah was 369 years old when Noah was born. Thus, the two of them were con­temporary for 600 years, which would give them plenty of time to become well acquainted. Also, from this fact it becomes apparent that we need only the record of Methuselah’s life to span the date of creation of Adam to the flood – or one generation in a manner of speaking.

Then again, Noah and his family had the unique experience of living in two worlds ­“The World That Was” and “This Present Evil World” (Gal. 1:4). Noah himself lived for six hundred years in “The World That Was,” and three hundred and fifty years in “This Present Evil World” (Gal. 1:4) – “all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years” (Gen. 9:29). And the experience that was unique to Noah and his family of living in two worlds will also be repeated here in the end of “This Present Evil World” when it ends, and the next world begins. In Eph. 1:21 St. Paul tells us that Christ is above “every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” From this it is apparent that the Bible clearly discusses, and de­scribes in some detail, three worlds. In Heb. 6:5 St. Paul speaks of “the powers of the world to come.”

It is of interest to note here, too, that Noah died just two years before Abraham was born. Thus Noah was in position to give all the details about the creation, the flood, and conditions after the flood; and it is probable (although we cannot state it as a fact) that he related those things to Terah, Abraham’s father, the latter then passing them on to Abraham after Noah’s death. Terah lived 75 years after Abraham’s birth, which means that the last 73 years of his life were contemporaneous with Noah.

“WORLD THAT WAS” WITHOUT RAIN – It is worthy of note that “The Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth... but there went up a mist from the earth, and wa­tered the whole face of the ground.” (Gen. 2:5,6) Therefore, when Noah began to build an ark as protection against a coming flood, it is little wonder his neighbors con­sidered it quite a joke: “They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in mar­riage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark.” (Matt. 24:38) And without rain there would be no humidity, no fermentation, which accounted in part for the long lives of those who lived before the flood. It also accounts for Noah becoming drunk after the flood (Gen. 9:20-24), because he had not yet learned what the changed climatic con­ditions had produced. Thus, those who attempt to make sport of Noah, calling him an old drunk, do so through their ignorance of all the facts in the case. It is far fetched to believe that Noah, “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5), would become stupefied with alcohol. “Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” (Gen. 6:9)

THE ANGELS THAT SINNED – “God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell.” (2 Pet. 2:4) Who were these “angels that sinned”? The answer is to be found in Gen. 6:2-4: “The sons of God (angels) saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and took them wives of all which they chose.... There were giants in the earth in those days... when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” The word “giants” in this text is from the Hebrew Nephilim, and means “fallen ones.” Being a cross between human beings and angels, they were a hybrid production, which is contrary to all the laws of nature. When God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle... and beasts of the earth after his kind” (Gen. 1:24), this was not just a statement of happenstance. When any species of ani­mals is crossed with another species, it produces a mule.  In everyday English a mule is understood to be a cross between a horse and a donkey – which produces a mule; but a mule may apply to any animal that cannot reproduce itself. Female mules never have colts; and this law is so firmly entrenched that even a dove and a pigeon cannot bring forth a young one that can reproduce itself. And, if left to themselves out in nature, such birds will not attempt to mate; they do it only under stress, or through the manipu­lation of man.

Those Nephilim hybrids are the origin of the legendary demigods that permeate the Greek and Roman mythology; they were presumed to be half man and half God, and the mere mention of their name often caused shivers in the human family. The word Nephilim oc­curs but three times in the Old Testament – once in Gen. 6:4 and twice in Numbers 13:33. When the ten spies brought back their evil report about Canaan, they said, “There we saw the giants (Nephilim) and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” This statement terrorized the Israelites, “and the people wept that night.” (Num. 14:1) When we consider that it was only 427 years from the death of No­ah to the birth of Moses, it means just a few generations separated them. Thus, we can well appreciate that the legend of those “giants” was quite fresh in the minds of the Jewish people. The report that “the earth was filled with violence” (Gen. 6:11) because of them was relatively recent news to the Jews; and they wanted no part of an encounter with them.

It is written of Noah that “he was a just man and perfect in his generations” (Gen. 6:9); but this does not justify the conclusion that he and his were the only people that had not been corrupted with hybrid contact. It would seem to be reasonable that there were others than Noah that were not hybrid stock, but they had fallen to the evil ways of the “giants,” thus were destroyed in the flood, along with all the Nephilim. The angels themselves, who had produced the Nephilim, dematerialized when the flood broke upon the earth; but they were not permitted to go back to Heaven. Rather, they were “cast down to hell” (2 Pet. 2:4). The Greek word for “hell” in this text is “tar­taroo,” which simply means the atmosphere about this earth. Thus, they were forced to accept the abode of their own choosing; and they are to be identified as the demons so frequently mentioned in the New Testament which infested certain human beings.

These “devils” are mentioned many times in the New Testament, a few of the more prominent citations being Matt. 9:32,33; 17:14-18; Mark 6:13; 7:29,30; Luke 4:41; 8:2; 8:26-33. The devils (the angels that sinned) were not destroyed in the flood, although the hybrid giants (the Nephilim) were; but the Jews were not aware of this, and they were so undone at the mere mention of them that they ran for forty years from some­thing that did not then exist.

A very short while after ejection from the Garden of Eden, crime began to make its appearance among men, the first major crime mentioned in the Bible being murder. Cain slew his brother because of envy. (Gen. 4:1-8) But, though evil deeds and evil men made quick appearance, it is well to keep in mind that there were those who resisted such, and made diligent effort to return to the favor of the Lord. Says St. Paul in Hebrews 11:4,5: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he be­ing dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death.... before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” However, as it is in this present world, so it was then: Those that pleased God were greatly in the mi­nority.

From the creation to the birth of Jesus was 4128 years; and the “world that was” perished 1656 years after it began, which means that its end came in 2472 years B.C. Adding the present date of 1975 to that we find that “this present evil world” has al­ready continued for 4447 years – of which more later. However, it is well to note that of the ten cardinal truths contained in the Bible only two are described in the Genesis record as appearing in the “world that was.” These two are the Creation and the Fall of man. The third cardinal truth is the Law of Moses, which did not make its appearance until the Jews had left Egypt, of which more later.

“THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD”  (Gal. 1:4)

As stated above, “this present evil world” (dispensation) began 4447 years ago, at which time there were but eight people to start it; whereas, just two people began “the world that was.” These eight people were Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives. Shem is presumed to have been the eldest, his descendants being known as Shemites, or Semites. From his line eventually came Abraham, who was the father of the Jewish or Semitic race. They are thought to have settled in Asia Minor and Western Asia, although today Palestine (or Canaan land) is properly considered as their ancient place of abode. More on this as we consider the Patriarchal Age. In Gen. 9:26 we are told, “Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.”

The second son of Noah was Japheth, whose sons are given in Gen. 10:2 as Gomer, Ma­gog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Mesh and Tiras. From these it is presumed came the original settlers of Europe; who are today recognized as the Caucasian, or white race. Most of them have been aggressive and warlike, probably possessing the best and the worst of hu­man characteristics.

The third son of Noah was Ham, whose sons were Cush, Mizraim, Phut and Canaan. (Gen. 10:6) Because of his indecent conduct toward his father, Noah pronounced a curse upon him and his descendants: “Cursed be Canaan (son of Ham, thus grandson of Noah); a ser­vant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.” (Gen. 9:25) This section of Noah’s offspring is thought to have migrated into Africa, and became the ancestors of the pres­ent Ethiopian, or black races. In Num. 12:1 we are told that “Miriam and Aaron (brother and sister of Moses) spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had mar­ried.” The marginal reading for Ethiopian is Cushite. Her name was Zipporah, daughter of Jethro, a priest of Midian. The skin of the Midianites was not full black, but rath­er light nut brown. However, the Biblical meaning of Cush is black.

The progress of evil in “this present evil world” is worthy of some attention here. The Law of Moses tells us that the sins of the fathers shall be visited upon the chil­dren unto the third and fourth generation; and this seems to have been pointedly true in the case of Cush and his sons, who seem to have carried with them through the flood some of the evils of the Nephilim (giants) who had “filled the earth with violence.” (Gen. 6: 11-13) In Gen. 10:8,9 it is recorded that “Cush begat Nimrod – he became a hero in the earth: he became a hero of hunting before Yahveh – and for this cause it is said, Like Nimrod, a hero of hunting before Yahveh.” (Rotherham translation) There is much hidden meaning in this text, because it does not mean that Nimrod was a pious follower of the true God, but just the reverse: He had set himself up in place of God; and his wicked acts are interwoven in most of the heathen religions.

“The beginning of Nimrod’s kingdom was Babel” (Gen. 10:10) in the land of Shinar ..out of that land.. he went forth and builded Nineveh.” Here was the beginning of all the false heathen religions, with their incestuous feasts and idol worship. By the time Moses appeared some 800 years later these evils had made wide and devastating prog­ress; and the Jews were most emphatically commanded to have nothing whatever to do with them – a commandment which they repeatedly broke, as will be discussed later. However, we offer one case in point at this time: “Then all the men who knew their wives had burned incense unto other gods... answered Jeremiah, saying, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the Queen of Heaven... as we have done... in the cities of Judah and Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven... We have wanted all things.” (Jer. 44:15-18)

Another instance similar to the foregoing had occurred some hundreds of years be­fore, as given in Judges 2:12,13: “They forsook the Lord God of their fathers... and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger... They served Baal and Ashter­oth.” The worship of Baal was accompanied with lascivious rites (1 Kgs. 14:23,24), the sacrifice of children in the fire by parents to the God Moloch (Jer. 32:35), etc.

Baal worshipers were sun worshipers; and all of the prominent ancient nations had some form of sun worship in their religion. The question properly arises, Whence came this “strong delusion”? When Moses wrote Genesis, Nimrod had been dead for some hundreds of years, but there still existed the popular saying, “Even as Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the Lord.” (Gen. 10:9) His might lay in his hunting prowess, prompted by the conditions of his day. We recall that only eight people came through the flood, but many kinds of animals came forth from the ark, which multiplied much faster than did the people; and the more ferocious among them would readily strike terror into human hearts. Thus, any one who would offer protection to his fellows would be consid­ered quite a hero, which in itself would not be too wrong if that hero were a righteous man.

However, such was not the case with Nimrod. Shortly after the flood, the human race became divided into two camps – one toward evil, and one inclined toward righteous­ness. It would seem that Nimrod was the leader of the evil group; whereas, Shem was the leader of the righteous group. (Gen. 9:26) This conclusion is pieced together from the writings of various historians and other literate writers. As instance, Josephus, the great Jewish historian, makes this comment: “The multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod, and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to God.”

In Gen. 10:11 it is recorded that Nimrod built the City of Ninevah. This statement enables us to couple Nimrod with the king Ninus of classical writings. The literal meaning of Ninevah is “The habitation of Ninus”; and the historian Apollodorous makes positive statement that ‘Ninus is Nimrod.’ From the gleanings of ancient writings it seems certain that Nimrod married his own mother Semiramis; therefore, he was his own father and his own son in a manner of speaking.  This is a close duplication of the idea current in Christendom that Jesus is also His own Father and His own Son.

That the descendants of Nimrod were denounced in the Bible is evident from Micah 5:6: “They shall waste the land of Syria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.” Also, from one of the famous sculp­tures of ancient Babylon Ninus and Semiramus are represented as actively engaged in the pursuits of the chase, the “quiver-bearing Semiramus” being a fit companion for the “mighty hunter before the Lord.” It seems certain also that Nimrod trained leopards to aid him in his pursuit of other animals; and it is interesting to note that the leop­ard skin was prominent in the religious rituals of other pagan nations. For instance, in Egypt the high priest wore a leopard’s skin when officiating on all important occa­sions, which was intended to commemorate some outstanding event in connection with the God Osiris. Much of the clothing of heathen gods and priests was intended to convey some meaning to those who were educated to understand them. And Nimrod and Osiris are just two different names for the same person. The writer Bunsen says Osiris was at once the husband and son of his mother; and Osiris was just another name for Nimrod or Ninus.

The name Nimrod means literally “The subduer of the leopard,” being derived from nimr (a leopard) and rad (to subdue). In ancient times ouch significance was to be found in names; most of the names in the Bible carry meanings intended to convey some characteristic of the persons who received them, or the work such persons would do. The name Cush (father of Nimrod) means black. Ham also was black, being the father of all the black races. Josephus says “Cush was he from whom came the Ethiopians.” Some translations of Jer. 13:23 state it thusly: “Can the Cushite change his skin, or the leopard his spots?”

Semiramus is said to have been a very beautiful but very depraved woman; and it is to her that much of the extravagant and licentious character of the heathen reli­gions has been ascribed. The special religious festivals of the Romans, the Greeks, the Assyrians, etc., were simply occasions to “eat, drink and be merry”; and the wine and sexual extremes to be found in all of them. In Canaan, for instance, male and female prostitutes were available in the religious temples; and the price for that service was cast into a coffer at the door of the temple as the visitor departed. The names varied in different countries; but the modus operandi was almost identical wher­ever it can be traced. In Egypt it was Osis and Osiris; with the Sidonians, Phoeni­cians and Canaanites it was Baal and Astarte, or Ashtoreth; in South Arabic it was Athtar and Athtart; in the Amarna letters it was Ashtartu. In Rome it was Venus, who is closely identified with the Greek Aphrodite, from which latter name is derived our English word aphrodisiac. Solomon is strictly condemned for his involvement with such characters: “Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and af­ter Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.” (1 Kgs. 11:5)

The dissolute segment of the human race, under the leadership of Nimrod and Semi­ramus, carried their debauchery to such extremes that the respectable element of so­ciety condemned Nimrod to death, cut his body into fourteen pieces, and distributed the pieces to various sections of the country as a warning to others who might be sim­ilarly inclined. However, Semiramus would not meekly accede to this action. She was not only beautiful and depraved, but she was also very ambitious and resourceful. Tra­dition has it that she invented the torture stake, which was a pointed stick often used in the execution of criminals by thrusting through the chest or driven longitudinally through the back or privy parts of the body and coming out of the mouth.

Being acutely aware of the mood of those who had executed her husband Nimrod, she knew she dared not openly carry on where he had left off. Thus, she contacted such of his adherents as were amenable; and had them meet in secret. At these conclaves they were given binding oaths of silence; were then anointed with “magical ointments” and given exciting drinks, which introduced into their bodily systems such drugs as tended to arouse their imaginations – to prepare them for the visions and revelations that were about to be made to them. One writer puts it this way: “Strange and amaz­ing objects presented themselves. Sometimes the place in which they were seemed to shake around them; sometimes it appeared bright and resplendent with light and radiant fire, and then again covered with black darkness; sometimes thunder and lightning, or fearful noises and bellowings, or terrible apparitions astonished the trembling specta­tors.” Then finally the great hidden god was revealed to them to calm them and to call forth their admiration and blind affections.

In this way Nimrod became the “father of the gods,” known as the first of the “deified mortals.” As such he was worshipped under the titles of Kronos and Saturn, the latter being the god of Mysteries, the name itself signifying “the Hidden one.” He was revealed to the initiated, but hidden to all others. In Greece and Rome Nim­rod carried the name of Bacchus or Dionysus; and in Rome the bacchanalian feasts were notorious for their frenzied singing, dancing and revelry – often with extreme sex orgies added. Leopards were used to draw the car of Bacchus; and he himself was rep­resented as clothed in a leopard’s skin, as were also his priests.  Herodotus, the father of history, says Osiris and Bacchus are one and the same; their rites also were almost identical.

Not being content with the legerdemain described above, Semiramus eventually not only had the executed Nimrod raised as an invisible spirit being, but he had taken up his abode in the sun, whence he is now said to be overruling in the affairs of men. Zoroaster was the sun god, the champion of goodness and light; and his worship was the state religion of Persia before they embraced Mohammedanism.

So flourishing had this mysticism become under the instigation of Semiramus, that, when she event­ually died, the myth was circulated by her devotees that she too was now an invisible spirit being, living in the moon – whence she ruled the world by night, just as Nimrod ruled it by day. It will be noted that the contour of a woman’s face is to some very clearly visible in the moon, when the moon is nearly full. In Isa. 47:13 the Prophet offers sharp criticism of such idiocy: “Let them take their  stand, I pray thee, that they may save thee – the dividers of the heavens, the gazers at the stars, they who make known by new moons, somewhat of the things which shall come upon thee. Lo! they have become as straw – a fire hath burned them up, They shall not deliver their own soul from the grasp of the flame.” (Rotherham)

As the sun is the Lord of the day, so Semiramus is styled “the Queen of Heaven”; and this teaching had made considerable impression upon the Jews shortly before they were carried away into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar for their seventy years’ captivity ­“until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths; for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten years.” (2 Chron. 36:21) In Jer. 44:17,18,19,25, Semiramus is directly described as “The Queen of Heaven,” to whom the Jews “burned incense, and poured out drink offerings.”

The Chaldean name for Nimrod, the son of Semiramus, was Zero-ashta – from zero’ “the seed, “ and ashta, “the woman.” However, the word Ashta also means “the fire”; therefore, Nimrod becomes Zeroastes, or Zoroaster, the name of the head of the fire worshipers. The voice of antiquity is clear and distinct that the first and great Zoroaster was an Assyrian or Chaldean, the founder of the idolatrous system of Babylon; therefore, Nimrod. Nimrod was the first Babylonian king; hence the title Molech pri­marily applies to him, because Molech means ‘king.’ This makes clear why the Scrip­tures indicate Molech (or Moloch) to be the terrible god of fire, the earthly represent­ative of Baal, the sun-god.

That this idolatry was already firmly established in the nations of Canaan when the Jews were leaving Egypt is clearly set forth in Deut. 12:31: “Even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.” And in Deut. 18:10 the Jews were emphatically commanded: “There shall not be found among you any one that mak­eth his son or his daughter to pass through the fire.” But Jer. 32:35 (written some 900 years later) tells us that the Jews had fully forgotten this commandment: “They built the high places of Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind that they should do this abomination.”

This is Part One of a series of installments of The Three Worlds, which we trust will prove profitable to our readers to better acquaint them with the sins, evils and corruption of “the world that was” and this “present evil world” (Gal. 1:4), as well as enable us to appreciate the “world to come” wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Pet. 3:13)

“O come, let us sing unto the Lord: Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.... For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” (Psa. 95:1,7)

Sincerely your brother,

John J.  Hoefle, Pilgrim