NO. 508 PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR (EPHESIANS 2:2)

Doubtless many have been much surprised when told that Satan is not in some far-off place stoking fires and torturing human or other victims, but that he is present amongst men, an invisible angel of evil, ably supported in his work as an Adversary of God by legions of other fallen angels (Mark 5:9; Luke 8:30), of whom he is master -"Prince of Demons," either because of his superiority of nature, or because of belonging to a higher rank or grade than the ordinary angel. It's a surprise to many to learn that Satan, so far from being ill-favored, is beautiful, according to the Scriptures, and is supervising the work directly and through the fallen angels, his servants, to mislead and to deceive humanity -putting light for darkness and darkness for light, error for truth, etc.

The time was not long ago when intelligent people made light of everything in the Scriptures respecting invisible spirit beings, good and bad -the messengers of God and the messengers of Satan. This, however, can no longer be done. Under the increasing light of the New Dispensation man himself today can do things which but a short time ago would have been considered impossible. We can speak with our friends over hundreds of miles with a telephone and recognize each other's voices. Still more marvelous is wireless telegraphy, the cellular phone, computers, fax machines, etc... whereby we can communicate with others with great ease. If man can accomplish these things, what can not the Almighty accomplish? Who can deny the possibility of the invisible presence of spirit beings and yet admit the possibility of wireless telegraphy? We are safe, dear friends, in guiding our judgments directly by the Word of God and reasoning inside and not outside of its boundaries.

THE BIBLE IN PERFECT ACCORD

The Bible, and it alone, explains certain phenomena, and all of the Bible explana­tions, although written by some of the writers centuries apart they are in perfect accord. Thus in Genesis .the Bible tells us respecting Satan's deflection, and the book of Revelation, written more than three thousand years later, tells us of his being bound for a thousand years (Rev. 20:2) of Messiah's reign and Satan's ultimate destruction. Isaiah and Ezekiel tell us of his being at one time in full harmony with God, and that then he was the "covering cherub" (Ezek. 28: 14,16), glorious, grand, beautiful, and that his name was Lucifer.

All of the angelic, heavenly hosts are termed stars, bright ones; but Lucifer, being of a higher order, was styled the "son of the morning" (Isa. 14: 12). It was at that time, while in Divine favor, that Satan permitted the lodgment in his mind of a disloyal thought of how, indirectly, by being of higher responsibility he could work some wonders and do some things better than the Almighty. Satan craved the opportunity to make a demonstra­tion of what he could do. But the Scriptures declare that first of all he said this merely in his heart and uttered it not. "He said in his heart, I will ascend into heaven: I will exalt my throne above the stars of God [still farther above his angelic associates]. I will be as the Most High [a ruler]." (Isa. 14: 13, 14)

THE OPPORTUNE TIME CAME

Never had there been sin in heaven (Spirit world). Satan was the first of all its inhabitants to cherish and to entertain a rebellious thought, and to bring it to a consummation. He held the thought in abeyance until the opportunity was afforded him, and God Himself afforded the opportunity, with full knowledge of the consequences, and with the desire that this test of the entire heavenly host, and of a human race as well, should be effected, because God seeketh not the worship of constraint, but seeketh such as "worship Him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24), voluntarily, joyfully.  

It was when Satan beheld our first parents, in the image and likeness of God, yet not spirit but flesh, earthly, that he perceived the opportunity of gaining the coveted power for an empire, separate from that of Jehovah. In the first pair the Adversary beheld a new thing, a creature of Godlike qualities and possessed of the power to propagate his own species. Satan realized that the conquest of this pair and the bringing of them into subjection to himself would signify the capture of a world full of people eventually -that the enslavement of the parents would signify the enslavement of the race.

SATAN'S METHODS WERE SUCCESSFUL

We cannot deny that Satan's plans were logical and that he has carried them out with great success -so that the Scriptures declare him "the Prince of this world" (John 14:30). and again, "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4). Nevertheless, his victory was not so great as he doubtless expected it to be. No doubt he expected that he was capturing an immortal race. Quite probably he believed the falsehood he told mother Eve, when he contradicted the Word of God -that sin, that disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit, would bring upon them the penalty of death, "dying thou shalt die."

Satan's charge was that God had misrepresented the facts for the purpose of holding His creatures in mental slavery to Himself: that He did not wish them to be wise. therefore He forbade the eating of this particular kind of fruit and declared the penalty of death for the transgression of His law. "I, Satan, assure you that you need not be afraid of the fruit; I assure you that it will do you good, and that you will not surely die from the eating of it."

Alas!  Mother Eve believed the Adversary and disbelieved her God, and then enticed her husband, still thinking no doubt, that she would not die and that the serpent had told her the truth and that God had been the deceiver. St. Paul tells us that father Adam knew better and ate the fruit, knowing that it would cause his death, willing thus to disobey in order to maintain the fellowship of his wife, whose life, he realized was already forfeited (1 Tim. 2:14).

When the Divine sentence began to go into execution was when our first parents were driven out of Ede~ to battle with the thorns and thistles until they should return to dust. No doubt Satan was disappointed. He would rather be the Prince of a noble, living family of angels or of a perfect human race than the Emperor of a weak and dying race. However, from that day to the present time he has been fighting upon the same line; he has been contending with mankind that the Word of God is false when it declares that "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23), and that "the soul that sinneth it shall die." (Ezek. 18:4) From that day to this he has been using this falsehood to the injury of our race, and he surely has succeeded wonderfully.

Today, not only in heathen lands, but amongst the most civilized, it is freely believed (and many Christians consider it Scriptural to believe the nonsensical) that the dead is more alive than he was before he died. People of good, sound reasoning faculties on ordinary subjects seem to be "hoodooed" by this falsehood of Satan, "ye shall not surely die." So true is this, that it seems consistent to them to say that a man hit over the head with a stick and knocked senseless knows nothing, but a man hit over the head harder and killed, knows everything.

THE FALLEN ANGELS

It was sometime after the fall of Satan and the fall of man that the Lord permitted the great test to come upon the angels of heaven, under which test a host of them fell into sin, disobedience, etc., and since then are known in the Scriptures as the fallen angels, and as devils -more properly demons. These fallen angels, demons, are under Satan as their great Prince and they have been his active agents for long centuries in deceiving mankind and opposing the Divine Program.

SATAN THE GREAT MURDERER

No less an authority than our great Lord and Redeemer tells us that Satan is a murderer and a liar. He declares that "He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth; when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own, for he is the father of lies." (John 8: 44) It is well that we keep this Divine testimony in our minds. It is well that we note just what the first great lie was, namely, Satan's misrepresentation saying, "Ye shall not surely die." (Gen. 3:4) It is important that we notice this, because so thoroughly has Satan accomplished his deceptive work that practically everybody, the heathen as well as the civilized, accept Satan's version of the matter and discredits that of the Almighty.

Let us notice that Satan is a murderer; that he murdered Father Adam and Mother Eve, and that his lie is still murdering our race, under the just laws of heredity. The error of believing Satan instead of God has gotten many into the confused situation of disclaiming that God proposed that man should live forever on earth in a Paradise, and, as his family would increase and continue in harmony with His wise regulation, the boundaries of his Paradise would be enlarged and be a Paradise filled with the knowledge of God and home of a perfect humanity, in accord with God, privileged to maintain everlasting life here. And, says this theory, by Satan's lie and our first parent's fall, we die and by dying become more alive and some of us go to heaven and the mass to some eternal, fiery hell, of which we have no knowledge.

SATAN'S KNOWLEDGE AND POWER INCREASING

But in another sense Satan is prince of the air power -literally. When Job was given into his hand to be tried, he manifested his power of death. He caused fire to fall from heaven (probably a bolt of lightening), and destroyed several of Job's servants and his sheep. He caused a great wind (a cyclone or tornado) to come upon Job's house and thus killed Job's sons and daughters.

Satan's object evidently was to make Job suppose that God caused those calamities, and to thus cause Job to feel bitter and resentful against God, and to "curse God and die"; or to shake his faith in there being any God. Indeed, that such was Satan' s object is implied in the narrative; and Job's friends, although God fearing men, were deceived into this view, and tried for days to convince Job that his afflictions were the work of the Lord. But of Job it is written, "In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly [with being the author of his calamities]." (Job 1:22)

Again, notice that when our Lord and His disciples were in the little boat on the Sea of Galilee and our Lord was asleep, a storm suddenly arose, which appalled the hearts of those old and expert fishermen accustomed to the storms, until they awakened the Master, saying, Lord, save us; we perish! We cannot presume that, if the heavenly Father had willed or caused that storm, our Lord Jesus would have commanded it to subside, or that it would have obeyed Him. On the contrary, rather we may suppose that the same Satan who used his power against Job's household sought to destroy the Lord and the infant Church. But that Satan had no power over the life of Christ, until "his hour had come," is evident from our Lord's words upon this occasion, "0 ye of little faith, why are ye fearful?"

We would not be understood to question God's ability to cause st9rms, cyclones, etc.; but from our Lord's teachings we know that such would not be His spirit; for when the disciples were incensed against the Samaritans who did not welcome the Redeemer and asked, "Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" Our Lord's answer was, "Ye know not what spirit ye are of [your spirit is not mine, nor the Father's]." (Luke 9:55)

Remembering the deluge and the destruction of Sodom, we can only understand, in the light of the account in Job, that God may at times use storms and fires as His servants to execute His decrees against the wicked; or that Satan is ever ready as an executioner, taking pleasure in evil, to destroy life whenever permitted to do so.

In thinking of how Satan has the power of death, let us not forget that in healing the diseases of the people, at His First Advent, our Lord expressly stated that they were "afflicted of [or by] the devil." If God had directly caused the diseases, our Redeemer in healing the sick would have been opposing the Father, and not doing His will. Since disease is death at work, devouring the sick, to have the power of disease is to have the power of death.

Satan is permitted to have such a power of disease and death because of sin; and because men are under the Divine and just sentence of death, as culprits. The Scriptures represent that mankind had sold itself. under sin and death, and to him that has this power, Satan.

The foregoing being true, it seems more than possible, yes, probable, that Satan's power for evil and death finds exercise in the development of new diseases which for a time successfully baffle the skill of all except Satan's own physicians -Christian Scientists, etc. Many new diseases have arisen in recent years, as well as the resurgence of some old ones thought to be eradicated. Some of these are: Aids, Eco1i, Hunta virus, Encephalitis, Tuberculosis, Chicken flu and Strep A, a very virulent invasive, sometimes fatal strain of Strep.

Knowing that God is resting from His creative work, since the creation of man, we are bound to attribute these new creations to other sources. Satan is knowledgeable, and no doubt merely takes advantage of natural laws in propagation of the evils mentioned; and no doubt if mankind possessed the powers with which his Creator endowed him, when he gave him dominion over every creature, he would have equal knowledge of the laws governing the start and propagation of bacteria and virus, and could use his knowledge and powers to prevent such formations or to destroy them. But man is fallen, and has "lost" (Luke 19: 10) much that he once possessed. Satan is now his master and prince; he "now worketh in the children of disobedience"; under his misrule "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together." (Eph. 2:2; Rom. 8:19-23; 1 John 5:19, Dia.)

We may safely say that Satan's object in using his "power of death" over his subjects is not merely to, gratify a fiendish delight in their sufferings. Quite probably his special object is to oppose the true light, which is now more and more breaking over the world as the Sun of Righteousness rises into place and influence. He is still striving to prevent the light of the knowledge of the goodness of God from shining into men's hearts and chasing away the dark shadows of doubt and fear which he has deeply engraved thereon for centuries by "doctrines of devils" -by which he has made God to appear as mercilessly cruel, unjust and unkind, and the author of evil, calamities, diseases, plagues, storms, etc.

Satan may think that he is unrestrainab1e, but we know that "all power in heaven and in earth" was given unto Christ, when, having finished His course, He was raised from death by the Father's power, and highly exalted.

By the ransom which He gave, by which God's sentence against the sinner-race was legally met and paid, once for all, our Lord became the owner of the race which had by sin sold itself to Satan and came under his control, but without any Divine sanction of the transaction. Christ, the legal purchaser now holds the destinies of all men. His purpose, as he explains it, is the very reverse of Satan's policy. He will set them free to act for themselves, by increasing their knowledge -opening the sin-blinded eyes of all –to see the goodness and love and justice of God. Those who then choose righteous­ness He will bless and help and heal, restoring them to perfection lost through Adam. Those who will not hear, obey, after the knowledge of the Lord fills the whole earth, will He cut off from among the people -in the Second Death. Then Satan, too, who for six thousand years has had the power of death and exercised it so relentlessly, shall be destroyed. (Heb. 2:14)

The permission of Satan's policy and power as "prince of this world," since the ransom-price was paid, and since all power over man passed legally into the hands of Christ, is not from lack of power to destroy Satan  and release his blinded slaves, nor from lack of loving sympathy and interest in them, but because God's due time for this world (age) to end, and for the world ("age) to come to begin has not arrived; and all of God's dealings are upon lines of strictest order. God's plan provided a work for Christ to do before the setting up of His Kingdom, and taking to Himself His great power and beginning His reign. (Rev. 15:14,17) The Gospel Age was needful for the call, selection and discipline of this class; and its work is almost completed.

At the close of the Gospel Age and the introduction of the Millennial Age our Lord in wisdom has purposed a great time of trouble, which shall not only be a just recompense upon the world for sins against light and opportunity, but also a time of breaking up present imperfect institutions preparatory to the better ones of Christ's Kingdom; and the breaking of the hard hearts of the ungodly -plowing and harrowing them, and getting ready many (we trust) for the good seed of righteousness, which the glorified Church will sow unsparingly during the Millennium.

As a part of that coming trouble, "such as was not since there was a nation" (Dan. 12:1), in addition to its financial, social, political and religious features, we believe that Satan's "power of death" will be permitted to a remarkable degree -increasingly and along the lines already indicated -storms, hail, droughts, pests, germs and diseases. Building upon the false doctrines he has already inculcated, he will be zealous in the exercise of his power of death, that thus to some he may represent God as being of devilish disposition, while to others the effect may be to destroy all faith in a Divine power. For none, except those instructed in the Scriptures respecting the cause and object of the permission of evil, calamities, etc., could suppose any reason why God should either inflict such calamities or permit them to come upon men from other causes.

And Satan's power of death makes it quite possible his relief of sickness, etc., through agencies of his choice for the purpose of enforcing their false teachings. This deception will, we believe, be employed by him more and more as the Time of Trouble advances. This is another sign of Satan's desperation, and indicates the near approach of the dissolution of his kingdom and power of death. So says our Lord in Matthew 12:25,26.

Satan no doubt has been permitted to gain increasing knowledge since 1799 just as have men; and no doubt like them he takes the credit to himself, and supposes that he is daily growing wiser, and through his wisdom he has greater "power of death." Christ, the new King, according to the Scriptures, will permit Satan to use his knowledge and powers increasingly, and thus cause the wrath of Satan to praise God, and to work out features of His plan, as He so often has done with the wrath of man. (Psa. 76:10)

Sickness, disease, accidents and other mysterious dispensations of Providence (so-called) are but the instruments of Satan; and the messengers -not of light but of darkness -by which he gathers in his harvest.

Can anyone look calmly at the misery of the past six thousand years and not discern who has been the ruler of this world? Surely they would exclaim with Job, "The earth is given unto the hand of the wicked one; he covereth the faces of [deceives] the judges thereof; if not where and who is he [the rightful ruler]?" Let those who have the truth stand up for the character and glory of the Father and of His Son, who is about to take up His great power and reign.

When the Time of Trouble is over we shall see a different order of things; when earth's sons may each sit fearlessly and peacefully under his own vine and fig-tree, rejoicing in the fruit of their own planting (Micah 4:4). Now death is everywhere. Carelessness, recklessness, covetousness, drunkenness, or devilishness may each be the instrumentality, but Satan is the director of all. Let us give the devil his due in the fullest sense and bravely stand for the honor of the Name of the Lord, praying, "THY KINGDOM COME."

THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE (Rom. 6:23)

God, while permitting Satan and sin and depravity and death to take their course, has not been idle. He has had, and still has a great plan for human salvation -a plan for recovering man from sin and from death and from all of his fallen conditions, a plan of restitution to human perfection, a plan by which the Seed of the woman shall yet, literally, crush the Serpent's head (Gen. 3:15), and undo Satan's great original misdeed -recover man from his murdered condition and from his fallen estate to all that he had at first plus the knowledge and experiences of the present life and plus the experience incidental to his uplift, during the reign of Messiah, for which we pray, "THY KINGDOM COME."

The Scriptures clearly show us that all of this recovery is to be accomplished through the merit of Jesus' sacrifice -the just for the unjust. That the work has not yet begun is evident. We are still living under the reign of sin and death. The Messianic Kingdom must come in power and great glory and be established, the Scriptures tell us, in a great time of trouble. Then the earth will be made to blossom as the rose, and the wilderness and the solitary places will be made glad, and all mankind will receive Divine blessing and opportunity to return to Divine favor and eternal life as human beings. And the willfully disobedient and the negligent of those opportunities will die the Second Death, from which there will be no recovery, no resurrection, no hope.

"The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." (Rom. 16: 20) The Church is the Body of Christ, Messiah. Hence the Apostle's words in this text apply to the Church in glory.

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MOSHE ARENS URGED TO INTENSIFY ISRAEL'S SECURITY

Israel's Defense Minister, the popular and well-liked Moshe Arens, has been urged to correct some of the serious mistakes made by his predecessors to offset President Clinton's pro-Arafat and negative postures vis-a-vis the Jewish State.

The urgent call, made by Herbert Zweibon in a recent issue of "Outpost" of which he is editor, is fully consistent with the position of those who believe the time has come for the Netanyahu Government to show its mettle and act in the spirit of the Maccabees and the ancient prophets of our people, respecting the boundaries of the "Promised" Land as delineated in the Book of Books.

Your correspondent believes Arens will heed this call to the satisfaction of the majority of Israelis on the very eve of the scheduled elections:

1. Adjust the open-fire orders: For years, Israeli soldiers have had their hands tied when responding to Arab violence. A soldier facing a mob of Arabs hurling deadly rocks and firebombs is bound by impossible restrictive orders that prevent him from adequately defending himself. The open-fire orders need to be adjusted to reality: anybody throwing a rock or a firebomb is trying to kill and anyone who is the target of such an attempted murder should be allowed -indeed required to -respond with appropriate force.
2. Make the roads safe: For too long, the Jewish residents of Judea-Samaria-Gaza have traveled in fear every time they go to work or send their children off to school. The Israeli army needs to be assigned the mission of forcefully securing the safety of the roads. Just as it wiped out terrorist nests, house by house, in Gaza in 1969, the army today can get the job done -if the Defense Minister has the political courage to give the order and stand by it.
3. Military preparations for Jewish residents of the territories: The Jewish communities of Judea, Samaria and Gaza should not be excessively dependent on the Israeli Army for day-to-day protection. It puts the residents at a military disadvantage, diverts the Army's resources, and could create unjustified public resentment of the Jewish residents of the territories. They should be given training courses in military preparedness and counter-terror tactics for repelling intruders so that they can assume the major share of their own defense requirements.
4. Change the Hebron double-standard: The Israeli legal authorities have been using a double standard against the Jewish residents of Hebron, harassing and intimidating them with trivial or even trumped-up charges, while Arab rioters and inciters walk free -a rule of law must be restored in Hebron.
5. Make Syria pay a price: Syria must not be allowed to continue the sponsorship of Hezbollah’s rocket terrorism without consequences. The Syrians must pay a price for their proxy war against Israel.
6. End the Lebanon rumors: The constant rumors of an imminent withdrawal from Lebanon demoralize soldiers stationed there and embolden the Hezbollah terrorists. Those rumors must be stopped, once and for all.
7. Assert Israel's Authority in Gaza: In the Gaza Strip the Palestinian Authority (PA) has been allowed to quietly expand its authority and powers that endanger local Jewish communities. The Israeli army should reassert its status at the sovereign power in the region.
8. Confiscate illegal PA weapons: Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon recently revealed that the PA is amassing huge stockpiles of weapons prohibited by the Oslo accords, including missiles and anti-tank weapons. If the PA will not surrender them, the Israeli army should seize them. Otherwise they will one day be used against Israel.
9. Pursue terrorist everywhere: Terrorists who attack Israelis and then flee into PA territory should be chased into PA territory whether Arafat likes it or not. Subcontracting the fight against terror to Arafat has never worked. Even the Oslo accords themselves authorize Israel to engage in "hot pursuit" of fleeing terrorist.
10. Protect Arab allies: Since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, local Arabs who assisted Israel in the past have in some cases, been left without adequate protection by the Israeli security forces. Pressure from the PA should not be allowed to compromise Israel's moral responsibility to defend those who risked their lives to aid Israel in various ways.

And finally, Mr. Defense Minister, it is vital that you remind the Prime Minister that Israeli policy must be decided in Jerusalem, not in Washington or Gaza. Foreign pressures must not be allowed to dictate what measures Israel takes to protect its security.

Yes, let the spirit of the Maccabees and the Prophets inflame the Yishuv again.

(By David Horowitz, The Jewish Press, April 16, 1999)

PAPAL DECREE: "When the Vatican's head of state visited our country, he apparently forgot that he was our guest. His criticism of capital punishment was uncalled for and a blatant attempt to interfere with and change the laws and customs of a host nation.

"In addition to this, his referring to our death penalties as 'cruel and unusual punishment' is somewhat hypocritical. Compared with the cruelty of his eternal purgatories and hells, our execution gurneys and electric chairs are mere slaps on the wrist.

"A papal decree that abolishes the literal concept of eternal punishment would do a lot more to alleviate suffering in the world than would doing away with secular death penalties." (By C. A. Lousignont, Letter to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, April 1999)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Emily,

We are deeply touched by your sharing with us these very trying times. We have your letter of March 6 as well as your lovely card of March 24. Both together  and each one by itself  were such an encouragement. And you yourself don't have it so easy now ­nevertheless you have room in your heart for people you have never seen and who live thousands of miles away. This warmth and humanity is nothing short of astonishing. Too, I am sure, it is Christian to the core, simple and pure!

It pains me to say that Dina's situation has deteriorated: There is more pain. With the help of a variety of medications the pain is kept at bay, less or more. And Dina gets all the food-additions the doctors prescribe, like Royal Jelly - the very concentrated honey. (Remember the "Land that flows with milk and honey"? -Deut. 27:3; Joshua 5:6 and many others, as you so well know!) So, we carry on. The main thing is and remains to keep spirits and hope UP!

Today here is Remembrance Day for the Fallen -which always precedes by one day the Independence Day. More than 19,000 men and women gave their life so that Israel, we all here, can live. And tomorrow it's 51 years that we stand on our own feet.

Be well and do receive our heartfelt gratitude for your support and wishes and Prayers!

Michael Pragai    (ISRAEL)

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Dear Emily:

Back home again after my tenth visit at Emek ha Shalom. Despite Herman's 98 years he still makes speeches and Joseph assists him with the translation into Hebrew.

Visitors came to Emek ha Shalom almost every day. One day for instance there were several school-children in buses, and one Sabbath there was a "public walk" in the valley with thousands of people.

The side-walks are now completed. They end up at resting-places with chairs and tables for the visitors.

During my stay we visited settlers in Judea and Samaria. The settlers at Bet Haggai near Karmel in Judea told us that they were prohibited to build houses. But for a long time they have seen the Arabic people building houses in the neighborhood.

In Samaria we visited settlers not far from Siloh, about 25 kilometers north of Jerusalem. There was a rather deep discussion between Joseph and one of the Settlers. The discussion ended up in the comment from the settler to Joseph: "Your spirit strengthens our faith."

On a hill not far from Siloh, Herman and Joseph plan to stay in a caravan for some time to support the settlers. The caravan is now being prepared at Emek ha Shalom. Joseph pointed out the hill for me and told me that the Jews in the neighborhood call the hill "The Voice of Zion."

Joseph told me that he wants people to take care of the visitors at Emek ha Shalom during the time he and Herman will stay in the caravan in Samaria. I enclose a letter from Anders Karlen. Regards from Anders Karlen and from the other friends in Sweden. All the best and many kind regards from your friend.

Leif Malmkvist       (SWEDEN)

PS. The friends here in Sweden are interested to find the book What Say the Scriptures About Spiritism. Do you know where we can find it?

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Dear Sister Hoefle.

I have received a copy of your newsletter from a brother of Eugene. Or. It is very interesting and informative and I enjoyed reading it very much. If it would be possible. I would like to start receiving it on a regular basis. Please let me know the price and I will send you a check.

It is very difficult to find good reading material involving truth as presented by Pastor Russell and Pastor Johnson. Please keep up the good work and write me at the above address.

Peace and love in the name of our beloved Lord     ------- (OREGON)

NO. 507 MIDEAST PROBLEMS WILL COME OUT ALL RIGHT

The question was asked in a recent Reader's Digest, "How Religious Are We?" According to a Reader's Digest-Gallup Poll survey, it was found that Americans are quite religious.

Disregarding the breakdown into percentages and categories, it is noteworthy that Kenneth Briggs, former religion editor of The New York Times, says the religious revival is the most visible in the American attitude toward prayer. He called it "the most powerful, least documented development within American religion. “Out of 87 percent who say they pray sometimes, the figures include 75 percent who say, they do not have membership in either church or synagogue.

Whether people believe there is a Higher Power Who controls the destiny of the world is utterly irrelevant. The world will eventually learn as did the ancient Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar that "the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever He will." (Daniel 4:32)

The Jews are the nation of Israel and have been from the days of their beginning with the Abrahamic Covenant, and the little geographical area which is today called Israel is their land. The Jews and the nation of Israel make up that which is called "God's Chosen People." But as Elmer A. Josephson, clergyman, writer and lecturer, stated in his book, Israel, God's Key to World Redemption, "The Almighty did not choose Israel to coddle, to show them special favors, or 'spoil them' as a pet child. On the contrary He has permitted them to suffer more than any other nation in their role as 'Mahmlechet Koahneem -a 'kingdom of priests' to the nations."

There is a persistent belief among Christian Zionists of every nation that the degree of well-being and prosperity of each nation depends upon the treatment extended to the Jewish population -and to the nation of Israel. And many among Christian Zionists of America also believe God has raised up America for the very purpose of aiding and sustaining Israel through the difficult time of her rebirth as a nation again in her own land.

The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America was signed July 4, 1776. One hundred seventy-two years later, on May 14, 1948, the Declaration of the State of Israel was signed and the ancient nation of Israel was reborn.

In 1976, a remarkable little booklet was published by the American-Israel Friendship League on the occasion of the Bicentennial of our country, The Birth of Two Nations -An Historical Account of a Nation Born and a Nation Reborn.

To those who so loudly proclaim that ours is not a Christian nation -and admittedly, it falls far short -let it not be denied that it was founded upon the Judaeo-Christian principles of the Bible. To quote from a passage in the booklet: "American history, from the colonial days to the present, abounds in memorable manifestations of support for the age-old aspirations of the Jewish people for the return to Zion. This unbroken thread in the fabric of American history is rooted in the influence of the Old Testament upon the Founding Fathers and the spiritual legacy they handed down to the generations that followed. The Hebrew prophetic teachings, which served as the guideline for the lifestyle of the Puritan fathers and the early pioneers, were subsequently embodied in the tenets of the American Constitution."

It would be interesting to research the many towns and villages in America with the names of Bethlehem, Salem, Jericho, Hebron, and even Jerusalem. Parents named their children after beloved and revered Bible heroes, and today the custom is being revived.

Of the 16 presidents who have held office from William McKinley in 1897 to Ronald Reagan since 1981, everyone has publicly stated support for a “Zionist State.”

In spite of the controversies and political maneuverings, America has been a strong supporter of Israel from the very beginning. In his famous letter to the Touro Synagogue in Newport, R.I., which is now enshrined in the archives of the synagogue and in American history, George Washington wrote, "To bigotry no sanction, To persecution no assistance. The Biblical injunction inscribed on the Liberty Bell, 'And Proclaim Freedom Throughout the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof ' (Leviticus 25:10), is evidence of the deeply rooted love and respect for the heritage of the Jewish People." So say we all.

And our nation has struck a hard blow -a blow for freedom -against terrorism in the bombing of military targets in Libya.

Freedom and peace for Israel is both the key and the gateway for freedom and peace for the whole world. Will it end now? No, not yet. It will even get much worse, but it will come out all right. I have read the Book. (Yvonne S. Lewerke, of Clear Lake, is associated with Iowa Christian Friends of Israel)

GOD'S LOVE FOR ISRAEL

“I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love.” (Hosea 11: 4) Hosea prophesied in Israel -the ten-tribe kingdom -prior to the Babylonian Captivity, dying about the time that Samaria capitulated: The name Hosea signifies salvation and corresponds well with the prophecy. The Lord through Hosea made plain to Israel that their national destruction and captivity was at hand; that it was a punishment for sin; but that it also told the people of God's sympathy for them, of His many loving forbearances, etc., and assured them that He would continue to love them to the end, and eventually bless them and recover them from the land of the enemy.

Hosea's own experiences in life in some degree pictured the Lord's experiences with Israel. Hosea's wife was unfaithful to him, as Israel had been unfaithful to the Lord. Following the Lord's direction, Hosea took back his wife, reclaiming her; and his message to Israel was of God's continued love for that people -that although they had been unfaithful to the Lord, He would nevertheless loyally receive them again when they should have learned their lesson and be glad to come back as a bird from Egypt and a trembling dove from Babylonia.

“THE LORD LOVED THEE”

Love is the keynote of the Bible, notwithstanding the fact that it contains threatenings as well as promises, and declarations and manifestations of Justice as well as of mercy. If God's character were devoid of Justice--if His love should override His Justice--it would be a terrible calamity for all those dependent upon Him. It would testify weakness of character instead of strength. It is the fact that God's wisdom, justice, love and power operate in full harmony--in coordination--that gives us admiration for Him, confidence in Him, love for Him; and all these appreciations are intensified as we realize His unchangeableness.

From the beginning God foreknew His plan as we see it gradually ripening. He foreknew that man, allowed to take his course, would fall deeply into sin and be overwhelmed in its penalty, death. He foreknew His own purpose to provide in due time the Lamb of God as a ransom-sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He foreknew the ultimate blessing of all the families of the earth: purposing that the glorified Redeemer should be the deliverer of mankind. He foreknew and arranged a thousand years of restitution work, when under Messiah's glorious Kingdom all mankind should be brought to a full knowledge of God

and a full opportunity for returning to all that was lost in Eden, all that was redeemed at Calvary; and when the ultimately rebellious should be destroyed. He foresaw from the beginning the glorious result when every knee would be bowing and every tongue confessing the glorious work of Messiah's Kingdom. This entire program was to be of the Father and through the Son. (1 Cor. 8:6)

It was incidental to this great plan that God foresaw the wisdom of having a saintly company associated with Jesus in the great work of His Millennial Kingdom, which is to govern and bless thousands of millions. God determined to have two saintly companies. One class was to be of the earth, earthy, samples of what mankind might all eventually attain to through the assistance of the Kingdom. The other class of saints, still more highly exalted, were to be the Bride of Messiah and His Joint-heir in the Kingdom on the spirit plane. God could have filled these honorable positions with angels, who would have been glad of the opportunity of thus serving. However, instead, He chose to gather these companies from amongst men -from amongst the sinners themselves.

CALLING ABRAHAM'S POSTERITY

Many ways were open before the Lord for the gathering of the elect for the future service. The one which He chose and has been carrying out was undoubtedly the wisest, the best. First of all, God called Abraham -a sinner like others, but one whose heart was full of trust in God and who delighted in the right ways of the Lord to the extent of his ability. God's promise to Abraham was that his seed should constitute the elect, and that through that seed all nations would receive a Divine blessing.

The period of nearly four thousand years since God's covenant with Abraham has been devoted to the development of Abraham's seed -a natural seed and a spiritual seed. The two were mentioned to Abraham indirectly when the Lord said, "Thy seed shall be as the stars of heaven and as the sand of the seashore." (Genesis 22:17) The stars of heaven thus are used to represent the spiritual seed of Abraham; the sand of the seashore, the natural seed.

For more than eighteen centuries God dealt with the natural seed of Abraham. His promises to them and the Law Covenant made with them were great blessings, inspirations, assistances. For although the Israelites, like others, were unable to keep the Law Covenant, being imperfect, sinners, nevertheless the endeavor to obey was helpful. The various chastisements of Israel, including their Babylonian captivity, were lessons intended for their good, and eventually made that nation, at the time when Jesus came to be the Redeemer, the most holy people in all the world -the only people recognized of God.

“HE CAME UNTO HIS OWN”

Nevertheless, much of the holiness of Israel in Jesus' day was merely a form of godliness t which did not stand the test. Only Israelites indeed -pure in heart, in motive -were enabled to appreciate the Gift of God and to become Jesus' disciples ­probably 25,000 in all. Then the door of opportunity to become fellow-heirs with the Jewish saints was thrown open to the Gentiles; and God t s Message was given them, inviting them also to Joint-heirship with Christ. The gathering of this class has proceeded for eighteen centuries, while the nation of Israel has been rejected from God's favor. Now we are entering the great Time of Trouble which is to inaugurate Messiah I s Kingdom. During this trouble the Church is to be glorified in the First Resurrection. Then the thousand years of Messiah's reign with the elect, spiritual bride, drawn from both Jews and Gentiles, will begin.

Still God's favor will pursue the natural seed of Abraham. Their lessons and chastisements will fit and prepare them more quickly than others of the world to receive the Messianic blessing. The earthly phase of Messiah’s Kingdom will be Israelitish, in that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets and saintly ones down to John the Baptist are to be made "princes in all the earth" (Psa. 45:16) -the earthly representa­tives in human perfection of the spiritual Kingdom of Messiah.

Naturally enough, Israel will then in a natural way come first into harmony with the Divine arrangement and be the first to get the blessing. However, during the thousand years of the Kingdom, as the Scriptures declare, all nations shall bless themselves in becoming Abraham's seed -in coming into relationship with the Kingdom, which will have an Israelitish basis. (Jer. 4:2; 1sa. 65:16; Gen. 12:3) Eventually, all will be destroyed who do not thus become true Israelites. Thus Abraham's seed will eventually include all the families of the earth -all for whom God has provided life eternal. As for Gentiles -strangers from God -none will remain. (That Servant, Reprints 5809, 5810, December 1, 1915)

BARAK ISN'T ISRAEL'S SAVIOR

The election of Ehud Barak as Israel's new prime minister changes nothing: The terms of the Jewish state's surrender and the methods that will be 'Used to annihilate it remain the same.

From the Clinton White House, to State Department Arabists, to Israeli secularists who define evil as something done by Israeli leaders but not by their enemies, there is the misplaced hope that the election is an indication that "peace" is at hand.

Yossi Beilin, a Labor Party Knesset member who will be an influential player in the new government, wrote in Tuesday's Jerusalem Post: "There can be no peace without compromise and without peace there will never be real security in Israel has frequently compromised. It has lived up to its commitments in the Oslo accords, asking only that the Palestinians do the same, which they have not. When Israel relinquished control of Gaza and its sacred city of Hebron, there was a momentary lull. But soon it was back to diplomatic and physical terrorism because the goal of Palestinians is not compromise and coexistence. For them, such things are not ends but means to complete and total control of all the land and the elimination of every Jew (in fact, every non-Muslim "infidel") living and dead, from it.

When the policies of the Clinton administration (and George Bush's before it) of unrelenting pressure on Israel provoke another war, will the weakened U.S. military come to Israel's aid? If we aren't sending ground troops into Kosovo to stop the slaughter of hundreds of thousands, where will we acquire the will to intervene on the ground to save Jews? The United States turned away from the Jews once before in this century. To repeat that error would be an unpardonable sin.

Barak is celebrating the spoils of political victory, but he will be under intense pressure to deliver on a mirage. President Clinton, lusting after an honorable legacy and running out of time, will use the State Department and the anti-Israel cabal in the United Nations to try to force Israel to cave and deliver. Look for Beilin and former Prime Minister Shimon Peres to pressure Barak from within to surrender the Golan Heights down to the border of Israel's main water supply, the Sea of Galilee. But when war breaks out, launched from territory recently acquired by the Palestinians; will the leftists stay and fight? Or will they catch the first plane or boat to safety and indulge in "what might have been" theorizing if Likud had never ruled? Their line will be that Israel didn't compromise fast enough and so made her enemies angry.

This is the stuff of the morally challenged who see not evil but potential goodness in us all. The evil ones use such notions against the naive and allow them to dig their own graves.

Now the Palestinians have resurrected the original 1947 U.N. proposal to partition "Palestine," allowing Jews and Palestinians to live side by side. Then, it might have worked, but it was rejected by the Palestinian side, which began a war against Israel that has never stopped. Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat senses that this fraudulent diplomatic ploy might be another means by which he can seize land for his ultimate and never-changing objective: the consignment of the Jewish state to the dustbin of history. (By Cal Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel, May 21, 1999)

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QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST

"The Most High ruleth in the Kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men." (Dan. 4:17)

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God." (Rom. 13:1, 2)

QUESTION -Should we understand from the above Scriptures that God guides the affairs of nations, and chooses their rulers?

ANSWER -These Scriptures are in harmony with other statements of Scripture. In the

case of Nebuchadnezzar,  for instance, after he had been seven years insane, lying amongst the beasts of the field, his reason returned to him and he extolled the God of Heaven, acknowledging that God sets up those whom He will and puts down those whom He will. We understand that God's dealing with King Nebuchadnezzar was prophetic.

In the case of Israel God had very particular oversight of their affairs t and dealt with their rulers. David was anointed when he was a youth, to be king in due time instead of Saul. So with several others of their kings -the Lord had them anointed in advance. It might be said of Israel, that whoever sat upon the throne was there as the Lord’s representative. We remember also that on one occasion the Prophet of God was sent to anoint one of the kings of Syria and to give him a prophecy respecting himself, that he should take the throne.

Looking back, we see that in the case of Pharaoh, the perverse king of Egypt. God declared, “For this very purpose I raised thee up, that I might show forth My Power in thee.” (Ex. 9:16) God did not approve of Pharaoh, but used him to show forth His own glory. God also used King Cyrus of Persia as a servant to perform His bidding.

All of these recorded instances show a vital interest on God's part as to who shall come forward and who shall be hindered when these matters would affect His own Plan. We are not to understand that these different kings represented God's choice as respects their loyalty to Him, but that these were the ones through whom the Divine Plan in operation could be signally manifested and worked out. And so it is today. The Lord knew which of the men running for the office of President of the United States in the fall of 1912 would be the most suitable -the one who would most fully cooperate in the carrying out of the very conditions which He is pleased to permit to come to pass at this time.

The Lord guides in the affairs of nations now, only in so far as such oversight will promote the fulfillment of His own purposes. When the monarchs of various countries declare themselves "king by the grace of God," we do not agree to the thought they have in mind in making such claim. They are expressing the thought which has prevailed throughout Christendom for centuries -that they reign as representatives of the Kingdom of God, and by His special favor. And likewise the Catholic Church: When the pope claims that he is the head of the Church of Christ, that he is Christ's Vice-gerent, he thus claims that Christ has set us His Kingdom, and that the pope reigns in His stead.

After the Papal power waned in Europe, and the Protestants came into power, the Protestant rulers claimed the same right that the Catholics had claimed -to rule as the Lord's special representatives. And it is from this standpoint that kings maintain that they reign "by the grace of God, that the Kingdom of God is set up, and that they are reigning in God’s Kingdoms. We do not understand this to be the right thought, but that in God's providence He permits these to occupy the thrones 9f the world for the time being. We understand that God does exercise a supervisory oversight in respect to them -not that He has authorized them to represent Him, or that He is responsible for their deeds and acts, but that He is so controlling matters as to cause them to work out His own arrangements.

God will not convert a ruler in order to do this; He will not make him a saint. But he can allow or hinder events without interfering with the free will of any individual, and without becoming responsible for his government.

We may assume that this supervision of Divine Power is for the ultimate interest of mankind. We remember that there is a Prince of Darkness, who is seeking to do violence to humanity. Our thought is that the Divine Power hinders or restrains, so that the worst thing cannot come to pass until His due time, and He overrules to bring those into power who will have the disposition to do what He purposes to permit when His due time has arrived. However, since the Lord does not explain just how He does this, it would be wise for us not to be too emphatic in our statements. (That Servant, Reprint 5466, May 15, 1914)

QUESTION –“And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 19: 24) The Jehovah's Witnesses say this means exactly what it says, and the "needle" is a literal needle. If that is true, then wouldn’t  it be impossible for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom -i.e., have any part in the elective salvation?

ANSWER -Brother Russell has explained this passage in this way: “A small gateway of ancient cities, used at night; camels could pass through unloaded and on their knees only.” That is a reasonable explanation and in harmony with the Truth and its spirit. It is certainly true that the rich have to "unload" -i.e., they are as much in need of a Savior as the poor, although the vast majority can't see that. Jesus also said, "Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 19:23) But in that statement He also teaches that there is a possibility of some entering the Kingdom. "All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them." (Matt. 13: 34) At this same time His disciples were exceedingly amazed. and said -Who then can be saved? Jesus answered that "with God all things are possible.  “If we take that Scripture without qualification, then we would say that it is possible for God to lie. "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." (Heb. 6:18)

It has been said that God must love the poor, because He made so many of them. It is self-evident that the "poor of this world" are better prepared to enter the Kingdom than the rich, because they have less to overcome in many instances. As Jesus has said, It is harder for a rich man. The poor more often feel the need for a Savior -far more than the rich, the mighty and the noble of this world. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." (1 Cor. 1:27) However, there have been some rich men that have truly "humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God," as we can see from church history. They are those who did not place their trust in their possessions and were faithful stewards of their wealth. “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch." (Prov. 11:28)

One outstanding example of such is "St." Francis of Assisi, born in 1182 of a rich merchant in Assisi in Umbria. His proper name was Giovanni Bernardone; but he is known in Roman Catholic circles as St. Francis of Assisi, or "The poor little rich man. “ Motivated by the words of Jesus in Matt. 19:21, “Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven," he did just that. Disposing of all his treasures, he became the first of the begging friars, whose shibboleth was, "Help the poor, help the poor." Thus, one historian writes of him:

"In the unexampled power of his self-denial and renunciation of the world, in the pure simplicity of his heart, in the warmth of his love to God and man, in the blessed riches of his poverty, St. Francis was like a heavenly stranger in a selfish world.

"Any who wished to join him were required to distribute all their possessions among the poor, and dress in the poor clothing of the order, to carry out in their personal lives the ideal of poverty, joined with loving service in institutions for the poor, the sick, and the lepers."

Of course, all of the foregoing in itself would not make of anyone a saint, and it is quite probable that Francis cannot be counted among that "elect" group. Justification for this conclusion is found, we believe, in his attempt to "tempt the Lord," as he endeavored to convert the Moslems to Christianity in Africa, Sicily and Spain. Here is what the record says of him on that occasion:

"St. Francis himself started this work when he entered the camp of the Sultan Camel and bade him kindle a fire and cause that he himself with one of the Moslem priests should be cast into it. When the Imam present shrank away at these words, St. Francis offered to go alone into the fire if the Sultan would promise to accept Christianity along with his people should he pass out of the fire uninjured. The Sultan refused to promise, but sent the saint away unhurt with presents, which, however, he returned."

Indeed, "Many shall say unto Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will plainly declare to them, I never approved of you." (Matt. 7:22.23, Dia.) Had the course of Francis been the correct one, St. Paul would certainly have prodded those wealthy Corinthian brethren to do as Francis had done.

There have been some also who have failed because of their possessions -whether those possessions were greater intellect, wealth, or other talents. Their trials and temptations are greater, but the Lord will give them corresponding strength if they con­tinue in humility and obedience -if they look to Him in full faith and faithfulness. Their responsibility, too, is correspondingly greater. That doesn't mean that the poor won't have severe temptations, too. Some of the “poor” who "would be rich" if they could be, have much the same severe temptations. "They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." (1 Tim. 6:9) The Berean Comment on this text says, "That will be rich, whether they succeed or not… Who are determined to be rich at all hazards." In 1 Tim. 6:10, Dia. we read: "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which while some longing after. wandered from the faith, and pierces themselves around with many sorrows." Certainly, this does not apply to money itself, for without money we can do very little in the Lord's work. And there are quite a few people who "love" money even though they have very little of it; and some who have money, but do not love it -value it -above that which is right and proper.

We have known those who had nothing to go out and "stomp" for equal distribution of the wealth of the country -for socialism, etc., but when they came into money they changed their views. Of course, among the Lord's people those who have more of this world's goods also have more responsibility -just as those who have more knowledge of the Truth, and are in position to impart that knowledge, have more responsibility to the brethren and to the world. Possessions of any kind are to be treated the same as a stewardship of which we are expected to be faithful. Blessed are we when we. can appraise what we have and what we are in proper perspective, because then we will be the better enabled to serve the Lord in Truth and in deed. However, we are to appraise our own and not the possessions of others. We are not stewards of the possessions of others. We might qualify this, as it may be proper enough at times to apprize a Brother or Sister of his "opportunities of service," if done in a loving and helpful spirit, and for his own best interests. Brother Russell had occasion to do this at times when brethren didn't seem to realize they had such "opportunities of service" -either in ability to serve in public speaking or in some other capacity.

It will be noticed that there are many Scriptures regarding the poor -how we should not oppress them, etc.,  with nothing said about “oppressing” the rich. There is a reason for this, we believe. Usually the rich (whether in the Household of Faith or in the world) can look after themselves, because they have had more opportunity of education, business experience, etc. And. too, because there has been, and still is to some extent, power in money. So there is no warning in the Scriptures -not to "oppress" or misuse the rich -although, in some cases they have been abused and misused. Today the slogan is to "soak the rich" -take advantage of them in any way you can. We are living in that special period when it is indeed "woe unto the rich"! This is especially true of those who "withholdeth more than is meet" (Prov. 11:24) -that is, those of the Household and those of the world who are miserly with the poor. "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabbath." (James 5:1.4) Some of this "crying" has already begun.

Some of the Lord's people who have had much in this world's goods have unselfishly ministered it to their brethren, and to others with whom they have had to do; and some have unstintingly supported their sects -the sects of all denominations of Babylon ­believing they were "giving to the Lord." And if such were their hearts attitude, they will be blessed in "due time" with the Truth. And in this they have apparently been, "examples of the believers" to many. However, the real examples of the believers are those who like Jesus, gave their all to “bear witness to the Truth” -and they diligently studied God's Word to know what is Truth. They willingly and gladly accepted the Truth and its responsibilities, and "Through honor and dishonor, through evil report and good report, as deceivers, and yet true; giving no offense in anything, that the ministry "be not blamed." (2 Cor. 6: 8, 3)  

All who have received the Parousia and Epiphany Truth are much blessed in every way, and it is our hope and prayer they will daily seek to be faithful to that Truth, and be a living (active) "example of the believers.”  May the Lord bless all who are endeavoring to "walk in His steps, n and enable them to come off victors, whether they have little or, much of this world's goods.

(Brother Hoefle, Reprint No. 379)

QUESTION -If the Lord’s people are in such a condition that they cannot get along without help from others, what should they do?

ANSWER -If they are living alone they should go to an existing retirement home. The Lord's people do not have hospitals of their own, but in many cases need to go to a hospital. That doesn't mean that they have forsaken the Lord's work, as many times they can witness truth to those they wouldn't have been able to otherwise. In some cases their physical problems wouldn't permit them to witness to others. Remember that the Lord overrules all things “for good” (Rom. 8:28) for them that love God.

However, if it is a matter of semi-retirement for those who cannot continue to live as they had been, then these retirement homes that provide assisted-living would be the best place for them -that is if none of the Lord's people or their families who are not in the truth could or would care for them. The Lord will provide for His people! "There hath no temptation [trial] taken you but such as is common to man: but God is' faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation [trial] also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Cor. 10:13) The Lord knows when we are unable to bear it. We think we cannot bear such things when the Lord knows we can. It is through much tribulation that we persevere to be faithful (Acts 15:22).

The Time of Trouble is not for the saints or to the saints, but for the world and to the world. We have not heard of any brethren who are destitute that the Lord's people did not go to their help. But the Lord's faithful look to Him in their time of need.

We quote what That Servant said on the matter: “lt is told of a man who wished to add to the collection of insects that by good fortune he obtained a cocoon, and hung it up in his library all winter. In the spring he found the moth trying to emerge. The hole was so small, and the moth struggled so hopelessly, it seemed, against the tough fiber that he snipped the hole with his scissors. Well, the fine large moth emerged, but never flew. Someone told him afterwards that the struggles were necessary to force the juices of the body into the insects wings. Saving it from the struggle was a mistaken kindness. The effort was meant to be the moth's salvation. The moral is obvious. The struggles that men have to make for temporal good develops character as it could not be developed without them. It is well, too, that spiritual enrichment has to be striven for." (Parousia Volume 6, Pages 192,193)

"Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22) "Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. (1 Peter 4:12)

NO. 506 THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

"I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings," says Hosea 6:6. This subject of knowledge, especially so with the "knowledge of God," has been bandied about by all classes from the least unto the greatest; and a little reflection readily makes evident that it must be embellished with copious qualifications if it is to be retained in proper balance. Almost every virtue becomes a vice when overdone; therefore, almost every virtue requires a companion virtue if it is to be maintained in good perspective. This is certainly true of knowledge, because St. Paul says that "knowledge puffeth up, but love bui1deth up." The great Apostle is not here putting a slur on knowledge, because no one can have too much knowledge if that knowledge is given proper balance by the grace of love.

"The spirit of a sound mind" implies that such a person has all four of the Divine attributes in reasonable proportion -each companion to the other three prorated to its correct position. Knowledge is acquaintance with fact, clear perception of truth; and wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. Thus, a man who is gifted chiefly with knowledge may be said to be an intellectual man; one with knowledge and power, an austere man; one with knowledge, power and justice, a righteous man; and one with knowledge (wisdom), power, justice and love is a "good man." And to one possessing these four the promise is sure and certain that his "steps are ordered of the Lord."

We often hear the remark that "knowledge is not the essential thing"; but this statement is only a half truth, and -"Half truths are more misleading than whole errors." St. Paul does indeed say that love is the principal thing -that "love is the bond of perfectness." (Col. 3: 14) And none with that "bond of perfectness" will ever be rejected by the Lord; will never fall from the Class in which he finds himself. No Saint ever lost his crown so long as he retained that "bond and no Youthful Worthy will ever fall from his Class if he has and retains that bond. As Brother Johnson has so well stated, it is not required of YQuthfu1s that they develop Agape love; but they should certainly do so if they have the capacity to do so. Some may not be able to do this; but it should be readily evident that if they can and do acquire it, then they have also the "bond of perfectness," which none can give nor take away -the possessor of that "bond" can never encounter shipwreck in his walk by faith.

Above we quoted St. Paul's statement that love is the principal thing, but here also qualification is necessary, because no one ever developed Agape love without patience, and none can retain it without that adorning grace. It is of such importance that St. Paul mentions it last in Titus 2:2 in his admonition to be "sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience." Jesus had perfect love, but this He retained only through His perfection in patience -"He steadfastly [in full patience] set His face to go to Jerusalem." (Luke 9:51) But we must go beyond patience in our qualification of Agape love. Before patience must come faith; and before faith must come knowledge -"the knowledge of God." This is emphasized in Romans 10: 14-17: "How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard [received sufficient knowledge to enable them to believe]? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent?... So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."         

Clearly, then, in the primary sense the "knowledge of God" is the principal thing; without that knowledge there could be no faith; without faith "it is impossible to please God," and without faith none could possibly gain that principal thing -Agape love. It has been our observation that those who would discount the virtue of knowledge -"not the essential thing" -are those who possess very little of it; and their contention is simply a lame alibi for their glaring incapacity -"My people perish for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6) We are instructed to "study to show thyself approved unto God"; and we are to account those elders "worthy of double honor… who labor in word and doctrine [the knowledge of God]." (1 Tim. 5:17)

And with such servants abides the assurance of faith -they know that they know, nor need such assurance "puff up" if that knowledge is moderated by Agape love. If such knowledge is not moderated by Agape love, such people will lose it as prophesied in 2 Thes. 2:10, 11 -and God will send them "strong delusion that they should believe a lie [errors and false doctrine]." The Egyptians have a proverb: "He who knows, but knows not that he knows, is timid -encourage him. He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is ignorant -teach him. He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool -shun him. But he who knows, and knows that he knows, is wise -follow him." Surely, the last two Principal Men knew, and knew that they knew. The Scriptures specifica1ly state of one of them that he was "wise"; and our trust was well placed as we followed them. Also, it was prophetically written of the Epiphany Solomon (1 Kings 3.12): "I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee sha11 any arise like unto thee." Therefore, those who recognize Brother Johnson as the good Epiphany Solomon will proceed most cautiously before attempting to dispute any of his faithful Scriptural teachings. Neither of the Laodicean "stars" deemed it essential to be "as the actors," to use the tricks of oratory, or the flummery of the stage, much of which is simply humbug. A pleasant anecdote is related of Charles Darwin, the famous naturalist: Some neighborhood boys attempted a prank upon him by catching a grasshopper, tearing off its wings and long hind legs, then substituting the wings of a wasp and parts of several other bugs. They then showed him their artifice, asking him if he could tell them what kind of a bug it was. "Did it make a humming noise when you first caught it out in the field?" he asked. "Oh, yes; it made a very loud humming noise when we first grabbed it." "Then," replied Mr. Darwin, "it's a 'hum-bug."

Such is much the case with a large part of our present-day estimation of the "knowledge of God." A very prominent Evangelist recently said to his audience, "Coming to Christ is not dependent on understanding. I don't understand the digestive system, but I eat." The superficiality of this statement is readily apparent. The Evangelist himself may not understand his digestive system; but other human beings do understand it, and this enables him to go on living. Had the human race not learned early in history that some of our vegetation is deadly poison which would destroy the digestive system, none would have survived unto this day. The Evangelist's physician understands the digestive system, and he hires that physician to keep his digestive system in proper condition. And by the same rule of measure the preacher should understand what he is feeding the flock -and should feed them the true "knowledge of God" -if he would save them from spiritual indigestion. Presumably, they are paying him to do just that -just as the Evangelist pays his doctor to keep him physically well.

In our courts of law it is a fundamental rule of interpretation that "Ignorance of the law excuses no one"; and it requires no great insight to realize that if this were not true bedlam would prevail in all quarters. However, the rigidity of human law is not always operative in God's law under present undone conditions. We are specifically told in Acts 17:30 that "this ignorance God winked at"; that is, He made due allowance for the inherited and acquired frailties of the human race, who through ignorance knew not God. But this should not be seized upon as an overall excuse for violation of the Divine order of affairs. Brother Russell has stressed that we are held accountable for what we have opportunity to know; howbeit, of him that hath little shall little be required.

In Parousia Volume Six there are two chapters devoted to Order and Discipline in the New Creation and The Law of the New Creation, which are there for a purpose. They are pungent with the "knowledge of God," provided by God during this Harvest time for the guidance of His people, and binding upon all of us who claim to be in "Present Truth" regardless of the laxities practiced by those about us. Of the Jews it was written (Zech. 7: 12): "They made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law…. therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts," the same being a shadow before of the conduct of spiritual Israel during this Gospel Age, and especially so in the end of the Age. "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear."

Of course, the tendency of the times is to discount the "knowledge of God" -it doesn't matter what you believe, so long as you are headed in the right direction. Therefore, take no exceptions to your neighbor's beliefs; they are just as good as yours. We know this to be a direct contradiction to St. Paul's teaching that there is but "one faith." In E-9-512 (bottom) there is this: "The Lord does not despise knowledge and talent, as some mistakenly think, but, if sanctified, uses them advantageously for His cause, yet He certainly does not put the main emphasis on them, which main emphasis He lays upon characteristics of the heart." Yet St. Paul so often remarks, "I would not have you ignorant, brethren." (1 Cor. 12: 1) Also, "By His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many." (Isa. 53:11) It was by His knowledge that He explained the types and shadows of the Old Testament and "brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." (2 Tim. 1: 10) And at the very time He was doing this the critical statement was given to the Jews, "Israel hath a zeal, but not according to knowledge." (Rom. 10:2)

Knowledge of things past often helps us accurately to diagnose present events, and to arrive at proper interpretations of difficult Scriptures. Many have been the attempts of critics to condemn the Bible because of its statement, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated [loved less]" (Rom. 9:13); but, knowledge of the custom then prevailing that the elder son must fast while the younger feasted upon the birthday of a prominent ancestor offers a clear and reasonable explanation of the matter. "The law of the Lord is perfect... making wise the simple." (Ps. 19:7)

In Detroit at present there is a reciprocal understanding among many of the ministers of the different sects regarding "mixed" marriages to this effect: If, say, a Lutheran comes to his minister to be married to a Methodist, the Lutheran minister performs the service; then advises them to determine both to attend the same church. If the bride doesn't like the minister who has just joined her in wedlock, or if she cannot accept the Lutheran faith, then the minister advises his own member to follow his bride to the Methodist Church, or vice versa. Thus, in the overall figures, all is balanced up and everyone is happy" This means there is no longer controversy over what is the "knowledge of God." If there be any conflict, it is now chiefly over personalities -"there is no live coal to warm them," no living doctrinal Truth in its purity to stir their icy spiritual blood. (Isa. 47: 14) "They are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, everyone for his gain, from his quarter." (Isa. 56:11) Don't expose my ignorance, and I won't expose yours, they say; and each of us will prosper in our own bailiwick. (See Berean Comments on Isa. 56:11)

But, if we would be better used of the Lord, it is essential that we have a certain amount of knowledge, although some with limited knowledge and inherent wisdom (the proper application of knowledge) often accomplish more than others with great knowledge but endowed with less wisdom. Therefore, Solomon says, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." (Prov. 4:7) Companion thoughts are excellently expressed by both Star Members in the May 14 Manna Comments:

"What is it to grow in grace? It is to grow in favor with the Lord through an intimate personal acquaintance and fellowship of spirit with Him... To grow thus in grace and not grow in knowledge is impossible… If, therefore, we love and obey the Lord and desire to grow in His favor, His written Word is our daily meditation and study; and thus we grow in knowledge."

Errorists and superficial teachers offer just the reverse of the foregoing to their devotees. When the Church of Rome was in its heyday it is well stated that its motto was: Reading is doubt; doubt is heresy; and heresy is Hell. That is, any who endeavored to inform themselves were doubting the infallibility of their leaders; and such must certainly be only the course of the heretic. This was indeed the "doctrine of Balaam… the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate." (Rev. 2: 14-15) Such are the antitypical Baal worshipers, who endeavor by sleight-of-hand and great oratorical shouting to overawe the-"unstable and the unlearned." It should be noted that Baal was the Sun God -Lord of the Day -a fitting type of power-graspers and clericalists. At night the Heavens are filled with millions of stars, many of them much larger than our sun; yet they are all completely obscured during the daytime. They are still in their respective places, of course, but they are not visible to the human eye because of the daytime splendor of the sun. And such is much the condition of Gospel Age power-graspers. They have outshone the true Star Members, have "cast their brethren out" and built up Great and Little Babylon. Yet the promise is sure to all the fully faithful -"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their father." (Matt. 13:43) And this exaltation will be one without end!

In this connection, be it noted that the orbit of the sun is from the East to the South to the West. But those who follow Baal cannot ever receive any exaltation from the true God. Therefore, it is written, "Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south" (Psa. 75:6) -that is, no promotion from God to those who follow the course of Baal. In 1 Kings 18 is recorded the experience of Elijah with Jezebel's prophets of Baal -one against 450. There had been a long drought in the land; the country was blistering under the unrelenting rays of the burning sun. Therefore, Elijah gave those prophets of Baal every possible advantage when he told them to try their hand first -to kill their bullock, put it on the altar, and call upon Baal, their Sun God, at high noon to ignite the wood under their sacrifice. Well did they realize the mockery that would come upon them if they failed under such advantageous circumstances, which prompted them to call out, "O Baal, hear us … And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them … And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their manner with knives." (vs. 27, 28) Then, when they were forced to admit failure, about three o'clock in the afternoon (v. 29), "the evening sacrifice," Elijah then instructed that twelve barrels of water be poured upon his offering, after which fire came from Heaven and consumed his sacrifice. "Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob ... and built an altar in the name of the Lord," (v. 31) which altar was typical of the Fully Faithful of the Gospel Age spiritual Elijah, twelve being a Little Flock number -just as was true of the altar constructed by Joshua (Josh. 4:5,9).

While the Gospel Age Elijah has always had the assurance that "Thou hearest me always" (John 11:42), fortified as they have been by the knowledge of God, which gave them a "mouth and Wisdom which none of their adversaries were able to gainsay nor resist" (Luke 21:45), they seldom were given the spectacular outward approval which came to the Prophet Elijah in his encounter with the Prophets of Baal that fateful day. In fact, in many instances during this Gospel Age the Baal worshipers (power-graspers) have gained the ascendancy -as instance the victory of Calvin over Michael Servetus, etc.; yet the fully faithful have striven with the strength of Samson and the skill of the warrior David in their use of the knowledge of God. It should not be expected, of course, that all would demonstrate the ability of the Star Members in the use of this knowledge -although many have assumed they could do so. We recall the occasion when a gainsayer gave us the argument that Christ died and rose again "according to the Scriptures" -that this proved it was not actually true, but was only "according to the Scriptures," which were unreliable in their records.

It has been contended by some in our midst that the Truth has always come first, then followed by error. This is only a half truth, and half-truths are more misleading than whole errors. In the broad sense, the Bible, which is the Truth, has been first, of course; but Micah 5: 5 clearly states that "when the Assyrian (the errorists) shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise up against him seven shepherds and eight principal men." This is in keeping with Prov. 24:16 -"A Just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again." The "just man" of this Gospel Age has been the fully faithful justified Christ Company, which fell into obscurity as much error sprang up about them after the death of each Star Member. We need only look at the Lutheran Church, the Methodist Church, the Adventists and others to note the force of this contention. If Martin Luther, Miller, et a1, came back they would be unable to find their teachings in those organizations that now claim to be their followers. In our time we have the instance of Brother Russell, and with what speed the falling occurred after he died. Jehovah's Witnesses bear no more resemblance to the truths he espoused and the organization he set up than does a vulture to a swan. The measurably faithful made quick havoc of his good work - just as uncleansed Levites are doing all about us - some more, some less. And, as we observe this state of affairs, it behooves us all the more to equip ourselves with "the knowledge of God" to the extent of our natural and acquired providential circumstances. The world in general, of course, "knows not God"; and the great mass of Christian believers quite evidently have very little of the "knowledge of God." There is the constant and irrepressible conflict, the battle of darkness against light, and the darkness hateth the light because it is reproved by it (John 3:20).

But the "knowledge of God" is for "the children of light," who zealously try to pass it on to others, although with very limited success against the opposition of the "god of this world." Therefore, it confers its greatest blessing upon its possessor; hence, the words of Solomon, "Buy the Truth [the knowledge of God], and sell it not." (Prov. 23: 23) To such, and to such alone, applies the promise of Psa. 91:10 -"neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." Such are the members of that "one Church, which in its entirety is the steward and administrator of the Truth [the knowledge of God], to preserve and defend it from error and to administer it for the benefit of the responsive." (E-8-253) And such will be in full agreement with the slogan on Brother Johnson's letterhead as respects the Knowledge of God -"The noblest science; the best instruction." To which we would add, "that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3), and "He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness," (Isa. 57:2)

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DEMISE OF KING HUSSEIN RECALLS PEACE CONTACT WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, EMIR ABDULLAH

The demise of Jordan's King Hussein has brought to mind this writer's friendly correspondence with his grandfather, Emir Abdullah, more than five decades ago on the issue of peace among brethren, all descendants of Abraham. Now, with Crown Prince Abdullah as the new king, the Hashemite Kingdom, no doubt, will experience many changes affecting the entire Middle East and even many UN agenda items linked to the Palestine question.

Recognizing that the Emir was a devout Moslem, and that Mohammed and the Koran both stressed the validity of the Torah, I attempted through several lengthy letters to bring him to the understanding that it was G-d's will, as stressed by all the Prophets, that the Jewish people return to and rebuild their ancient homeland in historic Palestine, pointing out at the same time, that the Arab peoples, the descendants of Ishmael and Esau -"cousins" of the Jews -had been blessed with other vast territories east and south of Palestine.

I made it a point to note that Allah and the G-d of Israel are one and the same and that it was incumbent upon the Jewish people and the Arabs to follow His word and not that of political leaders.

One of the Emir's first replies was dated July 6, 1945 and came in Arabic with an English translation. The opening words of his lengthy letter are worth noting:

"Venerable David Horowitz: After praising G-d and blessing His Prophets... as required by you, I have joined you in reciting 'Alfatha Sura I,' and I am thankful to you for your elucidation: G-d had said in the holy Koran: 'Dispute not the People of the Book except in a friendly manner,' and you are to have good action from us and more … Truly there is no G-d except He -the Creator… "

Interestingly, in late 1974, this writer was moved to send copies of the entire exchange of letters to King Hussein, and on December 11 of the same year, his Secretary General of the Roya1 Hashemite Court replied:

"Dear Mr. Horowitz: Upon personal instruction from His Majesty King Hussein, I have the honor to write you conveying a message of thanks and gratification for your thoughtfulness and sincerity shown to His Majesty in your letter of November 29, 1974. Your genuine concern for peace and justice is very much shared by His Majesty, and under His leadership, Jordan continues to strive towards that goal. With my highest regards and very best wishes. Yours Sincerely, (signed) Marwan Kazim.

Following in the footsteps of his grandfather (whose assassination in 1951 by a Palestinian terrorist in the Jerusalem Temple Mount area, King Hussein witnessed as a youngster, age 15), the beloved Hashemite ruler entered into a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, fulfilling the dream of his grandfather.

In a UN column reporting on this historic event entitled "The Jordan-Israel Treaty Marks a Positive Turning Point For a Mideast Peace," this writer wrote, in part, the following:

"The Jordan-Israel Treaty -signed in the historic Biblical region of the Arava Crossing on Wednesday, October 26, 1994, in the presence of President Clinton as a participating witness -marks -in the view of this writer and even as viewed generally here at the UN -a positive turning point for the good of the whole region on the basis of UN resolutions 242 and 338.

"It is well to recall that in early July of this year (1994) one of our correspondent's columns entitled: 'Jordan, Not Syria, Israel's Best Opening for Real Peace' opened with this statement:

"Developing events in the Middle East Crescent have convinced this writer that, of the three UN Arab States bordering Israel still in a state of war with Jerusalem -Syria, Lebanon and Jordan -the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan currently remains the one, not Syria (so greatly catered to by Washington), which may prove to be the best in implementing a mutually beneficial and acceptable opening to a lasting peace with the Jewish state. They both enjoy the longest common border and the Dead Sea, with the Jordan River, have given both joint economic opportunities.'

This has now eventuated and one can truly say with the poet 'G-d works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.'

"One of these wonders revolves around Yasir Arafat who is very unhappy about this Treaty which brings the benevolent grandson of the late Emir Abdullah, King Hussein into the limelight again. Hussein is a Western-oriented Moslem whose relations with Arafat's PLO have continued to be strained, more so now since Amman and Jerusalem have come to a mutual understanding relative to the holy sites in Israel's capital.

'" Also,” writes NY Times correspondent Clyde Haberman who covered the 1994 Israel Jordan Peace Treaty signing, "'King Hussein has little use for the PLO leader: the enmity goes back to 1970, when Palestinians in Jordan tried to topple him and failed. It is clear that Jordan and Israel prefer each other's company, and each has a long history of justified fear that Palestinian Arabs under their control will rebel … '" (By David Horowitz, The Jewish Press, February 19, 1999)

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QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION -We know the Bible gives the number of the saints who are the Bride of Christ, but does the Bible give the number of all the elect? June 1999 -

ANSWER -The Bible gives only the number of those who are "more than conquerors." (Rom.

8:37) These receive the "crown of life" (James 1:12). which is the highest plane of life, inherent life, eternal everlasting life, immortality. They will sit with the Lord in His throne (Rev. 3:21). The other heavenly class, the Great Company of Revelation 7:9,15, lose their crown, are not numbered and are before the throne rather than sit in the throne, as do the Saints. They are not "more than conquerors," but are faithful in their class standing, otherwise they would go into Second Death.

There are several dates that Bible Students accept because they are given in Bible Chronology: 1874 was the date of the Second Advent when Christ came as Bridegroom (Matt. 25:6; 2 Cor.11: 2); and also as Reaper (Rev. 14:14,15). In 1878 Christ began to exercise Kingly authority and cast off Babylon (Rev. 11:15-17; 3:16; 18:2). The call "Come out of her [Babylon] my people" also went forth then (Rev. 18:4). The sleeping Saints were awakened in April 1878 (Rev. 14:13). The general call ended in October 1881 and the predestinated number was full at that date. In 1914 the Time of Trouble began (Psa. 2:6-12)

All the above dates were accepted by Bible Students, with the exception of some who did not accept 1914 as the beginning of the Time of Trouble, nor that the Kingdom was set up September 21, 1914 as That Servant taught. (See Reprint 5632) He did not give this date arbitrarily, but according to Bible Chronology as he usually did. The Smiting of the Nations is also referred to in Reprint 5632, which he taught was to be done by the Saints. This he understood from Psa. 50:5: "Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." He and his faithful co-workers gathered the saints together in one unit. This was not true of the saints at any time during the Gospel Age until the Harvest period. They were scattered in the denominations up until our Lord's Second Advent. When That Servant was ministering during the Harvest, all the Saints came into the Truth with him. He knew there was a special duty for the saints to do: "To execute upon them [the nations] the judgment written: this honour have all the saints. Praise ye the Lord" (Psa. 149:9)

Some who believe they are "saints" now think they should do the work that was completed under That Servant. They want to use the Photo-Drama, and some of the tracts that was used in the "smiting of the nations." We believe That Servant, with his faithful co-workers, finished the work the Lord gave him to do.

We use all the teachings That Servant gave with Bible proof. We know he was not perfect and no doubt believed the Time of Trouble would be shorter than it is. We love and appreciate the~ good witness work the Bible Student groups do, but we are refuting the errors some have (Titus 1:9). The Truth people, like the denominations, do not "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 3) Controversy is important, because that is how truth comes out. Jesus, the Apostles and That Servant had to deal with much controversy.

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QUESTION -You call your meetings Bible Studies and use Pastor Russell's books. Shouldn't you call your meetings "Study of Pastor Russell's Teaching"?

ANSWER -Our meetings are Bible Studies. However, Brother Russell's books are a guide

to learning God's Plan of Salvation for all mankind: "According to a Plan of the Ages, which he formed for the Anointed Jesus our Lord." (Eph. 3:11, Diag1ott) Ephesians 3: 11 is given in the King James translation "According to the eternal purpose," which means the same thing.

The Bible gives His Eternal Purpose in the Old and New Testaments but in dark sayings, parables, symbols and types. In the beginning of the Gospel Age, the Lord's people did not understand the Plan of God, especially after the Apostles fell asleep. However, all the Lord's people had enough "due truth" to make their Calling and Election sure. The truth was given in its "due time." At the Second Advent more truth was made known, and God's Plan of Salvation for all mankind was due, and all who were "of the truth" (John 18:37) heard his voice. All will hear it in their "due time." The Lord gave His infallible word to the twelve Apostles by the inspiration of God. The Apostles were imperfect men, but their teachings were infallible. However, by their words and acts they made mistakes as revealed by the Bible. For instance, they all fled when Jesus was arrested, and Peter denied knowing Jesus. We could give other instances, but what we have written proves that the Apostles were imperfect.

After the First Advent our Lord appointed twelve Apostles, and in the Second Advent He appointed Brother Russell as That Servant. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. (Matt. 24:45-47)

How do we know we are in the Second Advent of our Lord? By Bible Chronology as given by Brother Russell. When That Servant gave 1914 as the date of the end of the Times of the Gentiles and also predicted World War One, all the countries were so quiet and apparently satisfied, that he began to doubt his own chronology. So he called together several elders to help him go over his chronology, but found no error. The World War broke out suddenly in 1914, and he knew his Bible Chronology was correct.

When any of the Bible students began to doubt That Servant's Bible Chronology, they went into error by using their own chronology. The signs of the time in most cases also corroborated his chronology. He predicted the Time of Trouble as given in Daniel 12 and Matthew 24:21. The Time of Trouble has been much longer than That Servant thought. He was an imperfect man, but he gave Scripture which supported what he taught. However, his opinions, etc., were not supported by the Bible. We don't know how long the Time of Trouble will be, but we have Scriptures that tell us what will happen in the Time of Trouble: Wars and rumors of war, Armageddon (Revolution) and Anarchy in which Israel's last trouble will end the Time of Trouble: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it." (Isa. 2:2, 3-5)

If we accept God's word that the Apostles and Old Testament prophets were inspired of God, and if we accept God's appointment of Brother Russell to be That Servant, and learn from 1 Corinthians 10: 11 that these things (dark sayings, types, etc., will be understood in the last days), we will know the truth that will make us free. (John 8:32)

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QUOTABLE QUOTES: "But Israel's history has yet to be completed; and when that nation comes upon the scene, the element of miraculous interposition will mark once more the course of events on earth… " By Sir Robert Anderson, 1870

Speaking in 1870 of Jewish return to Palestine one writer says: "Not only would no hostile influence hinder their return,· but the probabilities of the case are in favour of the colonization of Palestine by that people to whom historically it belongs." The Coming Prince, Sir Robert Anderson

(Rev. M.D. Hedding, Chairman, Christian Action for Israel Newsletter, 3rd Quarter 1998)

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"IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW"

SISTER DOROTHY MURIEL BELDEN was born to Perry and Ina Warnock on December 8, 1913 in Wakefield, Kansas. They moved to California in 1922 and settled in Taft. Dorothy married Joe Marvin Belden in 1930. She died February 19, 1999, at the age of 85.

She is survived by her four children, sons, Tom Belden and wife, Peggy; Peter Belden and wife, Tahi; Howard Belden and wife, Bobbye; daughter Judy Enos and husband, Jack; 14 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

NO. 505 "GIVE ME TO DRINK" (JOHN 4:19-29)

"If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink." (John 7:37)

John the Baptist had testified of Jesus, "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30) It is in harmony with this that we read that Jesus (at the hands of His disciples) baptized more than did John and his co-laborers. (John 4; 1) The growing popularity of Jesus aroused to bitter opposition the Scribes and Pharisees, and they sought to kill Him. Hence, we read that "He would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him." (John 7: 1) They had greater animosity toward Jesus than toward John, for in Him they recognized a superiority over themselves, and because the ignorant, common people heard Him gladly and said, "Never man spake like this man." Thereafter we hear little of Jesus being in Jerusalem except on festival occasions, when great multitudes gathered in accordance with the requirements of the Law.

En route to Galilee, the home country of the majority of His apostles, the journey took them through the country of the Samaritans, concerning whom we remember that our Lord charged the disciples, saying, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matt. 10: 5, 6) The Samaritans are thus classed with Gentiles -aliens, strangers, foreigners from the commonwealth of Israel. We recall their history -that at the time when the king of Babylon took the Israelites captive into Babylonia, he planted some Gentiles in the land of Israel -immigrants. Cut off from their former idolatries, these people became interested in their new home country, its theology, traditions, religious sentiments, etc. Furthermore, some of the careless, ignorant and vicious amongst the Jews, disregarding their Divine law on the subject, intermarried with the Samaritans. Thus an element of Jewish blood was intermingled amongst them. They called themselves the children of Jacob, and trusted that this meant some special blessing for them.

A sharp religious controversy was thus established between them and Jacob's natural progeny, the Jews. The latter, following the Law given by Moses, recognized Jerusalem and the Temple as the center of all acceptable worship of God. The Samaritans, being thus excluded, claimed that they had something better -that right in their own country they had the very mountain in which Jacob worshiped God, and towards this mountain they went or looked in their worship of God, esteeming it as a great natural temple and superior to anything else on earth. These facts account to us for some of the Lord's expressions connected with this lesson, and show us why His message excluded the Samaritans, as well as all Gentiles, from the call which He was giving, the Kingdom invitation, which was exclusively for the Jews. It was not until the Jews had as a people neglected their opportunity that the special privileges of the Kingdom were taken from them and subsequently tendered to such as would have an ear to hear in every nation, people, kindred and tongue of the earth -including the Samaritans.

"GIVE ME TO DRINK"

The road leading to Galilee branched off at Jacob's well, and the disciples went to the nearby Samaritan village, Sychar, to purchase food, while Jesus rested at the well, which was 75 feet deep and whose mouth was so walled up as to form a circular seat at its top. A Samaritan woman, laboring in the fields nearby, came to draw water, and was intensely surprised when Jesus asked her the favor of a drink. So tightly were the lines of social etiquette drawn that under ordinary circumstances no self-respecting Jew would ask a Samaritan for any favor, and especially for a drink of water. A gift of water or of food, extended or received at that time, signified fellowship, a covenant of good will. The woman asked an explanation of the Lord's peculiar conduct, but He gave none. We perceive in the entire Gospel narrative of the humility of our Lord, that he was quite ready and willing to mingle with any class, that He shunned no opportunity for doing good to any class, publicans or sinners -and that He reproved and rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees for their aloofness. One of His parables was especially directed towards the self-righteous sentiment which feared even to touch garments with the outwardly more degraded. Our Lord, without approving of the outward degradation, showed that God looketh upon the heart, and that some of those highly approved amongst men were more abominable in His sight than some despised of men.

TACTFULNESS EXEMPLIFIED

Our Lord displayed great tactfulness. Instead of replying to the woman's query, He attracted her attention to a deeper truth. This lesson of tactfulness many of the Lord's people need to learn. We know some who mistakenly believe that they must use no tact ­that to do so would be dishonest. Hence, they are frequently blunt to the extent of injuring the feelings of others, and hindering their own usefulness. Such should note in this lesson, and in many others, our Lord's tactfulness. He did not feel that it was necessary for Him to answer the woman's question. On the contrary, He said, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." (John 4:10) Similarly, let us in all the affairs of life try to turn the attention of those with whom we have contact towards the heavenly, the spiritual things -not that we should obtrude religious matters on every occasion, nor that we suppose our Lord would have done so. Quite probably He saw something in the way of honesty of character in the woman He addressed, else he would not have conversed with her. So we should be on the lookout for every opportunity to speak a word in season, to be helpful to others, to honor the Lord.

The woman understood the expression "living water" to mean fresh water, as distinguished from stagnant water. The woman perceived that our Lord was not provided with the necessary lowering bucket and camel's hair cord, and said, If you had ever so much desire to give me to drink, it would be useless for me to ask you, since you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep, and there is nowhere else that you can hope to procure better than this. Where would you get it? "Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children and his cattle?" (John 4:12) Again our Lord tactfully ignored the question in the woman's interest -not to deceive her or take advantage of her, but for her benefit. He was instructing her, and leading her mind up from the natural water to the spiritual, and from the natural foundation to the spiritual. He said, "Whomsoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst," for that water "shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life." (v. 14)

That our Lord talked to no ordinary woman is evidenced by the quickness with which she grasped His presentation, and her earnestness to get the living water He had described. She said, "Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw." (v. 15) Again we note our Lord's tactfulness. He turned the subject. It was necessary that the woman should appreciate the fact that she was a sinner and under the death sentence and needed water of eternal life, which God alone could give, and which He has provided only in Jesus, the Fountain. Our Lord turned her thought inward very quickly by saying, "Go, call thy husband." (v. 16) The answer was, "I have no husband" (v. 17), and with that reply came a flood of thought, which our Lord riveted upon her by declaring, You have said well that you have no husband, for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband. The woman was now thoroughly aroused. She perceived that she was in the presence of one who knew her very deepest heart secrets. Yet she feared Him not. She fled not from Him. His kindness, His gentleness, His willingness to talk to a Samaritan woman, indicated that she had "found a friend, oh, such a friend." Her answer was, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet."  

Shrewdly then the woman led the conversation away from matters too personal to herself, and too solemn and too tender for discussion, and our Lord did not follow up the subject, but left it. Many of His followers need to learn this lesson of first awakening in the hearts of their hearers a consciousness of sin, and then leaving it to work for them, at greater leisure, sorrow and repentance and reformation. It is not for us to break the hearts of those around us, but to find those who are broken-hearted. The command is, "Bind up the broken hearted." (Isa. 61: 1) In many instances, as in this one, the broken heart needs to be touched in connection with the binding-up process, in the application of the healing balm of grace and truth, but the touches should be gentle. If more breaking of the heart is necessary, it is not for us to do.

SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS

Not only would the woman escape a discussion of her personal character and affairs, but she would embrace this opportunity of settling in her own mind, with the aid of this one whom she had proven to be a great prophet, a question which had long troubled her ­were the Jews or were the Samaritans right as respected religion and worship? Before her was a proven prophet, and one in whose words she could have great confidence; hence her inquiry, Who are right -our fathers, who claim that this mountain is the place of worship or you Jews, who say that Jerusalem is the only place? Our Lord was not bent upon making of her a Jewish proselyte: the time for that was past; the harvest time had come. He would tell her something that would be to her advantage, and through her to the advantage of others in the near future, when the middle wall of partition would be broken down which still separated the Jews, in God's favor, from all others. His answer, therefore, applied to the Gospel dispensation in general, and this was already beginning so far as some of the Jews were concerned, and would later reach the Samaritans and all Gentiles. He said, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father." (v. 21)

That hour began after the Jewish house had been left desolate, after the new dispensation had been inaugurated, and it still continues. Believers do not have to go to a certain place, a certain mountain, a certain city, a certain house, but may approach the living God, through the great Redeemer, at any place and find Him. That coming hour had already begun, since our Lord himself was the first of the Spirit-begotten ones; and His disciples, accepted of the Father through Him, were taught to pray, to seek, to knock, to find. Those who worship under this Spirit dispensation will not be accepted along the lines of former worship and places -not in families, or nationally. Their acceptance will be as individuals, and because they come unto the Father through His appointed way, the Redeemer, and come "in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him." (v. 23) During past times he did indeed prescribe forms of worship and times and places, but now all that come unto the father "in spirit and in truth" through Christ are accepted.

While it is most absolutely true that forms and ceremonies are not commanded, but the true worship of the heart, nevertheless we feel that some still maintain too much of a relationship to forms and ceremonies, and thus lose much of the spiritual blessing of prayer and communion. But, on the other hand, we seem to see a danger into which some of the Lord's dear people fall, through ignoring all regularity in prayer, and sometimes through too little formality in approaching the throne of heavenly grace, without a sufficiency of humility and reverence for Him who has granted us so great a favor as to receive us into His presence and to hearken to our petitions. While thankful that we can call upon the Lord in every place and at any time, let us approach His courts with reverence, with an awe of heart befitting to us in our humble, lowly condition, and to Him in His great exaltation. Thus we enter into the real spirit of prayer, which should recognize our complete dependence and the greatness of the Almighty.

"WE KNOW WHAT WE WORSHIP"

Very pointedly, though we are sure in no rude manner, our Lord declared the truth to the woman when He said, "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews." (v. 22) The Samaritans, not being of the stock of Israel, were in no sense of the word heirs of the Abrahamic Covenant. Not discerning this cardinal truth in its true light, they were confused as to every feature of the Divine Plan. The Jews, on the contrary, understood that they were the natural seed of Abraham, and that from them must come the great Messiah, and that eventually, through Him and some of their nation associated with Him; all the families of the earth should receive a blessing. Our Lord said, "Salvation is of the Jews." He did not say, For the Jews, nor, To the Jews, exclusively. It was of them in the sense that the Master was of that nation according to the flesh. It was of them in the sense that the promises were exclusively to that nation, so that Messiah could not have been born of any other nation and yet inherit those promises. It was of that nation also, in that from them our Lord selected the earliest members of His church, His body, through whom the invitation to membership in the body has during this age been extended to every nation, people, kindred and tongue.

WHEN MESSIAH COMETH

The mind of the Samaritan woman swept forward in thought. She recalled the expectation of her own people and of the Jews that God would provide a great Messiah, an Anointed One, who would be all-wise and all-powerful to the relief of all perplexity and to lift out of all difficulty. She wondered whether the Messiah could be more wonderfully wise than the prophet, the teacher, to whom she talked. She did not like to ask the question direct, but suggested it sidewise, saying, "I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things." (v. 25) Seeing her readiness of mind, our Lord expressed to her -more plainly, perhaps than to any other person during His ministry -the great fact that He was the Messiah: "I that speak unto thee am he." (v. 26)

The disciples, returning at this time, marveled that He talked with the woman, but had too great respect for Him to question Him; and many since, all through the Gospel Age, reading the account, have marveled at the Master's humility thus displayed. It has brought a good lesson to many of the Lord's followers -that they are not to despise opportunities for service, for preaching of the truth, even though they have an audience of but one. And indeed the opportunity of speaking to one earnest listener should be esteemed far greater than that of addressing a thousand inattentive ones. Doubtless our Lord saw in this woman something that indicated her worthiness of the time and energy thus bestowed upon her.

But from another standpoint, what worthiness could she have? what worthiness do any of us possess by nature? Fallen and imperfect, the only thing remaining that could in any way be pleasing to the Lord would seem to be our honesty of heart. Honesty this woman evidently had, and hence we believe she was favored, and many of the Lord's dear people have received this message since. Here, too, we have another illustration of the importance of using every opportunity that may come to us. Time and energy spent in the assistance of some worthy one may, as in this case, flow out in widening influence to many. Eternity alone will show the value of some of the little things, the feeble efforts put forth in the name of the Lord; and this reminds us that our Lord is judging us by our faithfulness in little things and small opportunities rather than by our great achievements. His own words are, "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much." (Luke 16:10) Remembering this, let us be careful in the little things, little opportunities, the hours and the moments, that we may show ourselves zealous for the Lord and His cause, and have His eventual approval, as well as His present blessing.

THE MISSIONARY SPIRIT

The character of this woman is further displayed in the fact that, leaving her water­bucket, she hastened to the city to tell her friends and neighbors that she had found a great teacher, possibly the Messiah, and to ask them to come and share the privilege of hearing Him. The selfish spirit, which would have bidden her to keep the information to herself, or the slothful, careless spirit, which would have led her to say, I would be pleased if my friends might know, but will not bestir myself to inform them -either of these would have marked the woman as unworthy of the Lord's favor; and had such been her disposition we doubt if the Lord would have entered into conversation with her. And so it is with those who have been reached with present truth; they are, as a rule, not only the honest and sincere, but the generous, who love to give the good things to their neighbors, and who, having heard now of the second presence of the Son of man, and the Kingdom about to be established, and having come to a clearer knowledge than ever before of the truth of the Divine Plan -these rejoice to lay down their lives in its service - the promulgating of "good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people." (Luke 2:10) This is the true missionary spirit, and home missions come first.

"COME UNTO ME AND DRINK"

Our Golden Text is quite in line with the lesson intimated -that before anyone can come to the Lord he must thirst, he must have an appreciation of that which the Lord has to give -the water, the refreshment, of eternal life. This means that he must learn that he is a sinner, and under sentence of death, and there is no hope for a future life except through Christ. The coming to the Lord is the approach of faith. Our thirst is our desire. We drink, or appropriate to ourselves the Divine message. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth" (John 17: 17) - and water is the symbol of truth. The promise of a blessing to those who "hunger and thirst after righteousness" is in full accordance with this. And the promise is, "They shall be filled." This, too, is in harmony with our Lord's statement in our lesson, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst." (v. 14)

In the present time our thirst is in one sense of the word insatiable - we are never satisfied - in the sense that the Lord's blessings are so great and so good that we can never in the present day and the present conditions have enough of them. We shall be satisfied thoroughly when we awake in the Kingdom. Nevertheless, there is a measure of satisfaction to our drinking, even in the present time -just as with a thirsty one at a fountain, he drinks with relish, with appreciation, with satisfaction, only to take more and more. So with those who are the Lord's. He pours into their cup blessings rich and  satisfying, and fills the cup repeatedly. Let us appreciate more and more the truth, the water of life, and let us see to it that we get it pure from the fountain, and that we recognize no other fountain than the Lord Jesus, however much we may appreciate the channels through which the supply may have come to us. (That Servant, Reprints 4130-4132, February 1, 1908)

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UN CLOSES 1998 WITH ANTI-SEMITIC DIATRIBE

The UN closed its annual 1998 season with a vicious attack on Israel by its Geneva based Habitat International Coalition during the Arab-exploited month of November. A few weeks later -in what could be taken as a rebuttal to that onslaught -a fiery speech was delivered at the New York UN Headquarters by the noted UN expert, Dr. Harris O. Schoenberg, Director of UN Affairs for B'nai B'rith and Executive Director of the Coordinating Board of three internationally known Jewish organizations. Moreover, to the shame of Habitat, he is also Honorary Chairman of the UN NGO Human Rights Committee, whose meeting he addressed on December 9th.

Dr. Schoenberg's main topic involved a proposal to establish a Holocaust Memorial at the UN complex. "For decades" he stated, "the UN has displayed an exhibit on Hiroshima to teach about the horrors of the atomic bomb. I don't understand," he added, "why in 50 years it never created an exhibit on the Holocaust, which took six million lives and was the inspiration for the UN's Genocide Convention and its human rights programs."

What disturbed this writer was the fact that the Habitat International Coalition, as an Agency of the UN listed as the "Center for Human Settlements," seemingly a worth­while project, should have indulged in an outright anti-Semitic diatribe. It would be interesting to know who exactly were the 15 Non-Government Organizations (NGO' s) attending the three-day Geneva meeting. Let me cite a few paragraphs of its offensive release issued by one, Miloon Kothari, captioned: "Discriminatory nature of Israel exposed at the UN: Israel responses fail to defend its human rights record:"

"Israel was subjected for the first time to questioning by a UN human rights body about its fundamental laws and institution that institutionalize discrimination against the indigenous Palestinians inside its 1948 borders, as well as in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

"The review covered such issues as the applicability of the Covenant to the occupied Palestinian territories; the role of Zionist public organizations; house demolitions and land confiscations; the impact of closures; the disparity between Jews and Palestinians in such services as health, education, housing; the contradiction between the bi-national reality of the State and its claim to be a 'Jewish State'; and discrimination in Israeli basic laws.

"Both NGO testimony and Committee questions revealed the fundamental discriminatory nature of the State itself. The Committee consensus held that Israel's sustained stranglehold in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, even in areas considered to be under Palestinian National Authority control, carries with it its obligations to apply the Covenant to protect Palestinians' rights in those territories."

It is unbelievable that a UN Human Rights agency dealing with Habitat and Settlements should sink so deep in hatred and devote a three-day session to anti-Semitism as these paragraphs show. There's not a word about PLO incitement, constant terrorism and suicide bombings. What we had was a one-sided, scandalous spectacle.

The hatred continues: "All the NGO presentations affirmed a pattern of discrimina­tion in all these areas at the expense of Palestinians on both sides of the Green Line (the 1948 border). They cited systematic violations to numerous articles of the Covenant; Article 1 (the right to self-determination); Article 2 (non-discrimination); Article 11 (housing and living conditions, food); Article 6 (the right to work); Article 8 (the right to form trade unions); Article 12 (the right to health); Article 13 and 14 (the right to education) and other articles in the Covenant.

"The Committee called into question the apparent contradiction between some Basic Laws and the State's commitment to non-discrimination under the Covenant (Article 2). The Committee questioned Israel about the apparent discriminatory nature of such public Zionist institutions, such as the World Zionist Organization/Jewish Agency and Jewish National Fund. These bodies are linked to the State of Israel by a Basic Law (Status Law) and are committed to serve Jews exclusively, wherever they may be. These institutions manage much of the country's land, water development budgets and other resources and services, but are dedicated not to benefit non-Jewish citizens. The Committee wondered why Israel's Law of Return does not extend to Palestinians."

Dr. Schoenberg's address, calling for a UN Holocaust Memorial and also for a Protocol on politically motivated annihilation, took place at a meeting here, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Convention on the prevention and punishment of the Crime of Genocide... Following so soon after the Habitat diatribe aimed at the Jewish people, it put to shame those few NGO authors of that diatribe.

Some organs of the UN still have a lesson to learn -the history of Israel, the People of the Book. (By David Horowitz, The Jewish Press, March 5, 1999)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

My dear David: Shalom, Shalom!

This is a long overdue letter, to thank you for keeping in touch with me so faithfully. I especially appreciated receiving the copy of the article, "The Jewish Corner at the UN." You certainly deserve every honor for your longstanding devotion to Israel at the United Nations. Surely you are worthy of being their "esteemed and beloved treasure" as stated by Elvi Routtinen, of Finland.

What a shame that "anti-Israel, anti-semitic rhetoric and hostile atmosphere has prevailed in 'this (United Nations) house' throughout most of its existence." What an example you have been of faith in Ha-Shem and His love for the Jewish people and for Israel reborn.

I plan to make copies of this article to send to friends, along with the one you wrote for THE JEWISH PRESS about Casimir and me in our privileged work for Israel, plus the excellent treatise by David Weinberg. The latter was forwarded to me by precious friends who have lived in Israel for 25 years, Lev and Hava Bausch, formerly of Paradise, California. Do you know about them? Their zeal for Israel is unbounded.

What a blessing that you can keep so active at age 93 after your serious illness and loss of your beloved wife. May Ha-Shem give you continued strength to carryon in this most important work. Your articles are forthright and courageous, such as the one printed in THE JEWISH PRESS on October 16, 1998, "The League of Nations Mandate: A Reminder to its UN Successor." With deep gratitude for your example and your friendship,

Yours for Israel's peace and prosperity, Elva Lanowick

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Dear Sister Emily,

I write to thank you most sincerely for receipt of the Bulletin, not only for last year, but all those which you have sent to me. They are an undoubted blessing, I am sure, to all who receive them.

As one who is no longer young in physical years (going on 53), but still young in the Truth, I greatly value the insights which your paper offers. I still read the literature of the LHMM, and other Bible Student groups, and am beginning to see wherein the EBSA differs from others. You pointed out one area (Consecrated Epiphany Campers), and I will turn again to Tabernacle Shadows for confirmation of what you say.

I am also now studying the first few volumes of Brother Johnson's "Epiphany Studies in the Scriptures," and hope to gain much blessings and enlightenment from them.

As you also say, in the first paragraph of No. 502, at this time of year, we, with thankful hearts appreciate His blessings towards us. Please be assured that I regard you and your paper, as one of the Lord's many blessings towards me. I give thanks to Him for that. I hope that in the future, as I encounter difficulties in my studies (as I surely shall), I may humbly draw upon your knowledge and experience to assist me.

For the meantime though, I'll close this note, by expressing my prayer that the Lord may shine His face upon you and your work, and that again in the New Year 2000, you may call upon us all to give thanks to Our Heavenly Father for the richness of His blessings to us. Peace and Christian Love to you! Yours Sincerely, (IRELAND)

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Dear Emily: Shalom!

Despite Herman Bezner's 99 years, he still speaks to the visitors coming to Emek ha Shalom. And Joseph translates his speech into Hebrew. Today, Sabbath, visitors have come for three hours in succession. And there have been visitors here every day last week.

All the best and many kind regards from your friend. Leif Malmkvist (SWEDEN)

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To our brother in Messiah, Kasimir Lanowick:

We received your precious book, THE RECONCILIATION (THE ATONEMENT). It is a marvelous thing that God has sent me this book through you, because of all the problems concerning the personality of our Saviour Jesus and the trinity. It sounds exactly right, just as God revealed these matters to me since I have found my Saviour. It is for that reason that we bless you with all our heart. But the author's name is not shown, because the first few pages are missing. If you know the name of the author, you will render me a great favor by sending it to me. You know that I have had and still have many dissentions with the number of Christians concerning the Divinity of Jesus and the trinity. Thank God that this book has verified my beliefs and I am most pleased to read and re-read it with great enthusiasm.  In the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah we wish you a life of good health in body and in spirit. May the grace of our Lord Jesus always be with you. Amen.

From your brother and sister in Christ, Daniel and Eliehevah Zion

I just ran across this copy of letter Casimir received from the late Rabbi Daniel Zion and his wife October 14, 1952. We were privileged to stay in the same compound with him in Jerusalem in 1950 and saw the many missionaries visiting him, trying to convince Daniel Zion of the Trinity doctrine. You see, on arrival in Israel after World War II Daniel Zion, the former Chief Rabbi of Bulgaria, read the New Testament and became convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, but he could not understand the missionaries' insistence on the Trinity. On our return to the U.S. we sent him the fine book, THE ATONEMENT BETWEEN GOD AND MAN, which explains the truth about the God-dishonoring doctrine of the Trinity. How thrilled we were to receive this reply. It is a much longer story, but suffice it to say that when Casimir visited him later he found the Chart of the Ages in Hebrew on his wall and saw Daniel Zion's translation of the DAILY HEAVENLY MANNA into Hebrew. Of course we had told him that the author of THE ATONEMENT BETWEEN .GOD AND MAN was the renowned Pastor Charles Taze Russell. Elva Lanowick

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Our dear beloved Sister Emily: Shalom! With the whole family of faith.

Thank you for your letter. We have the Reprints, we also have the Overland Monthly. You are right, it is a very valuable book. We have sent it to important personalities, to libraries and gave it to our friends.

We are in a great hurry and cannot refer to the theoretical statements of Pastor Russell, you mentioned. Before their change here the last Body members make the last sacrifices to become accomplished to become sealed in the forehead!

Many have strayed in the last time from the right way -because of too much theory (Laodicea!). The present main points are written in the papers.

Thank you most heartily for your love and daily prayers. He [God] is a vital help.

In sincere Christian love connected, Your thankful Brethren, Hermann Bezner and Joseph Elisha (ISRAEL)

Brothers Hermann's and Joseph's comments are expressed above, "Before their change here the last Body members make the last sacrifice to be accomplished and become sealed in the forehead." We are most happy to learn Bible Students are helping Emek ha Shalom, especially Bible Students who believe the door to the High Calling is open. We now cite Rev. 7:3: "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."

In Biblical Comments That Servant says: "When this occurs we shall understand it to be the shutting of the door of opportunity to membership in the elect Church." All this refers to World War One. Please read all of Matthew 25, and Matthew 25: 10 as referred to.

World War One is the beginning of the Time of Trouble. As That Servant says, the Time of Trouble is not to the Church nor for the Church, it is for the world. That Servant gives three ways that would indicate the door is closed to the High Calling. (Thy Kingdom Come, pages 207,208)

NO. 504 THAT SERVANT - MATT. 24:45-47

My dear Brethren: Grace and peace thru our Beloved Master

Those of the Truth groups who came into the Truth during Brother Russell’s life were substantially of one mind before 1916 – and most emphatically so, that he alone was “That Servant” of Matt. 24:45‑47; and this belief was so firmly entrenched among the various ecclesias that it is doubtful if any one of them would have elected an elder to his office who openly declared his disbelief on the matter. After his death a few – a very few (we know personally of only two) – said they never did believe he was That Servant; but they concealed their opinion so well that it closely approached hypocrisy. One outstanding example of such was Frederick H. Robison, one of the Tower Editors after the Fall of 1916. He then openly declared that he never did believe that Brother Russell or the Society could be “that Servant.” Yet, during the last years of Brother Russell’s life he was a regular resident at the Bible House and devoted his entire time to the Truth work. How long, think you, could he have remained there had he revealed himself then as he did after Brother Russell’s death? And how much reliance should any of us place in a character like that? Surely, we must regard him as a rank hypocrite, harsh though the word may seem.

But in the years that have followed all sorts of views have “sprouted” among Truth people ‑from one extreme to the other. Some hold he was That Servant in such an extreme degree that he gave all the Truth due here in the end of the Age, and that he was also the last saint to be on earth. Others, such as FHR mentioned above, deny he was That Servant in any sense of the word. And in between these two views we find many variations. However, our purpose here is mainly to consider those among us who do believe he was That Servant, but whose views on some important Bible subjects directly rule him out as such. In other words, if he was That Servant, then he self‑evidently was “ruler over this household,” as he was also “ruler over all His goods.” These statements would mean that he dictated the policies without accepting supervision or curtailment from any other individual, or from any group of individuals; and that his teachings were in the overall sense the “due Truth” then. And, if those things were “due Truth” then, they would still be Truth now – making allowance, of course, for some minor discrepancies, some of which he himself corrected later in life.

Our established readers know of our firm belief that Brother Russell was “That Servant” in the exact words of the text; and believing such, it logically follows that we adhere closely to the general Truth structure which he gave the Household when he was with us. Of course, we realize there is some dispute about what he actually taught on a few items – such as tentative justification, the Epiphany and the Time of Trouble being identical, etc.; but those points we shall ignore in this presentation. Brother Russell himself taught that “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Prov. 4:18); and he applied this to the individual life of each sincere believer, as well as to the entire Household. Even assuming there are no more saints on earth, it would still be logical to expect more “light,” as Rotherham’s translation of the text clearly reveals: “The path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, going on and brightening, unto meridian day.” Notice now the footnote: “the stable part of the day, when the sun seems motionless in mid‑heaven.” “The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.” (Mal. 4:2) From Rotherham’s translation and footnote, it is apparent that the rising of “The Sun of righteousness” is in exact proportion to the celestial sun in its rising and progress to high noon. Thus, early risers would see the sun’s rising first, while, others who might sleep to nine or ten in the morning would only see it when they arise, howbeit it would then be much brighter than at early dawn. All of us know that this has been the exact course of the Truth Movement, which forces us to accept one of two views: Either the Truth reached its full splendor in October, 1916, when Brother Russell died, or it has continued to rise higher and higher, and will continue to do so until the “meridian day” – at high noon. And this will come only when “the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea.” Here is the Berean Comment on Isa. 11:9: “Earth shall be full – At the close of the Millennium. This is not true in the present time.” The “seventh trumpet” began to sound in 1874, and will continue to sound until the goats have all been destroyed at the full end of the Little Season.

From the foregoing, it should be clear enough not only that other enlightened teachers would follow after That Servant, but they will continue to appear unto the “meridian day” – at the close of the Millennium, as That Servant himself taught. However, we would say of him that he held the exclusive position of “the steward” here in the end of the Age – a position not occupied by any other individual since the days of the Apostles. But even in this last statement there must be some qualification, lest we be misunderstood. The “ruler over the household” (the twelve Apostles) at the beginning of the Gospel Age wrote by inspiration, and those writings were infallible; but this was definitely not the case with the “ruler over the household” here in the end of the Age.

All of us know that Brother Russell made some mistakes – permitted by the Lord, of course, for “the trial of your faith”; but those mistakes were few indeed when we consider the intricate and massive Truth structure he placed upon the table as the “meat in due season.” However, to offer some allowance for his mistakes, we would say that even the Apostles – at least one of them – also made serious mistakes, outstanding among them being St. Peter himself to whom the Lord had delivered “the keys of the Kingdom.” (Matt. 16:19) “When Cephas [Peter] came to Antioch, I [Paul] opposed him face to face, because he was blamable. For before certain persons came from James, he ate together with the Gentiles; but when they came he withdrew and separated himself, being afraid of those belonging to the circumcision... even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.” (Gal. 2:11‑13,Dia.) In this statement St. Paul openly accuses the one to whom had been committed “the keys of the kingdom” of temporary hypocrisy – a very serious charge indeed, and revealing a fault that was not chargeable to Brother Russell all during his ministry so far as we know.

Many of our readers are probably in full agreement with all of the foregoing, but there are also probably some of our readers who believe there was no special illumination during that portion of the Age that lies between the Apostles and That Servant. This likewise is an extreme position. It was Moses who led Israel from Egypt (type of the world in sin) to goodly Canaan land (type of the Heavenly garner); and in this he was certainly a type of those outstanding individuals during the Age who led spiritual Israel from antitypical Egypt to the Heavenly Canaan. Those brethren also held a high position in the Household; and St. Paul makes this quite clear in Eph. 4:11,12: “He gave some, apostles [the twelve]; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists [such as Timothy]; and some, pastors and teachers [local elders]... for the work of the ministry.” The “prophets” in this text are the same ones mentioned by St. Paul in 1 Cor. 12:28: “God hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets.”

In Eph. 2:20 the Apostle declares that the Church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” And who are the “prophets” in this text? They are the same as mentioned in the two other texts – those who labored in word and doctrine in “the work of the ministry” to build the Church which is His Body. Being the very foundation stones, they must necessarily be a part of the building, which was not true of the Old Testament prophets. These latter have indeed taught the Gospel‑Age Church through their writings; but none of them received the “better thing” which has been reserved exclusively for the Church of this Age. The Gospel‑Age “prophets,” the foundations stones of the Temple, are the same as the “seven stars in His right hand” (Rev. 1:16), who were the special messengers (the Gospel‑Age antitype of Moses) who were given the special messages to the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 – of which “stars” Brother Russell was but one – as he also was one of the “eight principal men” of the “seven shepherds” of Micah 5:5. The “seven shepherds” in this text are the same as the “seven stars” of Revelation, and are the same as the “prophets” mentioned by St. Paul in his writings quoted aforegoing.

EZEKIEL NINE

During Brother Russell’s life those brethren that regarded him exclusively as That Servant also regarded him as the only one included in the “man with the writer’s inkhorn” in Ezek. 9:2,11 so much so that there is inscribed on his tombstone at Allegheny the words, “I have done as thou hast commanded me.” There is a certain logic in all Bible presentations that provides a symmetry and harmony which should never be ignored. In Ezek. 9:1,2, six other men are mentioned, “every man with his destroying weapon in his hand”; but of the seven mentioned only one is said to be “clothed with linen”; and “fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.” (Rev. 19:8) The one “clothed with linen” was to “set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry in the city for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” (Ezek 9:4) Surely, none of us would contend that Brother Russell alone did all of this work, although he did considerably more than any other individual. Nor were the men with the “slaughter weapons” in their hands individuals. These six were the Harvest sifters; and no individual monopolized the sifting errors of any one of the six siftings that occurred after 1874. Thus, consistency would force us to conclude that the man “clothed with linen” was more than one individual. It is true that Brother Russell did put the ink into the horn; he provided the “sharp sickle” of Rev. 14:14,15 (Present Truth – see Berean Comment) that enabled all the reapers to do the Harvest work.

History is not too profuse about many of the “stars” that came after the Apostles, but a sentence or two here and there is sufficient to give us a foundation for the belief in their spiritual insight. As instance, Arius: the record says of him that he “was a man of clear intellect.” And this he well must have been, when we consider the pompous assembly of bishops that congregated at Nice in 325, with only two of that illustrious multitude aligned with him. Yet his arguments that there is but one God were so prevailing and unanswerable that Emperor Constantine concluded that the best way to silence that man was to banish him from the Roman Empire. But even that did not silence him, because he went over into North Africa, where he died after eleven years, leaving a thriving group of “Arians” as his testimonial to the Truth he had loved so well.

And similar conclusion may be made of many others; for instance, Polycarp, Marsiglio, Wessel, Luther, Zwingli, Servetus, Cranmer, Wesley, Miller, et al. Well did the text apply to them: “Sons of God, without rebuke... ye shine as lights in the world.” (Phil. 2:15) The Diaglott states it even more forcefully: “Irreproachable children of God, in the midst of a crooked and misguided generation, among whom you appear as luminaries in the world.” The footnote on this text says that the Greek phosteeres is the name given to the sun and the moon in the Septuagint; and this was certainly a fitting description of those “stars” that led spiritual Israel all during the Gospel Age. Thus, while Brother Russell outshone many of them, he was by no means the only “luminary” that gave a “good and faithful” account of his stewardship.

OBVIOUS CONCLUSIONS

As stated above, among those brethren that contend Brother Russell was That Servant, there are some – quite a few, in fact – that belie their own statements in that they reject so many prominent and essential truths he gave. For instance, some contend that the Second Advent of Jesus has not yet occurred. If that be true, then the Harvest is yet future, because the Chief Reaper is the one who would provide the “sharp sickle” with which to do the reaping work. And note the logical sequence in the pertinent Scripture: “From this time blessed are those dead who die in the Lord... they may rest from their labors; for their works follow after them [as they experience their part in the First Resurrection, and are joined in the Marriage to the Lamb]... And behold! a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a Son of Man [this occurred after the First Resurrection had begun], having on His head a golden crown [authority to rule], and in His hand a sharp sickle... And another angel came forth out of the temple, crying with a loud voice ‘Send thy sickle and reap; because the hour to reap is come.” (Rev. 14:13‑15, Dia.)

And Brother Russell applied this prophecy to his own activity from 1878 until he died in 1916. Thus, if he was That Servant, he instigated and supervised the reaping, put the ink into the inkhorn, and gave “the present Truth”; otherwise, we must catalog him as a rank fraud, with perhaps the most erroneous message ever presented in such a short time during the entire Age.

Also, he correctly predicted the outbreak of the World War in 1914, which began the desolation of Christendom – just as Jeremiah predicted the desolation of Israel during the Babylonian captivity. And in this he clearly antityped Jer. 1:5: “I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” Those who remember conditions back in 1914 know the prediction of a world conflict seemed certain to fall in derision before all, because everything was serene and calm, exceptionally so – with just no indication whatever that in one short 24‑hour day the roof would fall in on Christendom. The Archduke of Austria was driving peacefully along in a carriage in Serajevo (now Serbia), when he and his wife were assassinated; and this precipitated the World War in a matter of hours thereafter. So violent was the disturbance that the New York Stock Exchange closed for many months, so that no one could buy or sell even here in America where we were not yet directly involved in the conflict. But that event brought admission from some of Brother Russell’s erstwhile critics that he was indeed “the prophet unto the nations.”

A PERTINENT STATEMENT

Lest we appear to stress this situation overly much, we now offer a quotation from Volume 2, p. 28, “The Time is at Hand,” the same having been first presented to the public in 1889 – 25 years before the world uproar began:

“It is a grave error into which many fall, to suppose a knowledge of God’s doings and plans is of little importance, the graces of Christian character are all God requires, and these are better conserved by ignorance. How differently the Scriptures present the matter! They counsel not only to cultivate the graces of the Christian character, but to preserve constantly the condition of heart that will enable us to discern the truth, especially the Truth of the Lord’s presence when due, and when dispensational changes take place. A knowledge of dispensational truth is as important in the end of this Age as in the end of the Jewish Age. Those who did not discern the truth then due did not receive the favors then due. So in the end of this Age: Those who cannot discern the truth now due, blinded by unbelief and worldliness, cannot receive special favors now due. They are not overcomers, and hence not fit to be the bride of Christ, and to enter into the glorious inheritance of the saints as joint‑heirs with Him. Truth, in this Age, under adverse conditions for its reception, becomes a test of our faithfulness to God, and hence as a sickle separates the fit from the unfit, the wheat from the tares.

“Odium attaches to the study of prophetic time through past misapplications of it by the Second Adventists and others, and the consequent failures to realize the events expected to occur at set times. But we see that even this is a part of God’s plan to obscure the subject to all but the class for whom it was intended, by permitting contempt and ridicule to attach to it, hindering the worldly‑wise and prudent from grasping it (Matt. 11:25). This, we doubt not, was as much a part of the Divine Plan as sending Jesus into Nazareth, a despised place “that He might be called a Nazarene” (Matt. 2:23), though He was born in the honorable town of Bethlehem. As the worldly‑wise and prudent of that day said, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? so today, when prophetic time or anything relating to Jesus’ advent is mentioned, many cry Adventist, as if to say, Can any good thing come out of Adventism? though they admit that many prophecies containing time are not yet fulfilled, and that the second coming of the Lord is the most prominent topic of Scripture.”

Recently we heard a brother offer an excellent oration on this subject, in which he stressed the Scripture, “It is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I place in Zion a foundation‑corner stone, chosen, honorable; and he who confides in it shall not be ashamed. The honor therefore is for the believers; but to the disbelieving, this stone which the builders rejected, was made into the head of a corner – even a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense... to both the houses of Israel.” (1 Pet. 2:6‑8, Dia.; Isa 8:14) And what is the “stone of stumbling”? Is it not the recognition of the Messiah, and the time concerning His presence. Indeed, the accusation was flung at the Jews: “The days will come on thee, when thine enemies shall throw a rampart around thee... and lay thee level with the ground... because thou didst not know the season of thy visitation.” (Luke 19:43,44, Dia.) Thus it was the presence of the Lord Jesus, and the accompanying works, that was “the stone of stumbling” for the Jews at that time.

Consequently, the sharp criticism of Jesus: “If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin – but now they have no excuse for their sin.” (John 15:22‑24) And further in Luke 7:19‑23, Dia.: “And summoning two of his disciples, John sent to the Lord, saying, ‘Art thou the coming one? or are we to expect another?’ And having come to Him, the men said, ‘John, the Immerser, sent us to thee, saying, ‘Art thou the coming one? or are we to expect another?’... And Jesus answering, said to them, ‘Go, tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind are made to see, the lame to walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, glad tidings are announced to the poor; and happy is he who shall not stumble at Me.”’ But the most of the Jews were “slow of heart”; their hearts had waxed fat; their eyes and ears they had closed – they did “stumble”; and they reaped the consequent destruction at the hands of the Roman army under Titus.

Much the same condition exists today with many who claim to have the faith of their fathers, blinded also at least partially to the mission and works of That Servant. He it was who clearly defined the ten cardinal doctrines of the Bible, and coordinated them with each other. This he did as no other man before him had ever done. Further, he examined the various stewardship doctrines of the “stars” who had preceded him, cleansed them of their flaws, polished them as no other man had ever before done. For example, the stewardship doctrine of Martin Luther was “Justification by faith”; but That Servant defined Justification in all its various details much more effectively and clearly than Martin Luther himself had done. This he did likewise with the doctrines of the Second Advent, of Baptism, of the Lord’s Supper, of the elective and restitution salvations, the condition of the dead, the true meaning of the soul, etc. All of these he made crystal clear, and harmonized them with each other. Thus, it could truly be said of him that he had done among us “the works which none other man did.” And he, too, became “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” to Big Babylon during the small Parousia Day; and he is now the same “stone of stumbling” to many.

“In the time of the end knowledge shall be increased.” (Dan. 12:4) The great increase of knowledge was first of all spiritual, having its beginning about 1870. And the Scripture clearly states that That Servant would be dispensing the “meat in due season” when “his Lord cometh.” Therefore, when we would observe the offering of the “meat in due season,” it would give us absolute proof that the Lord had also come. It is as clear as the noonday sun. But, of those who cannot discern this evident truth, it is written of them, “Our lamps are gone out” – they have lost the spirit of understanding. Note the Berean Comment on Matt. 25:3.

Nor was it long after the appearance of the spiritual truth until secular truth began to come forth – in keeping with the prophecy, “Truth shall spring out of the earth [the present social order].” (Psa. 85:11) A little reflection will give ample substantiation: At the end of the Civil War in 1865 there wasn’t a telephone in the United States (or anywhere else in the world); no radio, no television, no automobiles, no typewriters. The United States was then largely an agricultural country, and the people were forced to provide their own entertainment, such as it might be. A favorite mode of travel was horseback or carriage; with oil lamps to give light to all rural homes. The first practical typewriter came in 1874, with the electric light some years after that. It is stated by some that the electric light has been the most beneficial invention for mankind in all history, and we would certainly not quarrel with that. But it also came after the Lord had come – a sound secular evidence that the Lord had indeed come. After the Civil War the people were still harvesting their wheat, barley, etc., with sickles and scythes; it required a very good team of horses to plow and prepare two acres of land for planting in one day – a dawn‑to‑dusk day, not an eight‑hour day. Today it is ordinary procedure for a large tractor to prepare and plant 75 acres in one day. “Knowledge shall be increased,” and only the spiritually blind cannot read the signs of the times in such things.

The desolation of Palestine began in the fall of 607 B.C „ and is paralleled by the beginning of the desolation of Christendom in 1914. Thus, we may logically look for parallel happenings in both “houses of Israel.” Today the youth are calling many of the turns in our social order; 18‑year‑olds are now given the vote. They are also intimidating their teachers in many parts of the country – so much so that the teachers are afraid to correct or discipline them for fear of the knife, the club, or the gas pipe after school. Note the charge against Jewry about 100 years before Jerusalem was leveled: “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them.” (Isa. 3:12) All of us have recognized that there is always bedlam in any home where the children run riot without correction. All of these things, and many more, are but the “signs” that point to the second presence of Jesus.

SITTING IN MOSES’ SEAT

Just before His death, Jesus said: “The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.” (Matt. 23:2) The full significance of this is not discerned until we understand the custom of that time, which was just the reverse of what we have today. At that time the speaker, or teacher, sat, as the audience or pupils stood. This was so pronounced then that in the Talmud “to sit” is almost synonymous with “to teach.” An instance of this is Matt. 5:1: “When He was set, His disciples came unto Him. And He opened His mouth, and taught them.” Therefore, when Jesus said that those Jewish leaders sat in the seat of Moses, He meant that they occupied the teaching position in Israel. This is further confirmed in John 18:13,14: “They led Him away to Annas first, for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. Now Caiaphas was he which gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.” Note now the Berean Comment on verse 13: “Was the high priest... And, therefore, until the rejection of the Jewish House, was to a certain extent God’s mouthpiece.”

That same condition would also apply here in the end of the Age. “Babylon hath been a golden cup [the golden cup being the Divine Truth] in the Lord’s hand.” (Jer. 51:7) But she was rejected from such position in 1881, until today there is no semblance of God’s mouthpiece at all in Big Babylon. Thus, we must look elsewhere for the counterpart of those Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day; and it doesn’t require much insight to find them in Little Babylon – the outstanding example being Jehovah’s Witnesses. Are they not telling the world that they are the only gate to salvation? And, in their attempt to construct a tower (gateway) to Heaven, have they not had their tongues sadly confused a “Babel” of most repellent sort? Let us note once more that Moses was a type of the Star Members of this Age, of which That Servant was a most prominent one. But the Witnesses now claim succession to him as mouthpiece to Christendom – to take up where he left off; they claim the teaching position to Christendom. Therefore, they, by their own admission, do claim to sit in the seat of antitypical Moses.

During the Age the Roman Church soon learned that they could tell their adherents most any weird sort of yarn, and they would believe it. In fact, if they did not believe it, they were not “good Catholics.” The Witnesses have followed in exact pattern: their adherents must also believe just what they teach. If any one in their midst persists in asking questions that may appear to contradict what is published in their Watch Tower, it will not be long until he is disfellowshiped – after which the “faithful” are instructed not even to speak to him if they see him on the street.

It thus becomes pertinent here to offer some more from Parousia Vol. 2, pp. 29‑31: “We have great sympathy for the First Adventists, the Jews, and the Second Adventists, though only a few of either realized the truths they so nearly apprehended, yet failed to grasp, blinded by false expectations. Our Adventist friends have failed to recognize both the manner and the object of the Lord’s return as taught in the Scriptures; consequently, they have not been expecting to see Him as He is, but as He was. They consider the object of His coming one which will fill the hearts of all except the saints with dismay and terror; that His object is to gather the elect, destroy all others of mankind, and burn up the world. Having such ideas, they used time prophecy as a whip to scourge and drive the world to God [as the Witnesses are now also doing through the threat of destruction in Armageddon]... God provided time prophecies for no such purpose, nor will He attempt to convert the world in any such way; for He seeketh such to worship Him as worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23), and not such as are frightened into His service. [Here is a direct contradiction to the technique of the Witnesses, as they claim to “sit in Moses’ seat” – as successors to That Servant] If He designs to terrorize men into obedience, He could have devised some more successful method than the proclamation of time, as our Adventist friends have proved.

“Prophetic time was given, not to alarm the world, nor for the world in any sense, but to strengthen, comfort, encourage and guide the Church in the troublous times in the end of the Age. Therefore, it is written, ‘None of the wicked [the world in general] shall understand, but the wise only [those who have accepted the Wisdom from above].’ (Dan. 12:10) To these this becomes meat in due season [the faithful and wise servant was to “give them meat in due season”], and it, with other meat, strengthens those who use it, so that they may be able to stand in the evil day [in which we now find ourselves], the day of trouble with which this Age closes. It will enable them to understand the events transpiring around them, so that they will not be consumed by fear and dread [by the threat of Hell Fire, or Armageddon blood bath], not swallowed up by the projects and false theories, science falsely so‑called, with which this day abounds. And, withal, they may be in the devouring fire (trouble), witnesses for God and His plan, and teachers of the people ‑pointers to the outcome of Jehovah’s plan, lifting up a standard for the people (Isa. 62:10).”

In the above quotation from That Servant it is clearly discernible that he taught that as long as sin and evil are in the ascendancy – and no one in sound mind will dispute that fact – the “call” is not for the world in general. Only the “elect” who make the promises their own are able to stand trial for life now, in faith and obedience. But the Witnesses set aside that logical teaching, and tell the world they MUST accept them and their present system of error, or die in Armageddon, with no hope of a resurrection. And why do they teach such? Because they have had their chance, they say. To those who cannot accept their teachings now in “this present evil world” they offer no hope for any kind of future life. Thus, they preach the Kingdom, but without the “glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” Not even their own “dedicated” devotees can have “fullness of joy” in this teaching, because many of their own dear friends and relatives are not joining with them, and will, they apparently believe, subsequently suffer annihilation.

Just a little reflection should reveal how ridiculous is their present position. They themselves admit their imperfections, their fallibility and monstrous mistakes of the past (such as Millions Now Living Will Never Die, the return of the Ancient Worthies by 1925, etc.). “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9); and they will not learn it from fallible teachers who are not themselves certain of many of their teachings (such as the chronology, etc. ), but they will learn it from perfect teachers, who will be “princes in all the earth.” “Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:3)

As That Servant has so well taught, the Truth is not for the world now, though there be many good and honorable people who have a measure of appreciation for the “good tidings” – the gospel, the good news – but do not accept it in the full sense. They are not of the “many that are called,” but are measurably blinded by “the god of this world.” (2 Cor. 4:4) And certainly a blind man cannot be justly faulted if he stubs his toe against a stone. “I desired mercy [not condemnation for those who cannot comprehend], and not sacrifice [feverish efforts on street corners – a “zeal not according to knowledge”], and the knowledge of God [the true understanding of the great Plan of the Ages as it was explained by That Servant] more than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6)

“There is none so blind as he who will not see” – but this does not apply to the fully faithful who “continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” (2 Tim. 3:14) They do this from a “good and honest heart” and can readily discern between Truth and Error, thereby continue to “grow in Grace and in the Knowledge’ of our Beloved Lord. “Light [truth] is sown for the righteous [the consecrated], and gladness [the joys of the truth] for the upright in heart [for the fully faithful].” (Psa. 97:11)

(John J. Hoefle, No. 191, May 1971)

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“IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW”

BROTHER ROBERTO A. BLANDON finished his course on December 23, 1998. He was 82 years old. He was a structural design engineer for Public Service, Newark, NJ for 25 years, retiring in 1980. He attended Purdue University where he received an engineering degree in 1941 and Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received an aeronautical engineering degree in 1944. He was a member of the alumni associations of both universities. Born in Leon, Nicaragua, he lived in Maplewood before moving to West Long Branch, NJ eighteen years ago.

Surviving are his wife, Helen; a son, Ronald R., Monmouth Beach, NJ; and three sisters, Stella Blandon, Leon, Nicaragua, Nelly Blandon and Teresita Love, both of South Miami, FL.

He was not a believer in any denominations, but when he first heard the Truth, he accepted it immediately. “...Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.” (John 18:37) He is now “asleep in Jesus” and is awaiting the resurrection of the just.

Here are some of the beautiful remarks made by Rev. John Kleinkeksel at Roberto’s funeral:

“We thank God that through the grace of Jesus Christ, blots can be made to contribute to beauty of character. We praise God for the love that judges a life, a family and a congregation, not by its blunders of blots, but by its entirety. God help us to turn to place a garland of understanding around the mistakes of others, in knowing how easy it is to err.

“Thank you Roberto Blandon for everything you have done to bring beauty and love to our world. May we spread the fragrance of Christ’s love during the time remaining for us as well.”

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SISTER DORA WALCOTT of Trinidad, WI. Finished her course on July 23, 1998. She was 93 years old. She did not have children, but is survived by grand nephews and nieces. However, she had mothered quite a few children, some not even blood relatives, one of whom made the funeral arrangements. Some relatives traveled from the USA for the service, which was conducted by Brother John. She was faithful in all her commitments and was loved, not only by her immediate ecclesia, but by all who knew her. She always looked forward to the Kingdom and we believe she will be one of the “princes in all the earth.” (Psa. 45:16)