NO. 329: TAKE, MY BRETHREN, THE PROPHETS - PART THREE

No. 329

Ezekiel – A member of a priestly family, contemporary with Jeremiah, whose sayings and writings undoubtedly had great influence on him. And, although he offered much sharp criticism of the Jewish rulers, priests, Levites and false prophets, he did not offer the objectionable predictions that were the substance of Jeremiah’s teachings, and he also held out some future hope for the Jewish people. He probably reached manhood in Jerusalem in the environment of the Temple during Jeremiah’s ministry. He was taken captive from Judah eight years after Daniel’s deportation. Josephus says he was a youth at the time. He was not a child but under the age when Levites assumed their duties and were reckoned in the census as men. He lived with the Jewish exiles on the Chebar, a canal in Babylonia.

His prophetic ministry began in the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s captivity on the Chebar. He was then in his thirtieth year (Ezek. 1:1,2). Though an exile in a foreign country, Ezekiel had freedom to utter his prophecies, and his advice was sought by the elders of the people (Ezek. 8:1; 14:1; 20:1), although those elders did not follow his advice faithfully. He takes brief doctrinal remarks, suggestive allegories, or short speeches of Jeremiah, and often gives them a literary finish. His prophetic activity seems to have extended over a period of at least 22 years. The time and manner of his death are not recorded.

The Book of Ezekiel is regarded by analysts as more simple in its arrangement than any other of the great prophetical books; and probably was wrote late in the prophet’s life, not piecemeal, but issued all at once. The prophecies are pretty much in chronological order, but it is questionable whether any of his prophecies are recorded exactly as he spoke them – practical, designed to influence the minds of the people in general. Two great themes dominate: the destruction of the city and nation; and the reconstruction of the people, and their eternal peace – two equal divisions of 24 chapters each.

The first 24 chapters prophesy the destruction of the city and nation; and the second 24 chapters the restoration of the people and their eternal peace as people of the Lord. Over the years the Jews have greatly erred in applying this promise to people as they are today, and not the overall grand application to “all people” under the beneficent reign of the Christ in the eternal establishment of the Kingdom for which Jesus taught us to pray.

The book contains little that is historical, but rather is a summation of sound general principles. Thus, he somewhat resembles Isaiah, but lacks the breadth of sympathy and the grand glow of emotion that distinguishes the “gentle‑man” of the Old Testament. Chapter One tells of his vision of Jehovah, who calls and sends him. Then follows his mission to Israel and his inspiration by Jehovah. In subsequent chapters he tells of the restitution of the people, as Jehovah sanctifies them and dwells among them. This thought is given with much greater force and clarity by the Apostle John in Rev. 11:3: “I heard a loud voice out of the throne, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will tabernacle with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them – their God.” This promise is not exclusively to the Jews, but “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Here we have quite a wide difference of fact from what is taught by the Jehovah’s Witnesses’

Presently, there are still people throughout the earth who have never heard Jehovah’s name nor seen His glory. The real “glory of God” is His marvelous character perfectly balanced with Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power; and of this sublime condition God has declared, “My glory will I not give to another.” (Isa. 42:8) While He is recorded as “the God of Israel,” yet it is through Israel that “all shall know me, from the least to the greatest,” (Jer. 31:34) As the far‑off nations come to and touch Israel, the Lord’s glory shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. History as Ezekiel conceives it, whether of Israel or of all nations, is Jehovah’s revelation of Himself to all mankind; every movement of it carries this sobering thought: “Ye shall know that I am the Lord.” (Ezek. 6:7)

Ezekiel offers a very lustrous picture of the future for the Jews, probably not realizing himself that that day would come when God’s Kingdom is fully established in the earth, when there “shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pains, for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:4) And he summarizes his thoughts with these words: “I will hide my face from them no more; for I have poured out my spirit on the house of Israel, saith the Lord God.” (Ezek. 39:29) The people are all righteous, led by the spirit of the Lord, and knowing that Jehovah is their God. Ezekiel does not explain how salvation is to be attained, for the salvation is realized and enjoyed; it describes the state and life of the people that their redemption is come now. The fact that the prophet details the final blessedness of the people accounts for the supernatural features of the people’s condition are to be understood literally. The Temple, the services, etc., are meant in a real sense, just as the supernatural presence of Jehovah is meant in a literal sense. At that time the desert will be turned into a garden, along with the sweetening of the waters of the dead sea. (Isa. 25:1,2)

Perhaps it is in order here to describe the present condition of the Dead Sea. Its surface is about 1,300 feet below sea level; its waters are about 27% salt; and no creature is able to live in it. A human being cannot sink in that water. In view of all these extreme conditions, we may readily understand why the scoffers are loud in their ridicule of the Bible in general, and especially so concerning the predictions of Ezekiel.

When the prophecy is fulfilled, the boundaries of the Holy Land will be changed considerably, with a new disposition of the twelve tribes within it. A life‑giving stream will issue from the Temple and the Temple is described in very dark and symbolic terms, with the gates of the Holy City occupying special attention.

MORE ABOUT EZEKIEL

Here we pause to offer further facts about the prophet himself. He was the son of Buzi, of whom nothing further is known. Like so many of the Old Testament prophets, Ezekiel had a very humble beginning, which would tend to keep him, along with others, in a keen understanding of the condition of the common people, with great sympathy for their problems. The name Ezekiel bears some resemblance to the work “to despise,” and a rabbinical fancy interprets it of Jeremiah, “the despised,” making Ezekiel the lineal descendant of this prophet, as he is his child in thought and faith. Ezekiel is styled the priest, and in all probability he was of the family of Zadak. At that time the priests had already attained great influence; they were the aristocracy, standing next to the royal family. It is not certain whether Ezekiel had actually been engaged in priestly duties before his captivity, though it is not unlikely, both from the name priest applied to him and from the minute acquaintance which he shows with the Temple, its dimensions and furniture, and with the sacerdotal rites. Much of the conclusion concerning the prophet is merely sound considered opinion, with absolute proof lacking. The age at which the priests undertook their duties is not clearly stated in the Law; but we have good assurance that Jesus began His ministry at the age of thirty; and it was Jewish custom then to consider the males as reaching manhood when they arrived at thirty years of age. According to Ezek. 24:18, he was married and had a home, to which the elders often came for consultation.

Ezekiel’s Youth ‑ The period at which the prophet’s youth was passed was rich in influences that must have powerfully affected him. Though too young to take part in the reform of Josiah – or perhaps to remember it – he grew up in the midst of the changes which it had introduced, and probably learned to estimate previous history from the point of view which it gave him. The tragic events which followed one another closely at this epoch, such as the death of Josiah, the exile of Jehoahaz to Egypt and of Johoiachin to Babylon, made a lasting impression on his mind. The last event formed the chief landmark of his life, and that not solely because his own history was so closely connected with it; and how deeply the fate of the two young princes touched him, and how well he could sympathize with the country’s sorrow over it, a sorrow recorded also by Jeremiah, is seen in his elegy on the princes of Israel. He has a fondness for historical study, and no history is to him without a moral; and silently the events of this time were writing principles upon his mind to which in after years he was to give forcible enough expression.

It was not, however, merely the silent teaching of events from which Ezekiel learned. He had a master interpreting events to him to whose influence every page of his prophecies bears witness. Jeremiah, indeed, may not have been Ezekiel’s only master; there were other prophets of the time like-minded with him, such as that Urijah whom Jehoiakim dragged from his hiding‑place in Egypt and slew with the sword. (Jer. Chap. 26) And perhaps others of whose names no record has been kept, for it is almost an accident, and only because his fate cast light on the history of Jeremiah in a moment of peril, that the name of Urijah has been preserved. There were also priests who cherished the same aspirations as these prophets, and pursued in their own province the same ends. It is not without significance that Jeremiah no less than Ezekiel was of a priestly family ‑ and that, too, a rural one ‑ for it was not in the capital alone that true religion had its representatives. Like Micah, Urijah was a prophet of the country, being of Kirjeth‑Jearim. And among Ezekiel’s predecessors in the priesthood, and also among his contemporaries, there were some who, if they had spoken to the world, would have spoken in the same manner as he did, for the favorable judgment which he passes on the Zadokite priests is not altogether due to mere caste prejudice.

Still the teaching and life of Jeremiah was probably the most powerful influence under which the young priest grew up. It would, no doubt, be a mistake to ascribe every idea in Ezekiel which coincides with Jeremiah’s teaching to the influence of that prophet. There is a common circle of thoughts and feelings which even the greatest minds share with those of their own age. Striking out some new conceptions, and opening up some lines of advancement which mark an epoch, the chief elements of their faith and life are common to them with others of their day, and have been inherited from the past. The surprise with which we read Jeremiah might be lessened if the means of comparing him with others were not so narrow as the paucity of writers in the century before the exile causes it to be. At any rate, his influence upon the language and thoughts of Ezekiel can be readily observed. It could hardly have been otherwise. For thirty years before Ezekiel’s captivity Jeremiah had been a prophet, speaking in the courts and chambers of the Temple and in the streets of Jerusalem, and having such a history as made him the most prominent figure of the day.

Ezekiel was familiar with his history and had listened to his words from his infancy. Many of his prophecies had circulated in writing for a number of years previous to the captivity of Jehoiachin which Ezekiel shared, and the constant intercourse between Jerusalem and the exiles kept the prophet of the Chebar well informed regarding the course of events at home, and the views which prominent persons there took of them.

However, with all this conjecture, we stress again that “Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet. 1:21) Thus, the fundamental source of all Old Testament prophecy – as well as of the New Testament – was the Holy Spirit; so we should expect a very strong similarity in all that was written by inspiration of God.

It is clearly stated by Daniel that “I heard, but understood not ... the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” (Dan. 12:8,9) And in the New Testament some of the things written were not understood by those who wrote them; but this is more so in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. It is generally conceded that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible – all of which is identified by Jesus as “the Law.” But Moses lived more than 2500 years after Adam was created, so he could only give us the Genesis account through inspiration of God. There are seven clear divisions in the Bible: The Law, the Prophets and the Psalms in the Old Testament; and the gospels, the Acts, the epistles and Revelation in the New Testament. And Jesus stated of the Old Testament: “They (the Old Testament Scriptures) are they which testify of me.”(John 5:39)

FURTHER THOUGHTS ON EZEKIEL

When Nebuchadnessar took Jerusalem he carried into captivity the young king Jehoiachin, the flower of the population including many priests, Ezekiel among them, as well as a multitude of other citizens, particularly craftsmen. Ezekiel, with a community of other exiles, was settled at Tel‑Abib by the river Chebar ‑ not to be identified with the Chabor which falls into the Euphrates near Carshemish, but some stream or canal in Babylonia proper; and five years later he was called to occupy among them the place of a “watchman.” How large the community was is not known – nor what kind of place Tel‑Abib was – for the reference of the prophet to walls hardly justify the conclusion that it was a walled town.

The community appears to have been left, as was usually the case, to regulate its internal affairs and govern itself according to its own mind. The prophet repeatedly mentions the “elders”; and though he calls them elders of Judah, or Israel, he identifies them with the captivity, of which they must have been the heads and representatives. The lot of the exiles in some cases may have been hard, but there is no evidence that they were harshly treated by their conquerors or suffered want. When the prophet speaks of famine he refers to Canaan; and the phrase “made servants of them” has more a national than an individual reference, like such expressions as “prison houses” in the second part of Isaiah (42:22). The exiles possessed houses, and there is no illusion to persecution from their heathen neighbors.

The picture – if it may be called such – which the prophet gives of the life of the exiles and their circumstances is singularly colorless. His interests were exclusively religious, and any insight which he affords us is into the religious condition of his fellow‑captives, from whose mouth he occasionally quotes an expression very suggestive as to their state of mind. His own mind was occupied with the largest conceptions, and the exiles were to his eye representatives of a larger subject. When bidden go to “them of the captivity” he felt sent to the “house of Israel”; and while addressing his fellow exiles he fancies before him the people of Canaan or the nation scattered abroad throughout the world. This identification of the exiles with the people as a whole, and this occupation of the prophet’s mind with great national interests, makes it difficult to know how far is his apparent addresses to the exiles he is touching upon their actual practices. Nothing is more likely than that the captives continued the evil courses in which they had grown up at home, so far as this was possible in a foreign land. They certainly shared in the fanaticism or optimism of those left in the country, and heard with incredulity the prophet’s predictions of the speedy downfall of the city.

It is known from Jeremiah (Jer. 29:8) that there were false prophets among the exiles who confirmed them in their delusive hopes; and Ezekiel may be referring to these prophets in such passages as Chapters 13 & 14. But such language as “ye have not gone up into the breach” (13:5), “I sought for a man that should stand in the gap before me for the land” (22:30), shows that it is the circumstances of the nation as a whole and not those of the exiles that occupy the prophet’s attention. The same appears from such expressions as those in 14:7: “every one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that layeth his idols on his heart.” In one passage (20:32) the people are represented as resolving to adopt the religion of the nations. “We will be as the nations, to serve wood and stone”; and such a spirit might very naturally reveal itself among the exiles surrounded by heathen neighbors.

But probable as this is, the chapter is a review of the nation’s history, and the language may be little more than the prophet’s interpretations of the spirit shown by the people all through its history. It is only on rare occasions that Ezekiel draws any distinction between the exiles and those remaining in the land, When he does so he shares the feeling of Jeremiah (chaps. 24,29) that the flower of the people had been carried into captivity with Jehoiachin, and that the hope of the nation lay in them (11: 14‑21) But usually the exiles are regarded as the representatives of the house of Israel; the “elders” are the elders of Judah or Israel; and, when addressing them, the prophet desires to speak in the ears of all his countrymen – just as it is the fate of Jerusalem, the history of the nation, and its future destinies, that form the theme of his discourse. The idea that Ezekiel’s office was limited to the exiles, among whom he was a sort of pastor, with a cure of souls, is supported by nothing in the Book.

It would be a mistake, however, to press this general bearing of his mission, and his preoccupation with the destinies of the house of Israel as a whole, so far as to infer from it that he had no actual prophetic ministry among the exiles; that he was a writer simply, unused to the life of men ‑ a solitary theorist whose “stuff for removing” (12:4), if he had brought it forth, would have been little more than an “inkhorn”; and that the form of oral address which he gives his words is a mere literary artifice.

It may not be allowable to assume that his operations among the exiles were literally altogether such as he describes them; but, apart from his own representations, several things afford evidence indirectly that he did exercise a ministry of some kind, and of some duration. When commanded to prophecy of the great conflagration which the Lord would kindle in the field of the south, he exclaims, “Ah, Lord God’ they say of me, is he not a speaker of parables?” And in 33:30 he is represented as being the subject of conversation among the people: “The children of thy people talk of thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, saying, Come, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord.”

These incidental allusions imply that the prophet had a manner which the people had learned to recognize and to discount, and that they were in the habit of meeting to consult him. The frequent assembling of the elders before him implies the same thing. It is true that those elders were very subordinate figures; they are merely mentioned and then the discourse passes on to the “house of Israel,” or even to the strangers that sojourn in Israel. However, Promises of restitution are evidence that Ezekiel was merely writing what God had revealed to him. Also, the actual occurrence of what he had predicted; he had clearly foreseen the downfall of the state, so the Jews could not accuse him of just talking; he had spoken “in the name of the Lord.”

And he was then just as emphatic in his predictions of reconstitution of the Kingdom of God on a better basis. But it is well to keep in mind here that what he foresaw was not at all clear to him. His ideas of restitution of Israel were a far gap from what the actual restitution will be – a new arrangement “wherein dwelleth righteousness,” with no evil or physical affliction as is promised by the Apostle John in Revelation. His public reproof of the nation in the earlier parts of his book are to be taken literally as applying to that time; but the elevating promises of the future are of much grander viewpoint than Ezekiel himself recognized at that time. Because of the severe opposition of his predictions about the fall of Jerusalem, he had been comparatively silent; but when the city fell he could then speak with the authority and voice of a true prophet. And he frequently warns Israel that “ye shall know that I am Jehovah.” (Psa. 83:18)

It is the opinion of some writers that the Apostle John was motivated in much of his style by what Ezekiel had written, although the Apostle has improved on what he learned from Ezekiel. Ezekiel had a wide knowledge of designing and architecture, and an excellent familiarity with foreign lands and their natural and industrial products. Although the ten tribes of Israel had been “lost” for more than a hundred years before Ezekiel’s time, yet he forecast the reunion of the twelve tribes in the distant future (37:15‑17); and we know this will be an accomplished fact in the near future. Then will be fulfilled the vision of “the dry bones” (Ezek. 37:1‑8 and their resurrection, along with a new Temple, partially, if not totally, “made without hands.”

The following observation of two Old Testament prophets is made by one capable writer: “The difference between Isaiah’s knowledge of God and that of Ezekiel, and consequently the greater detail of the latter in chapter one compared with Isaiah six, is very prettily expressed by Abarbanel, who says that Ezekiel was a villager who saw the divine Majesty but rarely and therefore minutely described it, while Isaiah dwelt in the capital and was familiar with the great King.”

Foregoing we stressed that both those prophets spoke by inspiration of God; but God always allowed His mouthpieces to be “themselves” while speaking the Truth. This is also true of the New Testament, where St. Paul’s superior education and mentality overshadow some of his fellow Apostles who were “ignorant and unlearned men.” (Acts 4:13)

Nothing is known of Ezekiel after 570 BC; but tradition asserts that he met his death in Babylonia at the hands of a prince of his people whom he had upbraided for his idolatrous practices.

Generalities – Ezekiel’s general doctrine of God does not differ materially from that of other prophets of the same age, such as Jeremiah and Isaiah, though the character of his mind causes him to bring some Divine attributes into more prominence than others; and his education as a priest leads him to a way of thinking or at least to the use of a kind of phraseology not observed in other prophets.

His conception of Jehovah appears in “the visions of God” which he describes. These visions were all alike, and they reveal his general impression of that which Jehovah is. The fourfold nature of the cherubim, of their faces and wings and of the wheels, all forming a chariot moving in every direction alike, and with the velocity suggested by the wings and wheels, symbolizes the omnipresence of Jehovah, while the eyes of which the whole was full are a token of His omniscience. The throne above the firmament on which He sat indicates that He is king in heaven, God over all, omnipotent. The Divine being Himself appeared as of human form, while His nature was light, of such brightness that fire fitly represented Him only from the loins downward; from the loins upwards the effulgence was something purer and more dazzling, and He was surrounded by a brightness like that of the rainbow in the day of rain. This “glory,” which contains Himself within it, is that which is manifested to men.

At the sight of His glory the prophet fell upon his face, but it is not Jehovah’s will that His servants should be overborne by His majesty (Job 9:32‑35; 13:21); and He says to the prophet “stand upon thy feet that I may speak with thee” (Ezek. 2:1). He is the living God – “a likeness as the appearance of a man” (1:26) – “a mighty hand and a stretched out arm.” These representations in Ezekiel mean neither more nor less than they do in other prophetical writings; all taken together they express the idea of a living personality possessing all the powers of personal being. The Lord brings Himself near and dwells by His spirit in men’s hearts – even tabernacling in a visible form among them forever, so that the name of the new Jerusalem to all generations is, “The Lord is there.” The prophet says he ate the roll which the Lord had given him, “and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.” (Ezek. 3:3) The same joy in God’s service – even amidst persecutions – was felt by Jeremiah: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” (Jer. 15:16)

The prophet states that God is Lord over all; and the self‑exaltation of peoples or their rulers in any place is an offence against the majesty of Him who is alone exalted. The moral forces are also subject to Him, as well as the physical. Indeed, the prophet represents God as the Author of all that occurs, whether on the stage of history or in the minds of men. The laws given to the people were “good” – statutes of life; but the people neglected and disobeyed them. But, “I will make myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am the Lord.” (Ezek. 38:23)

THE PEOPLE: The Book contains much condemnation of the people, but we shall offer just passing comment: He asserts that Jerusalem has outbidden Samaria in wickedness, and that both peoples have been more perverse than the heathen. The degeneracy had infected all classes and persons; and it was in vain to look for a “man” in the streets of Jerusalem. “I sought for a man among them to stand in the gap before me for the land, but I found none.” (Ezek. 22:30)

However, Ezekiel saw a future for Israel – especially in Ezek. 36:24‑38 – of which we shall quote brief exerps, but we first offer the opinion of one brilliant commentator as introduction: “This remarkable passage has no parallel in the Old Testament, and reads like a fragment of a Pauline epistle. The doctrine of the spirit of God receives fuller development in it than anywhere else in the Old Testament.” “I will take you from among the heathen, saith the Lord, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land ... A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit, and I will take away the stony heart, and I will give you an heart of flesh. ... And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers ... I will save you from all your uncleanness: and I will call for the corn, and increase it ... I will multiply the fruit of the tree ... Then ye shall remember your own evil ways ... and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities ... Then I will also cause you to dwell in the cities ... And the desolate land shall be tilled ... And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden ... the ruined cities are become fenced ... Then the heathen shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it.” (Ez. 36:24‑38)

The above prophecy is now being fulfilled in this our own day; and believing Jew and Gentile alike may take strong assurance from those promises that the Jews are now in goodly Canaan land to stay there. No more will they be the “wandering Jew”; and all the uproar about them being pushed out of Palestine is nothing more than just loud talk; and time will eventually prove it so. It is with much pleasure and strong assurance of faith that we present this paper on the Prophet Ezekiel.

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother:

I’m returning the studies on Zionism, which I believe to be part of godless communism in the world today. I believe the Jewish religion to be the synagogue of Satan Rev. 2:9, 3:9. The Christian (sheep) nations in the world today are Israel. I would like you to read the two enclosed studies by a man of God, students of the Word. Truth ever increases unto the end of this age. In Christ’s name, ------- (NORTH CAROLINA)

Our Answer:

Dear Brother---------: Grace and peace!

This is in answer to your letter of August 21. I have read Pastor Emry’s views some time back; but I read what you sent very carefully. I now enclose two articles ‑ Nos. 238 and 277, which I trust you will also read.

The Jews in Jerusalem crucified the Lord of Glory. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not’ Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Matt. 23:37‑39) They(the Jews) will indeed recognize Him as their Messiah, and will then say, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” “And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.” (Acts 3: 17) They did not recognize that they were crucifying their Messiah.

After their 1845 years of favor, which ended when they crucified Jesus, their 1845 years of disfavor began. The pinnacle of their favor was when Jesus offered Himself to them. However, the first Christians in Jerusalem were all Jews. All the Apostles were Jews, and all others who accepted Him were Jews until the door was opened to the Gentiles. (Acts 10:19‑48) It was “to the Jew first” when our Lord came to establish His spiritual house; and it will be “to the Jew first” when He makes up His fleshly house in His glorious Kingdom. In 1877 that Wise and Faithful Servant (Matt. 24:46,47) predicted that the Lord would begin to bless the Jews in 1878, which He did at the Berlin Congress of nations, when Lord Beaconsfield – a Jew, the first ever to be Prime Minister of England – took the leading part. There England assumed a general protectorate over the Asiatic provinces of Turkey, among which is Palestine. The condition of the Jews in Palestine was then alleviated, and the door was opened for others to locate there with the privilege of owning real estate. Previously, the Jew was cuffed, kicked and abused and was denied the most ordinary privileges of existence, in the land so sacred to him.

“Blindness in part happened to Israel.” (Rom. 11:25) If Israel is not the Jews, when did “blindness in part” happen to the Israel that Pastor Emry teaches? The Apostle Paul ‑ who was a Jew – said, “He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly.” That means that God does not consider the Jew according to the flesh – only those are Jews who faithfully try to keep the Mosaic Law. The others are considered no more than heathen. That Wise and Faithful Servant also predicted that Jews would return in great numbers after 1914, and we are witnesses to this truth. If Pastor Emry’s Israel is God’s chosen people, why are they not in Jerusalem to receive God’s favor “in due time”? And they mocked Him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews.” And when Pilate asked Him if He was King of the Jews, He did not deny it: “Thou sayest it.” (Luke 23:3) Jesus Himself also said, “Salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22) The Adversary and his blinded dupes have sought to destroy the Bible, as well as the Jews; but they cannot do it, as God is their preserver.

We know “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ... should shine unto them” (2 Cor. 4:4), but we seize every opportunity to bear witness to the Truth; and “in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” (2 Tim. 2:25) However, I know full well that the world now lies in darkness, error and sin; but the majority will have their eyes opened in the Kingdom when “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9)

With this comes my good wishes for your good health, spiritual and physical. The Lord bless and guide you as you seek to serve Him in sincerity and in Truth.

Sincerely your brother and servant, John J. Hoefle

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Dear John and Emily: Shalom!

Yes, beloved friends, the Israelis “simply beat them to the punch,” as you noted in your welcome communication of August 15, for which many thanks.

Indeed, the “real culprits are the leaders of Lebanon” who tolerated the PLO‑Russian inroad into their country. “They allowed those vermin into their country, gave them protection and encouragement.” How well you see the situation’

Moses routed Amalek and Joshua routed Israel’s enemies of his day, and Deborah in her day; Gideon in his time, etc. ... And YHVH was with them, and He is with Israel deserving or not – today’

The Everliving One has sworn with an oath that He would fulfill His word (Zechariah 12‑14;. Ezekiel 38‑39, etc.). Apparently, we are in the destined latter‑day period now.

Not a word of criticism of what you stated. I agree fully, and Jeane Kirkpatrick must be alerted. I am sure she must have read Morris B. Abram’s article as it appeared in today’s Times (copy enclosed).

Corresponding with a number of brethren who, like you, are fully familiar with the late Pastor Russell’s prophetic writing, I note that their views on the current situation in Lebanon are similar to yours. ....

Pastor Russell thus prepared the ground for the present generation by sowing seeds of Truth. In a sense, he “prepared a highway” for the “Day of the Lord”; removed the stumbling blocks. Yes, let us thank and praise Yah Yehovah for him and for having brought us into this path of Truth. There are but a few more steps to take, and we stand ready’

With love from both of us. Faithfully your brother, -------- (NEW YORK)

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Dear Sir:

Please send to us your price list. We are ministering to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and would like to update our library. Yours truly, Rev. ------- (CANADA)

NO. 328: HISTORY OF THAT SERVANT IN HIS STRUGGLE FOR THE TRUTH

No. 328

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

Following our course of a year ago, we now present further history of That Servant in his struggle for the Truth about the time of our Lord’s return. We had described Mr. Barbour’s denial of the Ransom; and we now give more detail about that.

“I was astonished, believing Mr. Barbour had a clearer understanding of the work of Christ, as our sin offering, our willing Redeemer, who gladly cooperating in the Divine Plan, gave Himself as the Ransom or corresponding price to meet the penalty of Adam, in order that Adam and all his posterity might in due time go free from sin and death. A totally different thing indeed was the willing, intelligent, loving offering of our Redeemer, according to the plan devised and revealed by the infinite wisdom, from the miserable caricature of it offered in the above illustration. I had either given Mr. Barbour credit for clearer views than he had ever had, or else he was deliberately taking off and casting away the ‘wedding garment’ of Christ’s righteousness; the latter was the only conclusion left, for he afterward stated that he had previously recognized the death of Christ as man’s ransom price.”

Here it may be well to elaborate that the Ransom controversy was the first evil error at the beginning of the Harvest; and it is now being repeated by the Jehovah’s Witnesses – although not in the same flagrant fashion as did Mr. Barbour. Their present denial is an indirect perversion of the Ransom doctrine. Christ is now not a “ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:6); He is now the destroyer of all who do not accept the errors of the Witnesses, no longer a Ransom for Adam, no longer a Ransom for those who crucified Him. In Luke 23:34 there are these words in the King James version: “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” This is a spurious passage, not found in any of the oldest manuscripts; but JFR gave this spurious text a real twist to “prove” his error: “Father forgive them not, for they know what they do.”

Continuing with Brother Russell’s analysis: “Immediately I wrote an article for the Herald in contradiction of the error, showing the necessity that one die for all – the just for the unjust; that Christ fulfilled all this as it has been written; and that consequently God could be just and forgive and release the sinner from the penalty He had justly imposed. I also wrote to Mr. Paton, calling attention to the fundamental character of the doctrine assailed, and pointing out how the time and circumstances all correspond with the parable of the one who took off the wedding garment when just about to partake of the wedding supper. He replied that he had not seen the ransom feature in so strong a light before that Mr. Barbour had a strong, dogmatic way of putting things, which had for the time overbalanced him. I urged that, seeing now the importance of the doctrine of the Ransom he also write an article for the Herald, which, in no uncertain tone, would give also his witness for the precious blood of Christ. This he did. These articles appeared in the issues of the Herald for July to December 1878.

“It now became clear to me that the Lord would no longer have me assist financially, or to be in any way identified with, anything which cast any influence in opposition to the fundamental principle of our holy Christian religion; and I, therefore, after a more careful though unavailing effort to reclaim the erring, withdrew entirely from the Herald of the Morning, and from further fellowship with Mr. Barbour. But a mere withdrawal I felt was not sufficient to show my continued loyalty to our Lord and Redeemer, whose cause had thus been violently assailed by one in a position to lead the sheep astray and in that position, too, very largely by my individual assistance and encouragement when I believed him to be, in all sincerity, true to the Lord. I, therefore, understood it to be the Lord’s will that I should start another journal in which the standard of the cross should be lifted high, the doctrine of the Ransom defended, and the good tidings of great joy should be proclaimed as extensively as possible.

ZION’S WATCH TOWER, FIRST ISSUE,  JULY 1879

“Acting upon this leading of the Lord, I gave up traveling, and in July 1879 the first number of Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence made its appearance. From the first it has been a special advocate of the ‘Ransom for all’ and by the grace of God, we hope this will ever be so.

“For a time we had a most painful experience: The readers of the Tower and of the Herald were the same, and from the time the former started and the supply of funds from this quarter for the Herald ceased, Mr. Barbour not only withdrew from the bank the money deposited by me and treated all he had in his possession as his own, but poured upon the Editor of the Tower the vilest of personal abuse in order to prevent the Tower and the doctrine of the Ransom from having due influence upon its readers. This, of course, caused a division, as such things always do. The personal abuse being regarded by some as true, had its intended effect of biasing the judgments of many on the subject of the Ransom; and many turned from us.

“But the Lord continued His favor, which I esteem of more value than the favor of the whole world. It was at this time that Mr. Adams espoused the views of Mr. Barbour, and likewise forsook the doctrine of the Ransom. And true to our interpretation of the parable of the Wedding Garment, as given at the time, Mr. Barbour and Mr. Adams, having cast off the wedding garment of Christ’s righteousness, went out of the light into the outer darkness of the world on the subject once so clearly seen – namely, the time and manner of our Lord’s presence, and since then they have been expecting Christ in the flesh every Spring or Fall, and twisting the prophecies accordingly.

“During part of this ordeal, or we might truly call it, battle, we had the earnest cooperation of Mr. Paton, who, up to the Summer of 1881 was an appreciated co‑laborer and defendant of the doctrine of coming blessings through Christ, based upon the ‘Ransom for all’ given at Calvary. The book, The Three Worlds, having been for sometime out of print, it seemed as if another edition of that, or else a new book covering the same features, should be gotten out. Mr. Paton agreed to get it ready for the press, and Mr. Jones offered to pay all the expenses incident to its printing and binding and to give Mr. Paton as many copies of the book as he could sell, as remuneration for his time spent in preparing the matter, provided I would agree to advertise it liberally and gratuitously in The Tower – well knowing that there would be demand for it if I should recommend it, and that his outlay would be sure to return with a profit. I not only agreed to do this, but contributed to Mr. Paton’s personal expense in connection with the publishing, as well as paid part of the printer’s bill at his solicitation.

THE DAY DAWN

“In the end, I alone was at any financial loss in connection with the book called Day Dawn; the writer and publisher both being gainers financially, while I did all the introducing by repeated advertisements. We need to give these particulars because of certain one‑sided and only partial statements of facts and misrepresentations, which have recently been published and circulated in tract form by Mr. Paton, who is also now an advocate of that ‘other gospel’ of which the cross of Christ is not the center, and which denies that He ‘bought us with His own precious blood.’ Mr. Paton has since published another book, which though called by the same name, as the one we introduced, being on another false foundation, I cannot recommend, but which I consider misleading sophistry, tending to undermine the whole structure of the Christian system, yet retaining a sufficiency of Truths which we once held in common to make it palatable and dangerous to all not rooted and grounded upon the Ransom rock.

“The false foundation which it presents is the old heathen doctrine of evolution revamped, which not only denies the fall of man, but as a consequence, all necessity for a redeemer. It claims, on the contrary, that not by redemption and restitution to a lost estate, but by progressive evolution or development man has risen and is still to rise from the lower condition in which he was created until, by his own good works, he ulti­mately reaches the Divine Nature. It claims that our Lord Himself was a degraded and imperfect man, whose work on earth was to crucify a carnal nature, which, it claims He possessed; and thus to show all men how to crucify their carnal or sinful propensities.

“And here, we remark, that the darkness and degradation which came upon the world in its fallen, cast‑off condition, and which was only intensified by Papacy’s priest‑craft during the Dark Ages, when contrasted with the light of intelligence, which God is now letting in on the world, have gradually led men to esteem present intelligence as merely a part of a process of evolution. This view, though quite incorrect, is, nevertheless, the occasion of the predicted great falling away from the faith of the Bible during the Harvest period. And few Christian people seem to be well enough grounded in the truth to be able to withstand this trial of the evil day, in which many will fall away, while only the few will stand. For this cause we use plainness of speech.

“The little history of the way in which Mr. Paton came to turn from us and from the Ransom, to oppose that which he once clearly saw and advocated, is important, as it became the occasion for another sifting or testing of the Watch Tower readers, by that time a greater number; because Mr. Paton had been a respected brother and co‑worker with us, and because as a traveling representative of the Watch Tower and its doctrines, his expenses being met in part by subscriptions and renewals, as well as by money from me, he was personally known to a larger number of the readers than was the Editor of the Tower

“In the year 1881, Mr. Barbour still publishing the Herald and still endeavoring to overthrow the Doctrine of the Ransom, finding that on a preaching tour I had used the diagram of the Tabernacle to illustrate how Christ’s sacrifice was typified in the sacrifices of the typical Israels, wrote an article on the Atonement, in which he undertook to show that the sacrifices of the Day of Atonement typified almost anything else than what they do typify. I could readily see through the fallacy of his presentations, which made of the bullock a type of one thing in one verse and of another thing in each verse in which it was mentioned; and so, too, with the goat. But I well knew that the people in general are not close reasoners and that, with the cares of life upon them, they are too apt to accept a seeming interpretation without a critical examination of the words of the Scripture and the context.

Struggling For Light – “I thought the matter over. I examined the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus, but while seeing the inconsistency and error of Mr. Barbour’s interpretation, I could only confess that I did not understand it and could not give a connected interpretation, which fit all the details so plainly stated, and all of which must have a particular meaning. What could I do? Those reading the Herald as well as: the Tower would probably be misled, if not helped out of the difficulty; and to merely say that the Herald’s interpretation was inconsistent with itself and, therefore, a misinterpretation, would be misunderstood. Many would suppose I opposed that view from a spirit of rivalry; for there are always people with whom everything resolves itself into personality, rivalry and party spirit; and such cannot understand others who take a higher and nobler view and who think always and only of the truth, regardless of persons.

“I went to the Lord with this, as with every trial, and told Him just how it seemed to me, how anxious I felt for His dear sheep, who, having their appetites sharpened by some truth, were by their very hunger exposed to Satan’s deceptions. I told Him I realized that He is the Shepherd, and not I, but that I knew also that He would be pleased at my interest in the sheep and my desire to be His mouthpiece to declare the truth, the way and the life to them; that I felt deeply impressed that if the time had come for the permission of false views to deceive the unworthy, it must also be His due time to have the truth on the subject made clear, that the worthy ones might be enabled to stand and not fall from the truth. Believing that the due time had come for the correct understanding of the Jewish sacrifices, which, in a general way all Christians concede were typical of ‘better sacrifices’; and that the Lord, therefore, would grant the insight as soon as I got into the attitude of heart and mind best suited to receive the light. I prayed with confidence that if His due time had come, and if He were willing to use me as His instrument to declare the message to His dear family, that I might be able to rid my heart and mind of any prejudice that might stand in the way and be led of His spirit into the proper understanding of the truth.

SHADOWS OF THE TABERNACLE REVEALED

“Believing that the Lord would answer my prayer affirmatively, I went into my study the next morning prepared to study and to write. The forenoon I spent in scrutinizing the text and every other Scripture likely to shed light upon it, especially the Epistle to the Hebrews, and in looking to the Lord for wisdom and guidance; but no solution of the difficult passages. The afternoon and evening were similarly spent, and all the next day. Everything else was neglected, and I wondered why the Lord had kept me so long; but on the third day, near noon, the whole matter came to me as clear as the noonday sun, so clear and convincing and so harmonious with the whole tenor of the Scriptures that I could not question its correctness; and no one has ever yet been able to find a flaw in it. This has been published in several editions in booklet form under the title, Tabernacle Shadows of the Better Sacrifices. (Some able brethren have described this booklet as “the biggest little book they have ever seen – JJH)

“Then I knew why the Lord had led me so slowly and cautiously. I needed a special preparation of heart for the full appreciation of all it contained; and I was all the more sure it was not of my own wisdom; for if of my own, why had it not come at once.

“I found that the understanding of that subject was bound to have a wide influence upon all our hopes and views of all truth, not that it overlooked old truths or contradicted them, but, on the contrary, set them all in order and harmony and straightened out little knots and twists. For instance, the doctrine of Justification by Faith had always been more or less confused in my mind, as it is in every mind, with the doctrine of Sanctification, which calls for sacrifice and works. This was all made clear and plain at once; for the types showed that we all, as sinners, needed first of all, Christ’s ransom sacrifice, that we appropriate its merits (justification which God grants) to ourselves by faith, that thus we are justified – reckoned free from sin. The type showed, too, that it is only after being thus cleansed in God’s sight – by an acceptance of Christ’s finished work as our ransom‑sacrifice – that God is willing to accept us as joint‑sacrificers with Christ, so that if faithful unto death, we should be granted the favor of joint heirship with Him. (Here is given us a clear proof of “tentative justification”– JJH)

“Here I first saw that the great privilege of becoming joint‑heirs with Christ and partakers with Him of the Divine Nature was confined exclusively to those who would share with Him in self‑sacrifice in the service of the Truth. And here, too, I saw for the first time that our Lord was the first of these sacrifices in the sin‑offering, consequently, that none of God’s servants, the prophets, who lived and died before Christ, were priests after this order, nor sharers in sacrifice with Him, even though some of them were stoned, others sawn asunder, and others slain with the sword, for the cause of God; that though they would receive a good and great reward, they would belong to a separate class and order from those called to sacrifice and joint‑heirship with Christ on and since Pentecost.

“Here, too, I saw that the ‘acceptable day of the Lord’ signifies this Gospel Age the time during which He will accept the sacrifice of any who come unto God through Christ, the Great Sin‑Offering; that when this ‘acceptable day’ ends, the reward of joint‑heirship with Christ and prospect of change to the Divine nature ends. And when this great day of sacrifice, the Gospel Age, the real Day of Atonement, has closed, when all the members of the Body of Christ have participated with Him in the sacrifice of their rights as justified men, and been glorified, then the blessings will begin to come to the world – the Millennial blessings purchased for men by their Redeemer, according to the grace of God.

DISTINCTIONS IN NATURE RECOGNIZED

“This first brought a clear recognition of the distinction in natures: of what constitutes human nature; what constitutes the Divine Nature. (See Vol. 1, Chapter 10) And whereas we formerly used the term Restitution in a general way to mean some sort of blessed change; but now, under the clearer light, we began to see that the great work of restitution could only mean what the word implies, a restoration of that which was lost, a restoration of the original condition from which man fell.

“Then I saw that God’s plan, when carried out, would NOT bring all His creatures to the one level of the Divine Nature, but that He purposed to have an order of creatures called angels, who, though perfect, would always be of a different order, or nature, from the Divine nature; and He likewise purposed to have a race of beings of the human nature, of whom Adam was a sample or pattern, and whose future earthly home, Paradise, Eden, was a sample or pattern. I also saw that God purposed that Christ and His joint‑sacrificers and joint‑heirs are to be God’s instrument for blessing the fallen race and restoring them to the condition of perfection enjoyed by Adam, a condition which God said was ‘very good,’ and an image of Himself.

“And these joint‑heirs with Christ, I saw were to be highly exalted to a nature higher than restored and perfected mankind, higher, too, than the angelic nature; even to be partakers of the Divine Nature. When all these things so unexpectedly shone out so brightly and clearly, I did not wonder that the Lord gave me several days of waiting and preparation for the blessing, and to Him I rendered praise and thanks. All my faintness of heart and fear of the bad effects of the wrong view fled before this evidence of the Lord’s leadings in the pathway that ‘shines more and more unto the perfect day.’ I saw at once that these new developments would probably prove a stumbling‑block to some, as well as a great blessing to others who were ready for them. Instead, therefore, of publishing this in the next Tower, I determined to present the matter privately to the more prominent brethren, remembering Saint Paul’s course in a similar matter as recorded in Galatians 2:2.

“Accordingly, I sent invitations and the money necessary for traveling expenses to four of the more prominent brethren, requesting a conference. Mr. Paton, of Michigan, was one of the four, and the only one who rejected the first rays of light. Nor could he find any flaw with the exegesis, though urged, as all were, to state anything which might seem inconsistent, or quote any passages of Scripture thought to be in conflict. But there was none; and every question more fully demonstrated the strength of the position.

ADVANCING LIGHT REJECTED

“I, therefore, urged that that which was beyond the criticism of those most familiar with the Plan of God, must be the truth, and ought to be confessed and taught at any cost, and especially when it arranged and ordered all the other features of the truth so beautifully, I pointed out, too, how necessary it is to a logical holding of the Ransom, to see first what this showed; namely, the distinction of natures; that our Lord left a higher nature and took a lower nature, when He was made flesh, and that the object in that change of nature was, that He might, as a man, a perfect man give Himself as a Ransom for the first perfect man, Adam, and thus redeem Adam, and all lost in him.

“I also showed how, as a reward for this great work, He was given the Divine Nature in His resurrection, a nature that is still higher than the glorious one He had left, when He became a man. But either Mr. Paton’s mental vision or heart was weak, for he never took the step; and before long he, too, forsook the doctrine of the Ransom. Yet he still used the word Ransom, while denying the idea conveyed by the word; nor can he give the word any other definition, or otherwise dispute the correctness of the meaning which I attach to it, and which may be found in any English dictionary, and it is true to the significance of the Greek word which it translates, anti‑lutron, a price to correspond.

“Notwithstanding our best endeavors to save him, he drifted further and further away, until I was obliged to refuse his articles for the Tower, for the same reason that obliged me to longer refuse to spend the Lord’s money entrusted to me to assist Mr. Barbour, to spread the same pernicious theory.

“It was about this time that Mr. Jones informed me that the copies of the book, Day Dawn, which I had purchased, were all that were left; and, announcing it so that no more orders might come in for it to the Tower office, I took occasion to promise Millen­nial Dawn, which should present the Plan of the Ages in the clearer, more orderly way made possible by the new light shed upon every feature of it by the lessons from the Tabernacle. About this time Mr. Paton decided to publish another book under the name Day‑Dawn, revised to harmonize with his changed views, which ignored the Ransom, ignored Justification, and the need of either, and taught that all men will be everlastingly saved; not in any sense as a result of any sacrifice for their sins by Christ, but as the result of each one’s crucifying sin in himself – the law under which the Jews tried to commend themselves to God, but which justified none. Many and severe were the calumnies heaped upon me, because I exposed this change, told that the original book was out of print and the new‑book was on a different foundation from the book of the same name, which I had commended.

“During this time I was busied by an immense work known to many of you: the issue and circulation of over 1,400,000 copies of the two booklets, entitled Food For Thinking Christians and Tabernacle Teachings, whose united matter was about the same as that of Dawn, Volume 1. Besides this I was flooded with thousands of joyous and joy‑giving letters, from those who had received and were reading the booklets thus distributed, and asking questions, and for more reading matter. To add to our throng, financial complications came; and thus for four years I was hindered from fulfilling my promise of Millennial Dawn.

SEVENTH VOLUME PROMISED

“Nor is our promise of the complete set yet fulfilled; for although six volumes are now (1910) issued, a Seventh on Revelation and Ezekiel is still future – delayed by the growth of the general work, doubtless in accord with the Lord’s “due time.” But during those four years I struggled through an immense amount of labor and many drawbacks; but all cheerfully undergone for the sake of the Lord and His Saints, each year hoping to be able to gather the necessary hours to complete the first volume of Millennial Dawn.

“Some who may have the Three Worlds or the old edition of Day Dawn would perhaps like to know my present view of them, whether I still think them suitable books to loan to truth‑seekers. To this I reply, Certainly not! Because of the very immature views of God’s truth therein presented fall far short of what we now see to be God’s wonderful plan. Things which are now as clear as noonday, were then cloudy and mixed. The distinctions between the perfect human nature, to which the obedient of the world will be restored during the Millennial Age, and the Divine Nature to which the Little Flock, the sacrificing elect of the Gospel Age, are soon to be exalted, were then unnoticed. All that is now so clear, was then blurred, mixed and indistinct. Neither had we then seen the steps of planes now shown upon the Chart of the Ages, which have assisted so many to distinguish between Justification and Sanctification and to determine their present standing and relationship to God.

“Once I was much less careful about what I circulated or commended, but I am now learning every day to be more careful as to what sort of food I put before any of the Lord’s hungry sheep. The Lord has taught me that it is a responsible matter to be a teacher. Even Food For Thinking Christians, now also out of print, I no longer commend, because it is less systematic and therefore less clear than later publications.”

Much more could be added, but we believe it is sufficient for all who are “of the Truth” to realize Brother Russell was indeed That Wise and Faithful Servant of Matthew 24:45‑47 whom the Lord gave the honor of presenting the Plan of the Ages in all its purity, as a Key to the correct understanding of the Bible. As we wrote the foregoing concerning That Servant we were vividly reminded of the account of St. Paul: “In perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness.” (2 Cor. 11:26,27) In the beginning of his ministry he was confronted with a mountain of the most pernicious error, which he successfully met through much exhaustion and prayer. It is probably impossible for us now to appreciate fully the great work that this man of God accomplished; and we say once more with enthusiasm: God bless his memory.

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Friends: Greetings to you!

Would you oblige me by answering a few questions: Are there any surviving members of the Body; and how do you see the “Great Crowd,” and other believers?

Do you have any magazines available, tracts, etc.? I have all the Reprint Towers up to 1919, the Six Volumes, Tabernacle Shadows, Question Book, Berean Bible Manual, 1916 Convention Report, and What Pastor Russell wrote re his sermons.

I am an ex‑JW since 1968 – baptized in 1961. Do you ascribe to Israel’s return? The Concordant Publishing Concern had Robison from the JW’s or Pastor Russell? These say Jehovah created Satan as he is, using the latter half of Isa. 54:16.

What is your view of the second death, unpardonable sin, Judas’ future, and those who are said to have gone into second death – into the “lake of fire” means what?

Do you say the book of Revelation is literal ‑ e.g., the “two witnesses, the locusts” and is it only for Israel, as the Concordant interprets it as such?

Bible Chronology has been put aside by groups which have forsaken the Jubilees and parallels.

Did Paul take Judas’ place; and, if so, what of the twelve? justification by faith, also James 2:21,24?

I could be moving late in July, so could you Just reply by air letter, and hold any surface literature, as that mail is so very slow? Since 1968 I have made no move to be a member of any religious denomination. The best to you under the circumstances.

Brother ‑‑‑‑‑‑, AUSTRALIA

OUR REPLY:

Dear Brother ‑‑‑‑: Grace and peace be multiplied!

Your undated letter has just been received with much appreciation and thanks. However, from the post mark it took eight days to get here, so I suppose that this one may take that long. It seems that you have a very good religious library with all those writings of Brother Russell; and that is probably the reason you now have had enough of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. ........

Now for your questions: (1) Yes, it is our conviction that the door to the High Calling is closed; but it is our opinion that some of the saints are still with us.

(2) Regarding the “great crowd” (Rev. 7:9), Brother Russell wrote quite a lot on this class, and he emphasized that they are a spiritual group, with which we agree. Verse 15 tells us they are to be “before the throne;” therefore in their resurrection they must be in Heaven. However, they will be less in honor and standing than the Ancient Worthies, who come next to the Little Flock in honor and service. The present­ day Youthful Worthies share in this honor and service with the Ancient Worthies; and we hold to Brother Johnson’s teaching that Youthful Worthies will be won after Babylon is destroyed, or to the beginning of the Kingdom, as Brother Russell puts it.

(3) Regarding Israel’s return to Palestine, we certainly do hold to God’s promises, as did Brother Russell; and we hope to send you back articles that attest to our continued efforts to “Comfort the Jews.”

(4) As to God creating Satan as he is, that is just nonsense, Gen. 1: 31 says “all the works God made were very good.” But Satan is very bad, so God did not create him as he now is. He was the “son of the morning” (Light Bearer) before he sinned – Lucifer – and was a perfect spirit being then, just as Adam was a perfect human being before he sinned. (See Isa. 14:12)

(5) The second Death is the death penalty for the willfully disobedient – from which there is no recovery, after they have been saved from the Adamic death, either reckonedly in this Age, or definitely so in the next Age. We believe Judas went into the Second Death, as Brother Russell taught. Jesus said, “It had been good for that man if he had never been born,” (Matt. 26:24) And Acts 1:25 says he “went to his place.”

(6) The lake of fire is the second death. It is merely a highly figurative expression for total annihilation – “brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed.” (2 Pet, 2:12; Jude 10)

(7) No, the book of Revelation is certainly not literal – although the numerals are literal: Revelation 1:1 says “He signified (that is, sign ‑ i ‑ fied) it to his servant John.” I understand parts of Revelation sufficiently to recognize the many errors that are presented regarding Revelation.

(8) The Witnesses have rejected the Chronology as given us by Brother Russell; and they are now floating about in space – they do not know where they are. We have prepared a paper on Chronology which will go out in a few months.

(9) Paul took Judas’ place as one of the twelve. However, Jesus told the seventy to “rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.” (Luke 10:20) Thus, at that time there were seventy and twelve (including Judas) on trial for life, even though they had not received the Pentecostal blessing of the Holy Spirit (spirit‑begettal). Thus Judas could go into the Second Death.

(10) Frederick Robison was with Pastor Russell, named as one of the seven editors in his will, served in Atlanta Penitentiary in 1918 with seven other Society brethren, but later deflected to Concordant‑Versionism. We understand he then said he never believed that Brother Russell was that Servant. If that is the truth, then he was a rank hypocrite while he was serving in the Bethel Home under Brother Russell. We knew him personally. He was reasonably well versed in Greek and Hebrew.

We send out a monthly paper; and we have quite a few tracts for general distribution. These are free for the asking; and I now‑enclose Herald No. 130 and two of our monthly papers – Nos. 278 and 314, to give you some idea of our teaching. It will be our pleasure to place you on our mailing list for future papers and for pertinent back issues.

It is my hope that I have answered your questions satisfactorily. It would be interesting to us to know how you received our name, and from whom – also something about your family, whether they are with you in your pursuit of Truth.

With this comes my warm brotherly love and the assurance of my prayers, in which Sister Hoefle joins. The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.

Sincerely your brother and servant, John J. Hoefle

……………………………….

Dear Sir:

I am a student at the University of Texas at Austin. I am presently researching a thesis topic and was recently given your name as a resource, by Isaac Rottenberg. My topic is American Christian Interest in Israel. I have had a difficult time finding current articles and information on this topic, and have had a poor response from most churches. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated!

I am trying to identify Christian groups which are actively supporting the nation of Israel. I would like to research the theological justifications for Christian support, as well as other reasons such as political, humanitarian or moral reasons for Christian interest. I will also include current action being taken such as interfaith dialogue, conferences, rallies, missions, broadcasts, political lobbies, etc., and draw comparisons between Protestants, Catholics and Evangelicals.

I am on a very short deadline and need information, articles, or publications quickly. I would be more than happy to pay for postage of any material you send me via Federal Express. I look forward to hearing from you soon and sharing my findings with you.

Thank you for your help. Sincerely, ------- (TEXAS)

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

Dear Sir:

I am interesting to know about your “Epiphany Bible Students Association.” Your reply will be appreciated.

In addition I would like to obtain a catalog along with a price list of your publications.

Enclosed you will find a self‑addressed and stamped envelope for your convenience. I thank you in advance. Sincerely, ------- (NEW YORK)

NO. 327: THE BIBLE CHRONOLOGY

No. 327

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

Some of our readers – a few not actively associated with us – have requested that we present a brief analysis of the Bible Chronology. This controversial subject has attracted the attention of some outstanding theological minds, a few of whom we shall discuss herein.

Bishop James Ussher – (b. Jan. 4, 1581, Dublin ‑ d. March 21, 1656, Reigate, Surrey) scholar and Archbishop of Armagh. He devised the system of chronology that became the source for the dates printed in the margin of many Bible editions, including the later‑criticized placing of the date of creation at 4004 BC. Became professor of theological controversies and twice vice chancellor of his alma mater, Trinity College, Dublin. From 1640 to the time of his death he resided in England. From 1647 to 1654 he was preacher at Lincoln’s Inn, a London Law Academy. An expert in Semitic languages – collected manuscripts both from the Orient and from Irish history.”

There are a number of bad air holes in his chronology calculations, which we shall discuss briefly later on. He lived during the time King James had the Bible translated into English (1610). Quite a few intellectuals have made comment on Ussher’s chronology; and, of those we have read, almost all of them say he has made important mistakes. Follows the comment from one of them:

“There is more or less uncertainty about all dates earlier than David and Solomon. Ussher’s dates in the margins of most of our Bibles, are not authoritative, but are convenient for keeping the order and succession of events. He finds the date of Adam, the first man, by a computation from the list of ages of the patriarchs given in Gen. 5, and they would be correct, if he had interpreted the record rightly. But it may be – as even conservatives think – that many links have been omitted, and only the more marked ones enumerated ... The chronology of the United Kingdom has been tested and modified by the Assyrian Eponym cannon found on slabs discovered in the ruins of Nineveh.”

However, some of Ussher’s critics, in attempting to correct him, make a worse mess of it than he did. As most of our readers know, Josephus gives us very good information about the Jews, and contemporary occurrences in neigh­boring nations; but his dates are very unreliable. And, where the cold figures of mathematics are involved, it cannot be almost, it must be exact. If the foundation is fragile, the whole structure will also be fragile. Similar confusion exists on the life, work and time of Jesus; but here Josephus is very emphatic that Jesus was the Messiah. The historian was contemporary with Jesus; and had first‑hand information of many of His miracles, which works convinced him that Jesus was the Christ.

This from another source: “The nations of antiquity did not have a uniform system of chronology; nor did they entertain the same notions and feel the same need of an exact and unvarying chronological method as does the modern world. The Assyrians and Babylonians appear to have been confident of their ability to date events of remote antiquity; but, as far as known, they did not have an era serving as a fixed standard from which to reckon all occurrences, but named each year after a public official (eponym or limmu). A list of these annual eponyms was kept.... In Babylonia, Palestine and Egypt documents were frequently dated by the regnal year of the reigning monarch. Unfortunately the scribes did not always reckon uniformly; but under the same king some reckoned the accession year on the first regnal year, while others considered the civil twelve‑month which followed the accession as the first year of the reign. Furthermore, the son was not infrequently associated with his father on the throne, and some scribes treated the first year of association with the father, and others the first of the sole reign, as the first regnal year.”

From this it is readily apparent that ancient history is not at all reliable in its dates; and this is undoubtedly the reason we are given very exact dates in the Bible. “On the selfsame day” (Ex. 12:17) the Jews left Egypt for Canaan.

And further from the same author: “Dates were placed in the margin of the Authorized Version in 1701. They represent the chronological scheme of Ussher, archbishop of Armagh, which he published in his “Annales Veteria et Novi Testamenti” in 1650‑1654. His work was careful and scholarly, and served a useful purpose for 2½ centuries. It gives only one of several possible arrangements. It is based in crucial points on Ussher’s private interpretation of disputed passages, in some of which he clearly erred, as has been proved in recent years. His system was worked out from the standpoint of modern chronological conceptions, and fails to do justice to the different notions which prevailed in antiquity. It was constructed without the invaluable aid of data which have been brought to light by modern research.... A few dates are fixed, and the chronology of certain periods is established... Much is tentative and is useful only for observing the sequence of events.”

William Miller – “(1782‑1849), American religious enthusiast who began preaching in 1831 that the present world would end approximately in 1843 with the bodily arrival (“advent”) of Christ. The Millerite movement declined after 1845, but elements of the group later organized the present Advent Christian Church (1860) and the larger Society of Seventh‑Day Adventists (1863).”

It is our opinion that William Miller had an excellent mathematical mind, a man of high scruples and great sincerity in what he believed. He received much ridicule and persecution from other religious groups; but we ourselves are persuaded that his dates were mostly quite sound, but his expectations for those dates were wrong. We may sometime give detail and our own comments on some of his calculations.

“Russell, Charles Taze, popularly called Pastor Russell. (b. Feb. 16, 1852, Pittsburgh, Pa. – d. Oct. 31, 1916, Pampa, Texas), founder of the International Bible Students Association, forerunner of Jehovah’s Witnesses (q.v.). Of Presbyterian and Congregational background, Russell renounced the creeds of orthodox Christian denominations and in 1872 organized an independent Bible study class in Pittsburgh. From 1877 he preached that Christ’s second advent would be invisible, that the end of the Gentile times would come in 1914, followed by war between capitalism and communism or socialism, after which God’s Kingdom by Christ would rule the whole earth. Russell (who was never ordained) dedicated his life and his considerable fortune to preaching Christ’s millennial reign. In 1879 he started a Bible journal later called the Watchtower, and in 1884 founded the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, which became a flourishing publishing business. His own books and booklets (notably six Volumes of Studies in the Scriptures) reached a circulation of sixteen million copies in 35 languages, and 2,000 newspapers published his weekly sermons.” (From Encyclopedia Brittannica)

It is our opinion that Pastor Russell gave us the correct chronology in the second volume of his Studies in the Scriptures – “The Time Is At Hand” – and we shall offer brief comments and figures from that book, with perhaps some of our own comments added. Therefore, we shall omit quotation marks; but we would emphasize that we are not attempting to palm any of his conclusions off as our own.

In this chapter we present the Bible evidence which indicates that six thousand years from the creation of Adam were complete with AD 1872; and hence that, since 1872 AD, we are chronologically entered upon the seventh thousand, or the Millennium, the forepart of which, the Day of the Lord, the day of trouble, is to witness the breaking into pieces of the kingdoms of this world and the establishment of the Kingdom of God under the whole heavens. While an understanding of chronology ‑is not essential to salvation (some of the very best of Christians throughout the Age did not have a clear understanding of it), yet a correct knowledge of it is of tremendous assistance to understanding the present “signs of the times,” the parallel dispensations, and many prophecies that apply especially to our time. We must ascertain first of all where we are on the stream of time. At present there are all sorts of “strong delusions” being bandied about – talking about a hundred thousand or a million years back in the history of man; but a proper understanding of chronology will quickly demonstrate the nonsense of such wild ideas. Chronology as it pertains to man must of necessity reveal to us a date for the beginning of man.

It should be readily apparent from what we have written thus far that we place little confidence in the efforts of the “smart boys” to give us this knowledge; but we are persuaded that the Bible does just that, so we shall confine ourselves to the Bible. Jesus said the Bible is “the word of Truth”; also, it is very much void of flippant talk or window‑dressing in what it contains. Therefore, the dates given us in Genesis 5 must be there for a purpose; and the first line in that chapter states it this way: “This is the book of the generations of Adam.” Also, the Bible tells us in Acts 17:26, “God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth.” This being true, then we all have a common ancestry, even though we may appear vastly different from our fellows, which has been caused by privations, climactic conditions, variation of diet, etc. The extremes of heat and cold have in themselves made great difference in appearance, habits of life, diet, etc., which we shall not detail here. However, there is one outstanding feature of being which separates man from beast: None of the beasts have any chin; whereas, we do not find a man anywhere‑without one, although the size and shape of the chin reveal much to the experts on physiognomy.

While there is much difference of opinion among those who accept the Bible record, the difference is limited to hundreds of years only; and not to millions, or even thousands of years among evolutionists, atheists, et al. Of course, there can be but one true answer to the years from Adam’s creation; and it is the purpose of this paper to demonstrate the truth of that conviction – not about the number of those years, but the exact number of years from creation to where we now are.

There is much sound logic in the theory that the great flood of Noah’s day was caused by the breaking of a great water ring about the earth, breaking at the outstart at the North and South Poles, and immediately putting into deep freeze all plant and animal life there. Just in recent years animals such as the deer, moose, etc., have been found near the North Pole with undigested grass in their stomachs, which is surely clear evidence that that part of the world was at one time verdant and sustained the life of herbivorous animals. There is no guesswork about this piece of knowledge, no necessity to “estimate” its import.

If we examine the records of the Gentile nations, there is just no reliability for more than about three thousand years; the first date in history on which the Gentile “experts” can agree is 536 BC It was in that year that Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to Palestine from their Babylonian captivity. That was about 2500 years back. Thus we can readily see how empty are the guesses of the evolutionists, etc., when they talk about a hundred thousand or a million years back. They are relying merely on untrustworthy tradition – loud talk which impresses some people who do not stop to examine it. The great Roman empire dates back only about 2800 years to its beginning, and even the first centuries of that are wrapped in uncertain records for three thousand years ago. If we consider Greece – at one time the intellectual center of the world – their dates are very sketchy prior to about 600 BC.

Thus, we are left with the Bible record, which is very positive in its statements about the origin of man a little more than six thousand years ago, of which more detail later on. The statement is very clear that the men who wrote that book wrote “as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet. 1:21)

As with history, so with chronology, the world has no reliable means of tracing back‑more than about twenty‑eight hundred years. Says Prof. Fisher, of Yale University: “An exact method of establishing dates was slowly reached. The invention of eras was indispensable to this end. The earliest definite time for the dating of events was established by Babylon, the era of Nabonassar, 747 B. C. The Greeks (from about 300 BC) dated events from the first recorded victory at the Olympic games, 776 B. C. These games occurred every fourth year. Each Olympiad was thus a period of four years. The Romans, though not for some centuries after the founding of Rome, dated from that event; i. e., from 753 BC”

The history of the remote past is so filled with vagaries and mythical traditions as to make them valueless for chronological data and unworthy of consideration. Says the American Cyclopedia: “The history of ancient nations, unless we make an exception in the case of the Hebrews, goes back for mythical periods of thousands or millions of years; and even after the records begin to assume a historical aspect, the discrepancies are very great... The Assyrian, Babylonian and Egyptian inscriptions are in extinct languages, and in characters long obsolete... Greek and Roman dates are authenticated to the first Olympiad, BC 776, and the establishment of the Consulate, BC 510, previous to which they are legendary. Herodotus is valuable only as to events of his own time, about 450 BC, and those of a century or two earlier.”

There are many other reliable writings, but we consider the foregoing to be sufficient. However, we add this comment from Clinton: “The history contained in the Hebrew Scriptures presents a contrast to the early accounts of the Greeks. In the latter we trace with difficulty a few obscure facts preserved to us by the poets, who transmitted, with all the embellishments of poetry and fable, what they had received from oral tradition. In the annals of the Hebrew nation, we have authentic narratives written by contemporaries under the guidance of inspiration. What they have delivered to us comes accordingly under a double sanction. They were aided by divine inspiration, in recording facts upon which, as mere human witnesses, their evidence would be valid.”

The Bible, our God‑provided history of the first three thousand years, is the only work in the world which, beginning with Adam, the first man mentioned in history, monument or inscription, whose name, the time of his creation and death are recorded, and from whom his descendants can be traced by name and age in successive links for nearly four thousand years, furnishes us a clear and connected history down to a period where secular history can be accepted as reliable. As we have often stated, this date is 536 BC, which is a well accepted and established date. From that date the Bible is pretty well silent, God undoubtedly realizing no further need for it; we may accept secular records from that date on. Thus we have a clear and connected record down to the present time. However, if we accept the prophecies in the Bible, we are carried on through the next thousand years from now, not in a detailed way, but generally clear enough to give us a good idea of what lies ahead of us. Taken together, the true history and prophecies of the Bible provide us with an overall picture of the whole course of events from creation to the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:19‑23) and is thus a chart of all history.

From this record we have the evidence that from the creation of Adam to AD 1873 is six thousand years. The seventh thousand‑year day began then, so that we are now already over one hundred years in that seventh day. And before this day is completed, we may expect the great healing of the human race that is so vividly shown in John 5:1‑9, where the cripple was healed on the “sabbath day.”

The immense growth of Socialism, Nihilism and Communism since 1873 are unmistakable evidences that we are now in that time when “the God of Heaven is setting up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed ... it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms (the present social order), and it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44) And it is from the chronology that we are enabled to construct this reliable statement, of which we now present a factual framework:

FROM THE CREATION OF ADAM

To the end of the flood - 1656 years

Thence to the covenant with Abraham - 427 years

Thence to the Exodus from Egypt and giving the Law - 430 years

Thence to the division of Canaan - 46 years

Thee period of the Judges (the last one being Samuel) - 450 years

The period of the Kings (the last one being Zedekiah) - 513 years

Thee period of the desolation (Babylonian captivity) - 70 years

Thence to A. D. 1  - 536 years

Thence to 1873 - 1872 years

Total                        6000 years

As we analyze each of these periods, our readers will have little difficulty in confirming our figures from the Divine Record. While there are two breaks in the Old Testament record, these are clarified by the New Testament. Adam lived 130 years and begat a son called Seth (Gen. 5:3); Seth 105 years and begat Enos (5:6); Enos 90 years and begat Cainan C5:9), Cainan 70 years and begat Mahalaleel (5:12); Mahalaleel 65 years and begat Jared (5:15); Jared 162 years and begat Enoch (5:18); Enoch 65 years and begat Methuselah (5:21); Methuselah 187 and begat Lamech; Lamech 182 years and begat Noah (5:28); Noah was 600 years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth (Gen. 7:6), In passing, we mention here that “Noah lived after the flood” three hundred and fifty years, and he died.” (Gen. 9:28) “And all the days of Noah were 950 years.” Thus he lived 600 years “in the world that was,” and 350 years‑ in “this present evil world.” A very remarkable career!

After The Flood ‑ “Shem begat Arphaxad 2 years after the flood (Gen. 11:10); Arphaxed lived 35 years and begat Salah (11:12) Salah lived 30 years and begat Eber (11:14); Eber lived 34 years and begat Peleg (11:16); Peleg lived 30 years and begat Reu (11:22); Reu lived 32 years and begat Serug (11:20); Serug lived 30 years and begat Nahor (11:22) Nahor lived 29 years and begat Terah (11:24); the days of Terah were 205 years and he died (11:32) ‑ TOTAL 427 years.

While the above is also simple and exact, the next period is not so easily grasped; the direct line of chronology is broken until after the Exodus of Israel from Egypt. This figure could not be obtained at all were it not for the help given us by Paul and Stephen, who wrote and spoke by inspiration, Paul says this period was 430 years (Gal. 3:17). As shown by a comparison of Gen. 12:1‑5, 7 and Acts 7:2‑5, the covenant was made as soon as Abraham had fully complied with the conditions on which he was to receive it as soon as he had entered Canaan, which he did immediately after his father died, who died in Haran, on the way to Canaan. Having the date of the Covenant thus established by Stephen, and Paul’s statement that the law was 430 years after the Covenant, the break in the Old Testament chronology is thus bridged by the New Testament, The Covenant was made just after he entered the land. (Gen. 12:5‑7). Thus we have the date of the Covenant, and the beginning of the 430 years as immediately following Terah’s death, which completes the chain of the chronology to the giving of the Law. The first feature of the Law was the Passover – which was instituted the same day that Israel left Egypt. (Ex, 12:41‑43, 47, 50, 51), This then establishes the third period.

From Exodus To Division Of Canaan Among The Tribes – Israel’s forty years of wander­ing in the Wilderness of Sin (Heb. 3: 8, 9) was followed by six years of war in Canaan, and dividing the land among the tribes.

The Period Of The Judges – This is the most difficult portion of the chronology from the division of the land to the anointing of Saul as king. It is usually termed the period of the Judges, though judges did not fill that office continuously. The record given in the book of Judges and Samuel gives nineteen periods, approximating a total of 450 years; but they are disconnected, broken, lapped and tangled so much that we can arrive at no definite conclusion from them, and should be obliged to conclude, as others have done, that nothing positive could be known on the subject, were it not that the New Testament supplies the lack. Paul stated that after God divided their land to them by lot “He gave unto them judges about (during) the space of 450 years, until Samuel the Prophet. Afterward they desired a king, and God gave unto them Saul,” (Acts 13:19‑21)

The Period Of The Kings – From Saul to Zedekiah the record is as follows: Saul 40 years (Acts 13:21); David 40 years (1 Chr. 29:27); Solomon 40 years (2 Chr. 9:30; Rehoboam 17 years (12:13); Abijah 3 years (13:2); Asa 41 years (16:13); Jehoshapat 25 years (20:31); Jehoram 8 years (21:20); Ahaziah one year (22:2); Athaliah 6 years (22:12); Jehoash 40 years (24:1); Amaziah 29 years (25:1); Ussiah 52 years (26:3); Jotham 16 years (27:1); Ahaz 16 years (28:1); Hezekiah 29 years (29:1); Manasseh 55 years (33:1) Amon 2 years (33:21); Josiah 31 years (34:1); Jehoiakim 11 years (36:5); Zedekiah 11 years (36:11) ‑ Total 513 years.

The Seventy Years Of Desolation – “That the land had enjoyed her sabbaths; for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten years.” (2 Chr. 36:20‑23) From 536 BC to AD 1 is not covered by the Bible record; but is well established by secular history. Ptolemy, a learned Greek‑Egyptian, a geometer and astronomer, has well established these figures; they are generally accepted by scholars, and known as Ptolemy’s Canon. Combining the foregoing figures, we have from the creation of Adam to the year AD 1 a total of 4128 years; and adding 1872 years of the Christian era, we have an even 6,000 years from the creation of Adam.

Ussher’s Chronology Again ‑ This chron­ology compared with the foregoing is 124 years off – four errors of 18, 4, 2 and 100 years. Ussher dates the beginning of desolation of the land eighteen years earlier – due to the capture of a number of the best Jews (probably including Daniel) before Zedekiah was overthrown. But that event did not start the desolation of the land; that did not come until Zedekiah was dethroned and carried away to Babylon.

Also, he gives the reign of Jehoram as four years; whereas the Bible gives it as eight years. (2 Chr. 21:5; 2 Kgs. 8:17) Of the two years, Ussher makes a mistake of one year in the reign of Ahaz –­ 15 years, but the Bible gives it as 16 years. All these mistakes are the result of Ussher going elsewhere for his information, instead of accepting the Bible for his authority. He makes another similar mistake of one year in the reign of Jehoash – 39 years, but the Bible gives it as 40 years. Then he makes a mistake of 100 years in the period of the Judges. 1 Kgs. 6:1 says the fourth year of Solomon’s reign was 480 years from the Exodus from Egypt; but it should read 580 years; due probably to a copyist’s mistake, because the New Testament clearly gives this period as 450 years.

Here we digress a little to say the Jehovah’s Witnesses had the correct computation of the chronology as given in our figures above; but they have now gone back to Ussher’s error, and count the period as 550 years, as he did. Thus:, they are now so badly confused they do not know where they are. Using these erroneous figures, they came up with 1975 for the beginning of Armageddon; but not a thing happened in 1975 – just as nothing happened in 1925, when they made their first real bad blunder in their figures on the Jubilee cycles. Ussher has 4005 years from the creation of Adam to the year AD 1; whereas, the Bible gives that time as 4128 years; and we accept the Bible above all other secular writings.

Here we offer one more digression: The Jewish lunar year is 360 days; and that would make quite a difference with the solar year over a long period of time; but they now follow the Metonic cycle, a calculation which the pagan philosopher Met on produced in 360 AD, where he adds seven intercalated years to every nineteen years. The last month of the Jewish year is Adar; and in those seven years he adds Ve‑Adar, or the second Adar. Thus from the year AD 1 to 1982 there is only a few weeks difference in the solar and lunar calculations.

Since 1916 there has been much tampering with the chronology as given us through That Servant, the main offenders being the Jehovah’s Witnesses, although it should be said that some sixty years ago, when they still held to Brother Russell’s chronology, their leaders offered an excellent defense of that chronology against other groups that were contending that Brother Russell had made a 19‑year mistake in his reckoning of the Gentile Times. Since that time, however, the Witnesses have rejected their own teachings on many time features; and now they are badly confused with their own reckoning in various ways. But in this paper we have discussed only the chronology as we understand it.

As just stated, other groups were vigorously contending about that 19‑year mistake (?). But, when those nineteen years had come and gone in 1933 without the slightest hint anywhere that there was anything special about that date, they have simply dropped the subject without a word of further discussion of it. They had latched on to their error by accepting the figures of a certain “foolish virgin” (a Doctor H. Gratham Guiness), who had influenced many prominent minds with his error; and we are often impressed with this as we read the comments of some of them, and the dates they give – over a hundred years ago. Thus, it is very easy to become confused on some of their conclusions if we read them lightly ­– without stopping to determine if they are right or wrong.

Summary ‑ The Chronology as we have herein presented it is thoroughly Scriptural, and is proven so by the Bible’s chronological data, the Jubilee cycles, the times of the Gentiles (2520 years), the 2520 and 1845‑year parallels, the pyramid and other time features presented by the Edgar Brothers’ time charts. It has stood the test of time, and is impregnable to any assaults that may be made upon it. It is reasonable and mathematically sound.

YEARS BEFORE AND AFTER THE GREAT FLOOD

Many people have questioned the length of the years before and after the flood due to the long years of life of many living before the flood; but it is our opinion that the years before and after the flood were solar years – of the same length then that they are now. However, we would stress that there was no fermentation before the flood because there had been no rain: “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) Thus it is probable that the air itself was much different after the flood. The air before the flood was probably 80% oxygen and 20% nitrogen; whereas, it now is about 80% nitrogen and 20% oxygen.

One gifted writer offers this comment about it: “The immense duration of life assigned to these ten Patriarchs (before the flood) 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 the Patriarchs represent dynasties. But the mention of the first‑born 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 (Gen. 5) to denote a shorter period of time. But this arbitrary solution is devoid of any evidence in its favor. Familiar Hebrew words, like “years” in this chapter, must not be supposed, because of our difficulties in interpretation, to require new meanings,

“There is no reason not to interpret the statements respecting the longevity of the ten Antediluvian Patriarchs quite literally. The account of them belongs to the domain of primitive tradition. It would be strange, if the primitive unverifiable tradition were not accompanied by the exaggerations which popular legend weaves around prehistoric names.”

Many of our readers are quite familiar with the chronology as given herein, because we have taken the correct Bible chronology from the Second Volume of Studies in the Scriptures as compiled by That Servant; but we believe the words of St. Peter (2 Pet. 1:12, 13) are very timely here: “I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the Present Truth.”

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Warmest Christian greetings!

The paper I received for May 1982, No. 323, has a question of general interest in the back about the ransom. In your reply to the question you state that there is an embargo against the ransom by or for the tentatively Justified; and that embargo must be lifted before any application can be made for the‑world in general.

Compare this statement with Brother Johnson’s words in E Vol. 15, pages 250 and 251. As I read it here at home, it seems to say that only the consecrated spirit‑begotten during the Gospel Age, had any embargo against the merit of the ransom.

Could you please help me to a clear understanding of this matter? Also, I was wondering about the quasi‑elect, the loyal Justified, and the believing Jews. Would we consider these two classes to be unconsecrated? I would welcome any thoughts on these matters. Your brother by His Grace, ------- (CALIFORNIA)                         

Note: On top of page 252 of E‑15 Brother Johnson says that “Godward the application (for the world – JJH) will be made instantaneously after the complete death of the Great Company and Youthful Worthies, who are covered, the former vitalizedly, the latter tentatively, by the imputed merit.” The quasi‑elect and the faithful Jews are not in the court – they are of the “repentant and believing,” but unconsecrated, as is taught by Brother Johnson.

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Dear Brother and Sister Hoefle; Christian love ant greetings in the name of our Lord!

I must apologize for the delay in writing to you, but I assure you that you both have been in my thoughts and prayers. Please give Sr. Augusta our Christian love and greetings – and hope that her back problems are much improved.

Sister and I enjoyed very much the dear fellowship we experienced with you and all the brethren of the Mount Dora Bible class at the Memorial – and look forward to seeing all of you again soon.

And now, may the Lord bless you and keep you as you serve Him daily.

Your brother, ------- (FLORIDA)

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Dear John and Emily:

Thank you for your kind letter and most generous contribution to Bridges for Peace. I have sent word to Jerusalem to send us more books, and when they arrive, we will forward them to the friends you listed in your letter. It will probably take a couple of months to get the books over here, but it will be done.

Pat and I will be returning to Jerusalem next month and are looking forward to getting back. Keep us in prayer as we do you. I hope to get to see you again when I get back to Florida.

Shalom in Jesus, ------- (OKLAHOMA)

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Dear Brother and Sister Hoefle: greetings in Jesus:’ loving Name!

I received your latest articles, Nos. 323 and 324. Thank you so much! May God add His blessing – Wisdom and health to all. Brother Hoefle, your treatise of Isaiah is in my opinion the start of something great! I feel someone, if not you, will be inspired of God to bring Truths not yet realized from the lives and teaching of the Prophets. I feel that God through the Prophets showed a certain measure of His ways for man, not only in their day but also in our day, and the coming days: prior to the bringing back to the Light of Life the Ancient Worthies and ushering in His Kingdom.

I, along with many others, do not have the ability to glean from all these Truths correct or accurate understanding. I’m very humbly thankful that God is able to raise up willing and able Servants to bring to our attention “meat in due season.” I will be looking forward to many more articles on the subject of these two articles,

May God guide you in wisdom and understanding and the best health to you and yours.

Your brother in the hope of the Kingdom, with love and prayers ------- (Oklahoma)

NO. 326: "LATTER TIMES"

No. 326

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

Several requests have come to us asking that we treat on the present‑day hallucination of “familiar spirits,” such as Mediums, Seances, etc., and what our attitude toward such should be. In 1 Tim. 4:1, we have a prophecy of the condition so prevalent on all sides in these ‘latter times.’ “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (See Berean Comments) And Paul further exhorts, “If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” (v. 6) “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in so doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (v. 16)

And he gives us further warning of this “evil day” in 2 Tim. 3:1 ‑ “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” The Apostle is here referring to the Household of Faith, and not to the world in general. But the “Time of Trouble” is upon the whole world when these “perilous times” come to the Lord’s people. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (v. 13, Dia.) – and it is especially for the protection of the fully faithful that these exhortations are given. “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” (v. 14) The measurably faithful will partially succumb to the evils so prevalent in these ‘latter times’ – and the unfaithful will wholly succumb; they will lose their standing in the Household. “And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Tim. 4:4)

FAITH HEALING – HYPNOSIS ETC.

Prominent and widely‑read magazines today are publicizing the practice of faith healing and hypnosis, with such captions as “HYPNOSIS – an Old Science” – “Out of Ancient Magic Comes New Medical Tool,” etc. So appealing has this teaching become that it has engulfed many members of the ministerial profession, with one prominent Evangelist observing: “Psychiatry is becoming so popular that psychiatrists are calling upon each other for help.” One line in a magazine says this: “The ‘modern’ minister is learning to obtain psychiatric help in handling deep‑seated problems.” One prominent minister in Washington, D. C., several years back, hanged himself in a high tower of his own chapel; and the news comment said “he had a nervous breakdown in 1948 and had been under treatment by a psychiatrist.” If the psychiatrist could not cure the preacher, just how much chance, think you, would the preacher have of curing his flock that came to him for counsel and solace?

In another instance a minister was asked: “Do you think it is wrong – or against God’s will – for man to seek out hidden powers like hypnosis,” etc.? The answer – “Certainly, it is not wrong, or against God’s will to develop all powers of the mind.” In contrast, hear Isa. 8:19 – “When they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: Should not a people seek unto their God?” And in Isa. 47:13,14: “Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble... They shall not deliver themselves.” Here is a clear inspired answer given about 3,000 years ago; and we consider it as sound today as it was then. The “art” was a “science falsely so‑called” at that time; and it is just as much the same today.

It is not that we are wholly against psychiatry – because we readily recognize that in some cases some good has been accomplished; and in the profession there are some honorable and well‑intentioned men. If a person can’t get help from his family, his physician, or his minister, then he has no other source, apparently, but to see a psychiatrist. In many cases a married couple needs the counsel of an outsider – and in such cases if the couple consults a good psychiatrist, then he can help them adjust their marital difficulties. Many times the family and friends are too close to the matter to be able to advise impartially; and if their minister is unable to cope with the situation, then a psychiatrist may be the answer to their problem. In the case of the Lord’s people who have the promise of the Lord’s help in their every time of need, it seems they should be able to rest in the blessed assurance of His promises – and “wait upon the Lord” in full assurance of faith. The Lord’s people are not promised an easy way out, but they are promised “Grace (favor) sufficient” to bear whatever difficulties they may have, if the Lord doesn’t see fit to remove these difficulties. So in the case of the Lord’s fully consecrated people, when they go to a psychiatrist as a last resort, it is certain that the Lord is not answering their prayers. He does abandon those who come to Him with the lips, without full faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Nor does it mean that those who are abandoned at such times, are not God’s children – but it does mean that the Lord has temporarily abandoned them until such time as they are able to come to Him with the full assurance of faith in His promises.

The Lord’s Truth people have been forewarned of this “evil day,” when spiritism, faith healing, hypnotism, etc., would be rampant – more so than at any time in history, and that more far‑reaching. We have only to glance at the newspapers and leading magazines to recognize that fact. All sorts of weird cults are springing up like mushrooms, details of which we shall not offer here; but just recently one in particular has engaged our attention because of the distress it has brought upon the parents of youths “in their late teens and early 20’s.”

Says one of them: “We’re convinced they’re victims of some form of mind manipulation, or why else their sudden change of behavior, wanting to destroy our institutions, not knowing or wanting us.” One girl who has been recovered from the situation has this to say: “When I was a member of the Children of God, I would feel one way, but, when I opened my mouth to speak, the opposite meaning would come out. I had eaten rotten food and hadn’t bathed in two weeks, yet I told another member that I had never been happier. When I said that, I thought to myself, Why am I saying that? I’M miserable.”

From the foregoing it is apparent that not all who become contaminated with such antitypical witchcraft (especially deceptive false teachings) are irreparably damned; and it is well we keep that in mind – to lend a helping hand whenever opportunity should arise.

“MY HELP COMETH FROM THE LORD” – Psalms 121:2

David had many trials – not only in his own family, but also from many other sources – yet he looked to the Lord for his help. This is not true of King Saul. At one time King Saul had been very zealous in eliminating “familiar spirits” in Israel, but after he had forsaken the Lord, and the Lord no longer heard his prayers, he himself went to the Witch of Endor. And that has been true in our times of antitypical Saul (Great Company leaders) during this Epiphany period. We know of one such case where a Great company leader went to a psychia­trist for his mental anguish when he became a manifested crown‑loser, The Lord had abandoned him in his trial time – something the Lord never does to the fully faithful.

That Wise and Faithful Servant was well alerted to the evils set out above; and, if his warnings were pertinent in 1909, how much more are they wise and sound counsel today:

“‘My help cometh from the Lord’… The text reminds us that those who need help and who realize it, should look to the Lord for it – not relying upon their own strength or wisdom, nor upon the assistance of their fellows. We are not to despise assistance from any quarter, but our chief reason for receiving any assistance should be our conviction that it has come from the Lord... We have the assurance of the Lord that there is but one place of safety at this time… under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Reprints 4311)

Then further on p. 4313: “Peter and John were God’s instruments in effecting an instan­taneous cure... The only power exercised was the power of faith on the part of the Apostles, for the healed, so far as we know, had no knowledge of Jesus... Nor should we understand the apostolic command, ‘look upon us,’ to mean the exercise of them of any hypnotic influence... Perhaps there never was a time in the world’s history when humanity manifested more desire for physical healing than today. Nor can we blame the poor groaning creation for desiring relief... Note the fact that some of the strong delusions are supported by their claim to relieve physical pain. This is the claim of Spiritism – that disease can be relieved through mediumistic powers, under another’s control... This is the claim of Christian Science, Mind Cure, Faith cure people, Divine Healers, etc. Some of these names are used merely as a cover and a pretense... The attitude of the public seems to be: Give us healing. Give us relief from our aches and pains. If it is of God, we are glad. If it is of the Adversary, as you claim, we still take it.

“Such great inroads have been made in the churches of all denominations by these mind cures, hypnotic cures, that ministers of all denominations are perplexed what to do... We do not dispute that cures are accomplished, nor that some of the theories and proceedings are legitimate enough. What we do claim is that the truth and rationality connected with all of them is the poison of the Adversary, the power of the fallen angels exercised in its most subtle form, namely, mental suggestion – hypnotism... The doctrine of ‘Peace, troubled soul!’ is certainly a good and wise one, particularly when based upon a Scriptural faith in Jesus... The spirit of restfulness and ‘peace with God,’ if built upon false doctrines and erroneous suggestions and hyp­notic influences, but hinders the soul from a proper approach to the Life‑Giver... Trouble will largely result from the intrusion of the evil spirits into human affairs, through the entanglement of human wills, weakened by Hypnotism. We warn all to be on guard against these modern miracle‑workers and we call attention to the fact that their operation is entirely different from anything recorded in the Scriptures.”

And from page 3181: “We are already passing into these very fires of this day of trial. We are already in the time when the wood, hay and stubble are being consumed, and when Higher Criticism, Evolutionary Theory, Christian Science, Hypnotism, under its own name and known as Mind Cures, etc., are devouring as a flame all that are not fully devoted to the Lord, and therefore, especially kept by His power through His Word and providence.”

KING SAUL AND THE PROPHET SAMUEL

That many of the Measurably Faithful do ignore this wise counsel is clear when we consider the type of their leaders – King Saul. His dis­obedience went from a small beginning to an extremity which caused his death. In 1 Sam. 13:8‑14 King Saul offered a burnt‑offering, contrary to Divine arrangement, and was reproved by the Prophet Samuel. Then in Chapter 15 we have the record of his gross disobedience and lying tongue when confronted once more by Samuel; and v. 23: “Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord He hath also rejected thee from being king.” “And the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul” (1 Sam. 16:14). In due course he sought the Witch of Endor; then his ignominious and disgraced death in battle – a tragic instance and a sober warning to all that “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” Here is perhaps the outstand­ing example in all Biblical history of a man one time loved of God – “a choice young man and of noble appearance... not a man in Israel more noble than he” – who went from nothing to the very highest pinnacle in Israel; then back to nothing again – with his end much worse than if he had remained “little in his own sight” (1 Sam. 15:17), had never become king in Israel.

Then there is his pathetic pleading in v. 30 ‑ “Honour me now before the elders of my people” – the Lord’s favor gone, the kingdom to be taken from him in disgrace, he implores Samuel yet once more for that very empty and most fragile of possessions, “the praise of men.” But even this was denied him in the end, an end perpetrated by his own hand with his own sword – opportunity sublime (“the pearl of great price”) ignominiously and willfully desecrated. King Saul is a type of the Measurably Faithful (the Great Company) leaders from early in the third century until Armageddon. (See E‑14:5) These Measurably Faithful brethren, like King Saul, profess they are fully faithful ‑ insist they have done no wrong: “Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord” (1 Sam. 15:20). And this hypocritical profession has often deceived the brethren and others, but they have never fooled the Lord.

“OUR FRAME – WE ARE DUST” (Psa. 103:14)

Man has four physiological qualities, of which we may sometime write in a future article; but for now we shall consider briefly his four appetites, the first and most compelling being the Alimentative – the desire for food and drink; second, the Procreative – the affinity for the opposite sex; third, the Acquisitive – the urge to buy, sell and get gain, to lay house to house and field to field; fourth, the Religious the desire to worship a higher being. The extremes of the Alimentative are the glutton and the ascetic, the drunkard and the teetotaler; of the Procreative, the extremes are the pervert and the celibate; of the Acquisitive the extremes are the miser and the spendthrift; of the Religious the extremes are the spiritualist and the gross materialist. The variations between these extremes are legion, so that the truth is well given, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psa. 139:13) – a truth primarily applicable to the Christ Company, but true also of man as a physical organism. All lower mammals have the first two of these appetites; some of them have the third; but none of them have the fourth ‑ none of them have any urge to worship a Divine Being.

Companion to the foregoing is the premise that the human head has seven distinct features, five of which are to be found in the lower mammals – two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, one skin, these functioning to produce the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. None of the lower animals have any chin, the possession of which by man lends a certain distinction and strength to his face – even among the very ordinary human beings. Then the seventh feature is mental ‑ the spiritual and benevolent qualities, which give man his Religious appetite. In none of the brutes do we find this quality; and in some human beings it is so lacking that it is impossible for them to exercise faith under the reign of evil (2 Thes. 3:2); but we should expect to find it predominant and increasing in strength in the Lord’s Household ‑among the fully faithful.

With such myriad of combinations, mentally and physically, we are able to understand more clearly the words of Jer. 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” But, having arrived at a certain sound foundation in the foregoing paragraphs, we should be the better enabled to understand the full meaning of the “spirit of a sound mind.” If any should have eye trouble, they seek out an oculist – a specialist; if they have other various physical ills, they should consult a Doctor of medicine if drugs are indicated; or one skilled in physical therapy and the like if drugs are not needed. This all seems simple enough to us; but why shouldn’t the formula he followed if one has mental distress? If the disturbance comes from physical failure, then have the proper physical practitioner attend it. But, if it be purely a mental deflection – distress of mind, etc. – then the child of God should just as readily seek those best qualified to help him – the same being the Mouthpieces of God, or their teachings, or those of lesser prominence who are qualified for the task. Note the advice of the Apostle in James 5:14,15: “If any one among you is sick, let him call for the elders of the congregation, and let them pray over him... and the prayer of faith shall save the sick person” – morally or spiritually weak. (See Berean Comments)

Psychology, Psychiatry, and such like, are high‑sounding words that carry a certain appeal to the “unstable and the unlearned”; but let us analyze them a bit. “Psychology” means the doctrine of understanding life or soul. Now just how well qualified is a Psychologist to treat the soul when he does not even know what the soul is? Would we think to call in a carpenter if the furnace is out of order? Or a plumber if the electric lights are out? And should the Lord’s people seek after those with “familiar spirits,” necromancers, or hawkers of hocus‑pocus, when the prescription is clearly outlined in the Scriptures? It is well stated, “You can always tell a man from Yale; but you can’t tell him much “ It is reported that one in every ten persons in the United States today is a mental case of some kind. That means about twenty million of them in this country alone. And many of those who attempt to qualify to treat such cases must themselves resort to others of their kind to receive help for themselves. Consider the tragic case of the minister related earlier in this paper: He ignored the Word he had vowed to teach others, thus coming to ruin himself. Yet he was being paid well, to supply to the members of his congregation what he could not supply for himself. How many, think you, would receive the “peace of God which passeth understanding” from such ministry? And of the crownlost leaders – especially those who claim to understand Present Truth – who are forced to seek out a psychiatrist, what should we expect of them? The answer seems simple enough – to us, at least: we should expect only “an energy of delusion for them.” (2 Thes.2:11)

Science – Christianity: – Without reservation, we are wholeheartedly at one with the science of Christianity. Science is “classification of facts,” says Webster; and the “facts” of Christianity are indeed “meat and drink” to us. But we are equally averse to “science falsely so‑called.” (1 Tim. 6:20) By the same rule, we are in complete accord with sound effort to influence the minds of others; and St. Paul gives precedent for this in his effort to influence the minds of the brethren at Philippi: “Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, any virtue, any praise, think on these things.” If any think on such things, he is certain to be blessed with the “spirit of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7) – he will possess the real science of Christianity – nor is he likely to incur the “woe” of those who “go down to Egypt (type of this “present evil world”) for help” (Isa. 31:1). But those who do “go down to Egypt for help” will not be admonished to seek the “sound doctrine,” the Truth – the “true, honest, just,” etc.; they are‑more likely to receive a balm for “itching ears” – to be told what they want to hear, rather than what they should hear.

The following is a quotation from That Servant, as given on page 2629 of the Reprints:

QUESTION: – The world is full of aches and pains, diseases, and naturally we look about us for relief. You have already expressed your judgment that the cures effected by Christian Scientists and Spiritualists are probably produced by improper spiritual influences, although exercised to some extent at least in harmony with natural laws. I desire now to inquire respecting cures by hypnotism, and still other cures by so‑called magnetic healers. What shall we think of these, and will it be proper for the Lord’s consecrated people to avail themselves of such means for attaining health?

ANSWER: – We feel suspicious of magnetic and mental healing. In our judgment they in many instances are allied with or related to hypnotism; yet it is particularly difficult to draw the line here, because we all know that there is such a thing as a legitimate mental influence which we all exercise upon one another, favorably or unfavorably. We know, for instance, that hope and faith, love and joy, are healing and helpful influences whether exercised by our own minds upon our own bodies, or upon others. In this proper sense of the word every child of God possessing the spirit of love, the spirit of a sound mind, is a mental healer, and a heart healer, a wound healer; wherever he or she may be, the influence will be uplifting, comforting, strengthening to good impulses. If therefore the Lord’s consecrated ones visit the sick, their presence should be a refreshment, comforting, cheering and helpful, and so much the more if they carry in their hearts and communicate with their lips the exceeding great and precious promises of our Father’s Word. With this much of mental healing we are most thoroughly in accord.

“But Christian Science, Mind Healing and Magnetic Healing, running upon this same line, seem to carry it to an extreme ‑ in the case of Christian Science to the extreme of lying to oneself and believing the lie, and thus gradually becoming a liar, self‑deceived and deceiving others in respect to all of life’s affairs. We cannot believe that any course so opposed to that which the Scriptures mark out can be of God, nor can we believe that the cures it at time effects are either natural or of God; we can only suppose, therefore, that the Adversary favors this lying and deceiving process to the intent that he may beguile the mind through further lies and deceptions far from God and the truth.

“Magnetic Healing is more on the order of hypnotic healing; that is to say, the magnetic healer gains a control over the mind of his subject which is somewhat akin to the control gained by mesmerists and hypnotists, and akin to the spirit control of spiritualism over its mediums. We can have no sympathy with anything of this kind, for even if we were satisfied that the power of control was merely a human power and not a Satanic one (and we are not satisfied of this), we cannot feel that it is right for one human being to subject his mind, his will, to another, when the evidences prove that every such subjection decreases his will power and places the subject more and more in the position of a slave or machine, subject to the influence or control of others – breaking down his personality.

“The Lord’s people are admonished to make such a submission of their minds to the Lord, and no one else; and we are confident that the Lord will take no advantage of us under such conditions, to rob us of any good quality. On the whole, then, we urge the Lord’s people to be on guard against mind healers, etc., especially where, as in the case of Christian Science, the mind is to be given up to believe a lie (pain is merely a mental delusion), or in the case of hypnotism, it is to be given up or subjected entirely to another. Our minds are our greatest possession, and are to be given only to the Lord and to each other as directed by the Word of the Lord; and if we cannot have health without violating these principles, we can afford to be without the health for the few more days that remain under the present conditions, knowing that by and by, if faithful to the Lord, we shall have the perfect resurrection bodies promised.”

Thus, it is clear enough that the good that can and does come from a good cultivation of the mind has been badly sullied by the many perversions that have appeared during this Epiphany period; and we may reasonably expect much more of the same yet before the New Day fully dawns. All of this has a definite purpose, we may be sure; the Epiphany is the time for “making manifest the counsels of hearts” – revealing persons, principles and things, separating the true from the false. We are in “the evil day.” In the great harvest parable of Matt. 13:30, Jesus said, “Gather ye first together the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; then bring together the wheat into my granary.” (See Diaglott)

The binding of the tares was well accomplished by 1914, and we were all impressed with the truth that “Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest.” (Josh. 3:15) The River Jordan being a type of the curse, we should logically expect all manner of evil to be rampant, as the released erstwhile “spirits in prison” carried on their deadly work. These are the same “four winds of heaven that strove upon the great sea” (Dan. 7:2) – just as they are the “four winds of the earth” in Rev. 7:1 that are “restrained by the four angels” (the messengers of wrath) until the due time to bring about the great war of 1914. Some have mistakenly thought that the “four angels” of this text are the demons; but it should be kept in mind that the fallen angels are nowhere in the Scriptures ever called angels after their antediluvian transgression. They are the “four winds,” “demons,” – “spirits in prison,” etc., but never referred to as angels after the great flood.

“TRYING THE SPIRITS”

The ‘seducers’ of this our day are telling us to visit these seances, spirit mediums, etc., as we are heeding God’s word to “try the spirits” by so doing. In John 4:1, the text they refer to says – “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” There is no intimation that the Apostle is advising us to “try spiritism” – no record of any of the Apostles seeking out “familiar spirits” to try them to see whether they were of God. They knew they were not of God; they knew such a course was a forbidden path for the Lord’s people. And the Lord’s people today who “continue in His Word” know they are not to tamper with such seducing spirits. The “spirits” in this text refer to teachings, and the clear thought of the Apostle John is that we are to try the teachings that are presented to us – whether they be truth or error.

Over the centuries the pseudo pastors and teachers in Babylon have played upon the "itching ears” – just as have the politicians – by telling them what they want to hear. And what is it that people desire above all things? That they will not die’ So they are told they don’t actually die; they just appear to be dead. Even the Chaldean soothsayers employed the technique on Nebuchadnezzar: “Of king, live forever.” (Dan. 2:4) On rare occasions even “the father of lies” tells the truth; and he came pretty close to telling the truth in Job 2:4: “All that a man hath will he give for his life.” Nor has “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” (thee teaching of the Jehovah’s Witnesses), or survival through Armageddon, been devoid of appeal; it explains in large part the great increase in adherents of the group that promises such. And a close approach is made to this in the promise that “Campers Consecrated” may live right on into the Millennial Kingdom.

 But the real science of Christianity has never been popular. Jesus was crucified because of it; and Paul became the enemy of erstwhile brethren “because I tell you the truth.” (Gal. 4:16) All the Star Members have had the same experience; and we are witness of it especially as respects the last two of them. Therefore, we need “think it not strange” if the same experiences come to us. About the last thing the multitude wishes to hear is the Truth. Of this fact Jesus was well aware, as he offered the observation, “When the Son of Man cometh, will He find the faith (the Truth) in the earth?” When controversy arises, the truth usually comes forth ‑ and the Truth is the last thing false teachers and their partisan supporters wish to hear. The words of Mal. 3:15 are especially applicable in this “evil day”: “Now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.”

“THE SPIRIT OF POWER AND A SOUND MIND”

In 2 Tim. 1:7 we have the inspired assurance that “God did not give us a cowardly spirit, but one of Power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (Dia.) And St. Paul tells us in v. 6 that this Holy Spirit is a “gift of God” which we should not fail to “stir up” in ourselves and in others of like precious faith. To the fully faithful, there is the sure promise of the “peace of God which passeth understanding”; whereas, to the unfaithful and measurably faithful there is also the affliction of a “cowardly spirit.” Such shall “flee when none pursueth,” and “have sorrow of heart” (Lev. 26:16,17).

It should be kept clearly in mind that the condition of these various classes is purely a state of mind; the “spirit of power” is will power – mental power, and not physical brawn. And the fully faithful who have this “spirit of power” have the same blessed assurance as did St. Paul himself: “I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.” To the unbelieving world such a statement from Paul would almost certainly cause smiles, and even ridicule. After he had received this “spirit of power” he had changed his name from Saul to Paul. It will be recalled that Saul, the first king of Israel, was head and shoulders above his fellows; thus, parents of that time would readily accept the name as a popular one for their sons, their hope being that their offspring would also “from the shoulders and upward be taller than any of the people.” (1 Sam. 9:2) But Saul of Tarsus came to manhood just the reverse of such hopes. He was a very small man, ascetic in appearance, frail of body, with a head much too large for the physique that supported it; and probably with a nose too large for his abnormally large head. Now it will be seen why he changed his name from Saul to Paul ‑ Paul meaning “little one.” His mental brilliance and unusually forceful and logical thinking ‑ coupled with the “spirit of power, and of love” – gave him a “sound mind” that invariably crushed all gainsayers. But it was these superb mental qualities that made him a “savor of life unto life” to many; and not in any physical, masculine appeal, so that those not “of the Truth” would find in him no attraction, but rather the reverse.

We have offered the foregoing in the hope it may be a firm and sound foundation for all who are seeking to “follow in His steps” and desire the “spirit of a sound mind.” The pronounced trend of our times throughout Christendom, and even among many Truth people, is to forsake the formula that gave to St. Paul his mental strength; and seek rather the shady consolation of such as have “familiar spirits,” despite the clear instruction that such a course is forbidden. “Do not turn to mediums, nor make search for oracles, to render yourselves unclean with them.” (Lev. 19:31, Rotherham) It is our fond hope that what has been written will bless and strengthen all those who are “of the truth.”

“All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies” (Psa. 25:10); and “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.” (Eph. 6:24)

Reprint of No. 203, May 1, 1972

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in the love and fellowship of the Harvest Message!

I am writing a letter to ask you to give me a short history of yourself, as a Bible Student. Somehow I got you connected with P.S.L Johnson and Brother Jolly, but I may be mistaken on this, and I would like to become better acquainted with you.

My mother made her full consecration in 1914 after seeing the Photo Drama of Creation in Sedro‑Woolley, Washington at the Dream Theatre. I was 11 years old at the time and enjoyed the Drama. A few years later I made a full consecration and have recognized the Pastor as “That Servant” and he has been my Pastor all these years. I will be 79 the 19th of May, I am not identified with any organization and try to serve the Truth and the brethren as outlined in the Scriptures in our Pastor’s writings. Just now (1982 is the 13th year) I am quite busy with Discourse Service and have about 250 on the mailing list. I am enclosing a self‑addressed envelope for your reply to this letter.

Sincerely in Christ, ------- (WASHINGTON)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Christian greetings!

Once more we have been spared to see the opening of another year ... in the many blessings received from our just, loving and wise Creator – notwithstanding the many obstacles, or failures, we learn by them as our Lord did. We still look forward for many more chastenings if necessary by our loving Father. He knows to fit the burdens to the back and the back to the burdens, making it all work together for good to our eternal glory.....

Your last letter is at hand and its contents noticed though with some regret, but the Father’s will is best, and that should be accepted. I daily pray for your renewed strength, spiritually and otherwise – also for the Bible House Family. With fond love for you and the Bible House family. Yours by His Grace, ------- (JAMAICA)

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Dear Hoefle Family:

Just finished binding the March‑April papers after reading them several times. Every sentence is full of information – no wasted words! No wonder our mother was anxious for every copy to arrive. I can see her sitting in the porch swing with her Bible and papers absorbing every word. They are all just wonderful’ and you make everything so clear – although we know much of it you bring it into focus more clearly, as some of the Truth may have been somewhat dimmed. But your comments make us remember we have heard it before. It is comforting to read every copy and when I open these big binders to add copies, I find I want to read them all over again.

Was shocked to read the letter from the Jamaica sister and her experience with a would‑be burglar – and the precautions she had to take with her windows. It brings the coming trouble closer to home.

The wind has caused many trees to be blown down, and David has to go around all the fields to pick up the branches before he can do any farm work. But it has been so wet he has not been able to get to it.....

Trusting you all are fairly well and able to do the necessary daily chores in spite of the infirmities. May the Lord’s blessing be with you all.

Christian love, ------- (OHIO)

NO. 325: TAKE, MY BRETHREN, THE PROPHETS - PART TWO

No. 325

Jeremiah, ­– member of a priestly family (Jer. 1:1) in the land of Benjamin, has his writing placed in the Bible immediately following that of Isaiah; and is one of the four major prophets. One writer refers to him as “The greatest of the prophets”; but some may dispute that. However, we consider it a very fair appraisal to consider him as one of the greatest of prophets. His daughter Hammutal was the wife of King Josiah; thus he would probably have had free access to the very elite of Judah’s society.

However, this proximity to Judah’s uppercrust gave him ready and accurate appraisal of their vices and virtues. And in the broad sense the vices were much more reprehen­sible than were the virtues worthy of praise. A prophet in Judah, this placed him in the very delicate position of openly condemning the social abuses that were so glaringly ap­parent. And his “lamentation” of those failings earned for him the epithet of The Wail­ing Prophet.

Thus, it may be in order here to quote from another writer, not specifically about Jeremiah, but applying to his general situation: “It is difficult to conceive any situa­tion more painful than that of a great man, condemned to watch the lingering agony of an exhausted country, to tend it during the alternate fits of stupefaction and raving which precede its dissolution, and to see the symptoms of vitality disappear one by one, till nothing is left but coldness, darkness, and corruption.”

He predicted the downfall of the smaller kingdom of Judah, similar to the one that had befallen the larger one – Israel – 133 years prior to that then slowly coming upon Judah. Concerning Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, Ezekiel had written: “Thou profane wicked prince of Israel (then called Judah), whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end. Thus saith the Lord God: Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not be the same; ... I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it to him.” (Ezek. 21:25-27)

It is our understanding that the above prophecy applies to the time in which we have been living since 1914. It is telling us in another way what is recorded in the picture in 1 Kgs. 19:11,12: There the “wind,” the “earthquake,” and the “fire” represent three “overturnings,” as stated in the above. They are the three convulsions that will remove present institutions to make way for “Him whose right it is” – the Kingdom of our Lord, which He promised in the words: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

CONDITIONS PREVAILING IN THE PROPHET’S DAY

The conditions of that time are very ably stated by the historians, of which we shall quote a few: “The temple was polluted with idolatry ( 2 Chron. 36:14), and justice was not executed (Jer. 21:11,12). A strong party in the state, assisted by false prophets, urged the king to throw off the foreign yoke (ch. 27:12-22). At the beginning of Zede­kiah’s reign (v. 1, R.V. – margin) messengers from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon came to him in Jerusalem to plan a united revolt from the king of Babylon; but Jeremiah was divinely instructed to condemn the purpose (vs. 2-11). Zedekiah sent an embassy to Neb­uchadnezzar, probably to assure the great king of his fidelity (ch. 29:3), and in his fourth year he himself visited Babylon (ch. 51:59). Ultimately he was rash enough to rebel. On the 10th day of the 10th month, in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, the Babylonian monarch took post against Jerusalem, and began to erect forts around the city. It was too strong to be taken by assault; and the Babylonians held it in siege.

“The advance of the Egyptians compelled the Babylonians to withdraw for a time (Jer. 37:5), but they soon returned. By the ninth day of the fourth month in the llth year of Zedekiah’s reign, the food in the beleaguered capital was exhausted. That night Zede­kiah, with all the men of war, secretly quitted the stronghold and, passing as noiseless­ly as possible between the Babylonian forts, fled in an easterly direction toward the Jordan. On learning that the king was gone, the Babylonian army pursued and overtook him in the plain of Jericho. He was brought a prisoner to Nebuchadnezzar, who had retired to Riblah, a little north of Palestine. There, after he had been tried and condemned, his sons were put to death in his presence, and his own eyes were put out; after which he was bound in fetters, carried to Babylon (2 Kgs. 24:17-20; 25:1-7; 2 Chron. 36:11­21; Jer. 39:1-14), and put in prison till the day of his death (Jer. 52:11). Jeremiah prophesied during the whole of Zedekiah’s reign. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah; thus, we have first-hand information of what the situation was at that time.”

Now, from another writer: “The corrupt religion and the moral degeneracy of the last days of the Judean kingdom are strikingly portrayed (Ezek. 8:11,22). It appears that almost from the first Zedekiah was restive under the Babylonian yoke. Jeremiah warned him not to participate in a coalition of neighboring states against his overlord (Jer. . 27). Possibly it was these activities which brought him under suspicion and necessitated his visit to Babylon (Jer. 51:59). The pro-Egyptian party was in the ascen­dancy at the court. Under its influence Zedekiah openly rebelled. This was not merely an act of political suicide, it was a flagrant violation of the oath of loyalty to Neb­uchadnezzar which the king had sworn in the name of YAHWEH (Ezek. 17).

“The essential weakness of Zedekiah’s character appears in his occasional consulta­tions with Jeremiah during the course of the siege (Jer. 21:1-7; 38:14-28) and his treatment of the prophet (Jer. 37:17-21; 38:1-13). Granted that he was surrounded by a group of worthless advisers, Ezekiel’s description of him as the deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel (Ezek. 21:25, R.V.) is not over severe when we consider his perfidious conduct is remembered (Jer. 34:8-22).”

Jeremiah was called to the prophetic office by a vision. He was young at the time, and humbly felt his immaturity and inexperience and inability to speak to men. “Then said I, Ah, Lord God behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child ... But the Lord said un­to me, Say not, I am a child, for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee... I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.” (Jer. 1:6 ....16)

The opinion is expressed that Jeremiah was probably about twenty years old when the Lord called him to the prophet ministration; and we may well imagine his trepidation at that age, knowing the wayward and domineering bent of the Jewish aristocracy at that time. Moses was eighty years old when the Lord told him to go to Egypt and deliver His people from bondage. The Lord’s instruction to Jeremiah, were to root out, overthrow and de­stroy with one hand, but to plant and build with the other. He was well aware of the violent opposition that would be his from princes, priests and most of the people. He began to prophecy in the 13th year of the reign of Josiah; and continued his efforts to the full end of Zedekiah at the overthrow of the Jewish polity – in all about 41 years.

Like so many of God’s messengers, false charges were hurled at him. His predictions were discouraging the Jewish soldiers and encouraging the enemy. On one occasion, when he wished to visit his hometown of Anathoth, they accused him of deserting to the Chaldeans.

SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN JUDAH AT THAT TIME

The religious reform of Hezekiah’s time had been followed by a terrible reaction in the reign of Manasseh. “He built altars for all the host of Heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord” (2 Chron. 33:5), he set up an idol in the Temple itself and dedicated his sons to Moloch (typical of Satan and eternal torment) by making them pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. His subsequent repentance, as re­corded in the books of Chronicles, seems to have come too late to have much permanent effect upon the ordering of the kingdom, and no improvement was likely under such a man as his son Amon showed himself to be during his brief reign.

That was the state of affairs when Josiah came to the throne. The land was then recovering from the effects of the frequent and destructive attacks of the Assyrian mon­archs, and its continued rest in the earlier years of Josiah was in itself favorable to the plans of that king for the country’s moral and spiritual welfare. With good advis­ers in Ahikam, Hilkiah and others, and with a nation probably more than half weary of idolatry and its attendant evils – even before the alarm was sounded by the discovery of the lost Book of the Law, it was an opportunity not to be neglected for an attempt at the revival of religion such as Josiah undertook. And yet the reformation, as in the time of Hezekiah, seems not to have penetrated much below the surface. Pretty much an act of outward show! And Jeremiah was told to protest openly about the condition of the people, of the prevalence of dishonesty, of open licentiousness, of murder, adultery, false swear­ing, was such that there was great need for one who might convict the Jews of their sins, and arouse them to the requirements of the Divine Law.

There is no record to inform us if Jeremiah ever attended the schools of the proph­ets that began with Samuel and existed at Ramah, Bethel, Jericho, Gilgal, and elsewhere. Those schools corresponded in some respects to our Theological Seminaries, the chief subjects being a study of the Law, music and sacred poetry. It would seem that Jere­miah was prepared for his work by the instruction and associations he received at Ana­thoth and the priestly members of his own family; and was directly called by God to open­ly expose the disobedient Jews. When we consider all this, the man Jeremiah looms great­er at every record of him.. The discovery of the Book of the Law a few years after God had called him – but before he vitally entered upon his life’s work – undoubtedly created quite a stir in his native town, as we know it did in Jerusalem.

Whether that Book contained all of the five books of Moses as we now have them, we cannot know, but it would have almost certainly included the graphic pictures contained in Deut. 28, which reveals the punishments that were to follow neglect of the Lord God and the subsequent lapse into idolatry. That book made a profound impression upon Jere­miah, and he refers and quotes copiously from those writings in his own declarations; and the solemn covenant entered into by the nation (2 Kgs. 23:3) must have affected deep­ly his mind and heart. “The king went up into the house of the Lord ... and all the people both small and great; and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments and all the people stood in the covenant.” These solemn words and the no less signifi­cant acts that followed, contrasted as they were with the state of wickedness which ex­isted around the prophet, wrought upon his mind that effect, which God employed as the means of calling forth his declarations of impending woe, and thus making him the typi­cal prophet of sorrow ( the “Wailing Prophet”), and a derivative from his name (jeremiad) a synonym of lamentation.

It was under such circumstances as these that the actual call occurred, and in a form evidently altogether unlooked for. It did not come to him in the shape of a vision of the Divine Majesty as to Isaiah (chap. 6), or of the mysterious living creatures and “wheels within wheels” such as came to Ezekiel (which we hope to discuss in a later paper), but without startling symbol or ecstatic trance the command was received. And the youth shrank from the prospect – as well might any of us have done under similar circumstances, not from fear of the innocent blood which the Jews “shed very much,” but from honest dis­trust of his own power (“I am a child”) to assume leadership and deal boldly and success­fully with the evils of the day, of gaining a hearing and producing an impression by the power of his language joined to the solemn import of his message.

How we are reminded here of the same condition that Moses plead regarding what the Lord told him to do – go to Egypt and deliver God’s people from Egyptian bondage; “I am not eloquent, but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” (Ex. 4:10) However. the Lord reassured him, touched his mouth (“Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth I have put my words in thy mouth.”) (Jer. 1:9), and sent him forth as His prophet unto the nations. Then Jeremiah boldly addressed himself to the impurity and crime he saw around him. He condemned the worship of Baal and Astarte, and the unholy pleasures to which that worship ministered (the “iniquity” of the Amalekites and revolt­ing manner of the Philistines). The example of those nations round about stimulated the Jews to break through all restraint; and the sacrifice of their children to Moloch was merely the attempt of an alarmed conscience to atone for their crimes. The prophet told them that the restoration of the temple and the celebration of the Passover would avail them nothing so long as their hearts remained as foul as they were before these gestures. His “rising early and speaking” clearly exposed him to “reproach and derision daily.” (Jer. 20:8) Even the men of Anathoth sought the life of this “home-town boy,” and they dealt treacherously with him. (12:6) “A man of strife and of contention to the whole earth I have neither lent on usury, nor have man lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.” (15:10)

The favor of the court was no longer on the side of the godly. Jeremiah thus ex­tended himself to condemn the king’s own glorification and neglect of the worship of God. The prophet stressed real, and not pretended service, which exasperated the priests and false prophets by the very truth of the charges which he brought. So they condemned his ‘disloyalty,’ and demanded his death. He answered that his message was not his own, for “The Lord sent me to prophecy against this house, and against this city.” (26:11,12)

And he continued to declare the signs of the times, and to maintain opposition to those who still advocated alliance with Egypt as against Babylon, because he said the latter would certainly prevail. He said that all these lands would be given into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the “servant” of God. He demonstrated his statements by the breaking of a potter’s clay vessel in the valley of Hinnom in the presence of the priests, which excited their wrath all the more against him, as they prophesied lies in the name of the Lord. This brought upon Jeremiah ignominious treatment, and some imprisonment for a time.

PARTIAL VINDICATION

About that tine the first and partial fulfillment of his prophecies came concern­ing the supremacy to be asserted by Babylon. In the fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign Nebuchadnezzar smote the army of Pharaoh-nechoh in Carchemish. He then advanced into Palestine, driving many of its inhabitants to seek refuge within the walls of Jerusalem. Among such were the Rechabites, which was the occasion of the interview that the prophet had with them, and from which he pointed a moral to his countrymen (Chapter 35). Neb­uchadnezzar advanced to Jerusalem, and carried away Daniel and others, as well as ves­sels from the Temple, to Babylon (2 Chron. 36:6,7; Dan. 1:1) Nebuchadnezzar was then in charge of the army, and probably would have taken more positive steps against Judea had not word come to him of his father’s illness, which caused him to return hastily to secure his succession to the throne.

The Jews failed to profit by the warning which God had thus given them; but Jeremiah, hidden to avoid the wrath of the king, sent his friend Baruch with a roll to be read in the Temple on a solemn feast day – in the ears of all the people. Hear­ing of this, the king ordered the roll to be read to him and had it burned – in spite of the protest of some of the princes. Whereupon Jeremiah had Baruch to write another roll with the words of the first, plus many more words that were added by the prophet ­a rebuke to the king and further statements of God’s coming vengeance.

Jeremiah and Baruch considered it unsafe to return to Jerusalem, so they hid in the hole of a rock near the river Euphrates; and the king received no more warnings, although the Chaldeans had probably not yet returned to the siege. The Jews submitted, and paid tribute to them for three years, money which the king desired to expend upon his own luxuries and pleasures. He was attacked by a conglomerous horde of Chaldeans and others. In this the king was killed, and was given an ignominious burial. His body was cast out and exposed, dragged away, received the burial of an ass beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

Then Jehoiachin was set up by Nebuchadnezzar, reigned but three months, after which the city being besieged, he yielded himself to Nebuchadnezzar. The king, the treasures of the Temple and the king’s house, were taken to Babylon, where Jehoiachin spent thirty-six years in prison, after which Evil-Merodach, son and successor to Neb­uchadnezzar, released him. Jeremiah makes but passing comment about his reign. (22:24­30)

Next came Zedekiah, who differed much from Jehoiachin. He was weak, and inclined to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, in accordance with Jeremiah’s advice. But he had no real zeal for the service of God, vacillating in disposition, listening alternately to Jere­miah, then to those princes that advocated resistance to Babylon, the latter advising alliance with Egypt, or single-handed resistance. Jeremiah’s condemnation of the bad advice is shown in many places, but we shall quote just one: “Thus saith the Lord ... Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt ... and the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.” (Jer. 37:7,8)

All the best and worthiest part of the nation had already been carried away captive, and the prophet had told them that the “naughty figs” would shortly be consumed from off the land. Jeremiah also wrote to those Jews who had already been made captive – they should submit to their captivity, and await restoration to their land. But a false prophet (Shemaiah) sought to stir up the people of Jerusalem against Jeremiah, accusing him of being “a madman.” In the ninth year of Zedekiah the wealthiest people, who had made slaves of their brethren, consented under pressure to release them. But at the departure of the besieging Chaldeans they reversed their decision. Zedekiah was too weak to oppose this latter course, but Jeremiah denounced it in the strongest of terms. Then the self-reliant irreligious men were much displeased with the prophet, and, upon manufactured charges, had him put into prison; but after “many days” was released by Zedekiah, who then gave him a daily supply of food, (Jer. 37:21), after which he spoke of brighter days to come. But the captains did not believe him, and seized him again.

At that time each house in Jerusalem had a cistern for storing up water to be used in the dry season. Into one of these, damp and slimy as it was, they lowered the proph­et, but he was eventually rescued by an Ethiopian eunuch. The prophet then held conference with the King and others, but to no avail; and in Zedekiah’s eleventh year the city was sacked, the temple burned; and Zedekiah and his leaders were given horrible treat­ment – as explained previously.

As for Jeremiah, the captain of the guard received a special charge from Nebuchad­nezzar concerning him – he had his choice of remaining under the new governor of Judea, or living under an honorable captivity at Babylon. He chose to remain in Judea; and a friendly family took him in; but the head of that house was murdered in a few months. Jeremiah emphatically warned the people not to go down to Egypt, of the misery that would befall them. However, the expectation of security from war and famine prevailed, and they forced Jeremiah to accompany them; and from Tahpanhes, a town near the eastern border of Egypt, there is the last information we have of his life. He there declared that Nebuchadnezzar’s throne would be set up at the entry of Pharaoh’s house (Jer. 32: 10).

He made one last protest against the idolatry of his countrymen, and their wanton worship of the moon – “the queen of heaven” (Jer. 44:17-25) – the “woman” in the moon being regarded as the resurrected diabolical Semiramis, whom we have described in pre­vious papers. The Bible does not give us a record of Jeremiah’s death, he being de­scribed by scholars as one of the greatest – if not the greatest – of the historical and literary prophets. In misery and continual peril of death, he had witnessed the fall of the Jewish state and destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and eventually oc­cupied the silent tomb of an alien land. Tradition has it that he was stoned to death.

SUMMATION

The history of this great man of God would not be complete if we did not offer the opinions of some sound and reliable writers concerning him: Jeremiah is personally the most interesting to us of all the prophets because, unlike the others, he shows us the inmost recesses of his mind. The various qualities which made up the man are quickly and easily gathered from his own lips. There is hardly a clearer illustration of the Providence of God in raising up men for special sorts of work than is afforded by Jere­miah. We have just seen that they were no ordinary times in which he lived. ‘The snake’ of idolatry had been ‘scotched not killed’ by Hezekiah and Josiah. The spirit of disobedience and rebellion, which had been so long working in his countrymen, was now past remedy by all common means. Nothing but the nation’s total overthrow, at least for a time, could effect a radical cure.

Glowing appeals, such as had been made by an Isaiah, a Hosea, a Micah in former days would now have been of no avail. Those prophets had fulfilled their task, and the Holy Spirit had employed their special gifts for the work which belonged to their age. Jere­miah’s office on the other hand was to utter and reiterate the warning, though sensible all the while that the sentence of condem­nation was passed and would speedily be put into execution. It was not for him as for those who had preceded him to proclaim the certain­ty of God’s protection, to urge resistance to the foe, to present scarce any but bright pictures of the future. Hopes like these, bestowed through Isaiah, and since been for­feited, and now hardly anything remains save to mourn the downfall of the kingdom to point again and yet again to the canker that had eaten out the vitals of the nation.

Such a task as this demanded one who, however weak in body, should be a man of rare courage, unterrified by popular clamor or princely disfavor, fixed in resolve, and thoroughly devoted to the ascertained will of God. He needed not natural gifts of oratory. His work was not to persuade, but rather to testify, to express the thoughts of the few remaining pious ones of the nation, not to gain the ear or influence the hearts of the abandoned crowd. The wearing effect of constant failure, the intense pain of seeing his nation advance step by step on the road to its overthrow, his powerlessness to avert the evils which he saw impending, the hostility and abuse which it was his daily lot to bear from those whom he sought to warn, a solitary life and prohibition of marriage (Jer. 16: 2) – these required as a counterpoise a heroic spirit that should not shrink from the encounter, as well as ceaseless devotion to Him whose commission he had borne even from the womb. (chap. 1:6)

And yet he was naturally of a shy and timid disposition, shrinking from public life, deprecating all possibility of prophesying in God’s name. And after he had entered upon his work, his naturally desponding mind would suggest not only that the message he bore was a sad one, but that he had not received the proofs – the credentials which marked a true prophet – such as were granted to his predecessors. No miracle was wrought to at­test his words. No prediction was fulfilled with speed, so as to indicate the solidity of his claims. On the contrary “the word of the Lord was a reproach to him, and a de­rision daily.”

At times he seems to have well-nigh despaired not only of success but of life it­self. “Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of con­tention to the whole earth – every one of them doth curse me.” (Chap. 15:10) Immediate­ly afterwards he contrasts the joy in which, inspired no doubt by the promises given him, he had entered upon the prophetic office, with the disheartening reception that awaited him. “Thy words were found and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and re­joicing of my heart. Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed?” Such is the bitterness of his sufferings that on one occasion we find him relating his resolve to keep silence. “The word of the Lord was made a reproach un­to me and a daily derision. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: but his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” (ch. 20:8,9)

Belonging to the orders both of Priest and Prophet, and living at the very time when each had sunk to its lowest state of degradation, Jeremiah was compelled to submit to the buffeting which they each bestowed upon a man who was by his every word and deed passing sentence upon themselves. He saw them permitted to vent their rage upon his person, he saw them held in esteem by the people, their way prospering, those that dealt treacherously were happy. For the greater part of his mission he had no man likeminded with him. From the first moment of his call he was alone, amidst a hostile world. But through it all, conscientious devotion to duty maintained its place within his heart. The promise that he should be as a brazen wall made at the time of his call and renewed later never failed him. (chap. 1:18; 15:20)

Jeremiah has been likened to several characters in profane history – to Cassandra, the Trojan prophetess, whose fate it was never to be believed, though prophesying nothing but the truth; to Phocion, the rival of Demosthenes in the last generation of Athenian greatness, who maintained the unpopular but sound doctrine that, if Athens were to escape worse evils, she must submit peaceably to the growing power of Macedon; to Dante, whose native state, Florence, was in relation to France and the empire as Palestine was to Egypt and Babylon, while the poet – like the prophet – could only protest without effect against the thickening ills.

His style corresponds closely with what we should expect from his character. It displays:

Absence of ornament. This thoroughly befits his inartificial nature. He is not only preeminently the prophet of sorrow, but, as shrinking from anything like display of himself, and full of humility as of zeal for God’s honor, he naturally was led to the simplest form of words to express the painful images which ever held possession of his thoughts. In him the glowing language and vivacity which characterize Isaiah’s writing have no place, and while his style has a beauty of its own, it has at its best a shade of sadness, and its fervor, when it rises to such, is the fervor of expostulation or grief. He emphasizes this-in Lam. 1:12:

“Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.”

The foregoing does not nearly exhaust the glowing descriptions voiced about Jeremiah, but we believe we have offered sufficient to give our readers a good eulogy of Jeremiah. And our own closer acquaintance of him magnifies our estimation of him; and affords keener understanding of St. James’ statement: “Take, my brethren, the prophets ... for an example” (Jas. 5:10); and St. Paul’s words: “Of whom the world was not worthy.” (Heb. 11:38)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Christian greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior!

I feel I should apologize to you for not writing before. I have been receiving your helpful manuscripts regularly and received so much help and encouragement from them – especially April 1st, 1982 on the Memorial, which soon we will partake again in remembrance of Him.

May God bless you in the work you are doing for Him. This is a little donation to help.

Sister ------- (CANADA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace in Jesus’ dear Name!

I hope this finds you both comparatively well – and also Sister Augusta feeling better. I am in quite good health all considered. I received the tracts in good order. Thank you for sending them and also for your good letter to me.

Enclosed is a short article by Andrew Greeley. It shows a little how many Catho­lics are questioning to some degree the teaching of Papacy. He writes as though he is a Catholic... Israel is having a lot of trouble with the Arabs, but we believe it will all turn out right in the end.

I wish you both and Sister Augusta and all with you a Blessed Memorial as we commemorate the death of our Lamb – our Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself a ransom for all. As this will reach you afterwards, I’ll say I hope it was a Blessed experience for all.

With Christian love from Sister ------- (CALIFORNIA)

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Dear John and Emily: Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior!

Please forgive the long delay in answering your letter of February 5th. I have been on the road speaking until late last week and have not been able to answer all my personal mail. I know you understand and will forgive my delay.

I had six (6) extra copies of the book I gave to you. I sent a copy to each of the six names you sent to me with a letter telling them that it was a gift book sent at your request. You should be hearing from them soon. I am enclosing the 7th book for you to give to someone locally. I am sorry I do not have more. When I return to Jerusalem, I can get some more copies to send to you. So, please let me know how many copies you would like and I will be happy to arrange for this.

Our speaking tour has been great. I have spoken to thousands of people with the message of love and reconciliation. I know that people are hearing the message and responding.

You will notice that you have not received a recent DISPATCH. We have decided to make the DISPATCH a quarterly publication for all of our readers with an interim UPDATE letter for our contributors. This is to save us money and allow for more contacts with our donors and those really interested readers ... 8 contacts in 1982 instead of 6 in 1981. I also plan to be more regular and predictable. If we can make the cash flow a little more smooth and even, then the cost of the DISPATCH would not prevent its pub­lication on schedule.

You mentioned about sending money for the books. I would not hear of it. You have been so kind and generous that I am blessed to be able to send the books to your friends. So, I am not revealing the cost and I thank you for your kindnesses to Brid­ges for Peace and Pat and me.

Should I get to the Orlando area again, I look forward to seeing you again. We had such a lovely time and the weather was so lovely, too. May the Lord prosper your ministry. Looking forward to hearing from you again,

Shalom in Jesus ------- (OKLAHOMA)

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Epiphany Bible Students Association

P.O. Box 97

Mount Dora, Florida 32575

Dear Epiphany Bible Students:

Recently, I mentioned to a friend of mine that I was interested in this type of ministry, so he gave me this address to write to.

Will you please send me a complete price list of all books you have available by Mr. C. T. Russell, and any other books pertaining to this ministry.

Your kind cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely, ------- (CANADA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in Christ!

We have been receiving copies of your newsletters for some time now. We find that we are not in harmony with much of its contents. I will not take time to go into the nature of our disagreements, but we find the differences serious enough that we do not want to receive your papers.

We do appreciate your Christian concern on our behalf, even if we do feel that it is misplaced.

In the bonds of peace, ------- (LOUISIANA)

(Note: We do not have the brother’s name on our current list, or on any of our back lists, therefore cannot remove his name.)