“And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with Glory, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Hag. 2:7)
“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Micah 4:1, 2)
“At that time they shall call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.” (Jer. 3:17)
Dread events are now casting shadows and causing fear and trepidation in this present evil world, but those who look from “the secret place of the Most High” (Psa. 91:1), see a silver lining to the clouds of trouble which may well cause them to look up and lift up their heads and rejoice that their deliverance draweth nigh, and also relief for all bought with the precious blood, when the “Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his beams.” (Mal. 4:2)
Many of these current conditions are so openly manifest that even the thoughtful natural man may be considerably impressed. But now we approach a part which requires a clearer sight, more careful study of the Lord’s Word and a firmer grasp of faith; for it deals with things not yet visible except to the eye of faith. However, God’s people are expected to walk by faith and not by sight, and to trust that what God has promised he is abundantly able to perform (Rom. 4:18-21).
Of these things none could know by any learning or wisdom of his own; but all who have the unction from the Holy One have faith in the power of God to say: “There hath not failed one word of all his good promise” (1 Kings 8:56); and these can with patience wait, and trust implicitly for future good things.
We learned in Vol. I, “Studies In The Scriptures,” (Chaps. 13 and 14 and Vol. II, Chap. 4) that the “Times of the Gentiles,” which occupy the interim of time between the removal of the typical Kingdom from Israel and the full establishment of the true Messianic Kingdom upon the ruins of the present World Governments, will end in October A.D. 1914. We have seen that the period of our Lord’s presence from 1874 to 1914 is a “harvest” time, the earlier part of it for gathering his elect bride, and the latter part a time of trouble, for the overthrow of present institutions, in preparation for the new Kingdom.
Let us now examine, in the light of the prophetic lamp (Psa. 119:105; 2 Pet. 1:19), some of the details connected with the setting up of this Kingdom of the Highest, which is to be the fifth universal empire of earth, and to have no end; and to bring blessings to all its subjects, while all other kingdoms have in great measure brought disappointment and oppression to the “groaning creation.” No wonder that in type it is declared to be ushered in with a Jubilee trumpet (Lev. 25:9); and no wonder the Prophet Haggai (2:7) assures us that eventually it shall be recognized as the “Desire of all nations.”
As having a practical bearing upon the manner of the establishment of “the Kingdom of God,” the “Kingdom of Heaven,” let us keep in memory what we have already learned from the Scriptures (Vol. I, pp. 288-300.) respecting this Kingdom’s royalty and those who shall constitute it.
(1) It is the Kingdom of God in the sense that the Heavenly Father is the Great King and has arranged the plan of salvation of which the Millennial Kingdom will be a part. It is his Kingdom also in the sense that it will be established and perpetuated by his power (1 Cor. 15:24-26). It is his Kingdom further, in that it will represent him as the great chief ruler, and his laws and his love and mercy through the Mediator whom he has appointed.
(2) It is also the Kingdom of Christ—the Kingdom of God’s dear Son, in that Christ as the Mediator of the New Covenant will be the active ruler of this Millennial Kingdom, as the Father’s representative, for the purpose of subduing evil, destroying sin, and bringing into full, hearty obedience to the Father and his laws all of the redeemed race willing to be fully restored to the Divine likeness and favor and everlasting life.
(3) It will be the Kingdom of the Saints, in that they as “a royal priesthood” (Rev. 5:10) shall reign and judge and bless the world in conjunction with their Lord, Jesus (Rom. 8:17,18).
The Kingdom class proper will consist only of our Lord and his “elect” of this Gospel Age, to whom he said: “Fear not, little flock, it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” Of these, also, the Lord said to the Prophet Daniel, “The Kingdom and dominion, even the majesty of the Kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all rulers shall serve and obey him.” (Dan. 7:27)
But these, be it remembered, will all be “changed” in their resurrection (the first resurrection—Rev. 20:4,6; 1 Cor. 15:42-46,50-54; John 3:5,8) and thereafter will no longer be human beings, but “partakers of the divine nature,” and as invisible to mankind as are God and the heavenly angels. There will consequently be necessity for some means of communication between this glorious Church and those whom it will be judging (See 1 Cor. 6:2; and Vol. I, Chap. 8.) and lifting up out of the degradation of sin and death. Such communication between spirit beings and humanity in the past has been accomplished by the spirit beings appearing in bodies of flesh, and thus communing with certain important persons respecting Divine arrangements. Thus angels appeared to Abraham and Sarah and Lot and Gideon and Daniel and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and others. Such communication was made by our Lord to the apostles after his resurrection as a spirit being—because it was necessary to communicate to them certain instructions, and “the holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:39)
But we do not expect that the communication between the spiritual rulers and their earthly subjects will be after this manner during the Millennium; for we find that God has made provision that a certain class of humanity, already tried (during the period before the Gospel Age) and found worthy of perfection and everlasting life, shall throughout the Millennial Age serve as the intermediaries between the spiritual Kingdom, the Saints, and their subjects, mankind.
(4) These intermediaries, while not the Kingdom in the proper sense of the word, will be so fully the representatives of it amongst men that they will be recognized as the Kingdom by men: they will represent the Kingdom before men and be the only visible representatives of it. Hence we have termed these “the earthly phase of the Kingdom,” visible among men. (Luke 13:28)
These, “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets” and Ancient Worthies referred to by our Lord and by the apostles (Matt. 8:11; Heb. 11:4-40), having passed their trial, will be awakened from death perfect—fully restored to human perfection; and will not require a “resurrection by judgment” a thousand years long, as will the residue of mankind. And this perfection will enable them to communicate with the spiritual Kings and Priests direct, without need that the spirit beings assume fleshly bodies for the purpose of communicating the laws, etc., for the world. Just as Adam, while perfect, before his transgression, could commune direct with the heavenly powers, so will these Worthies commune, when restored to the same state of perfection.
But the earthly rulers will not be the “Kings and Priests,” but under the King’s appointment they shall be “princes in all the earth”—prominent or chief ones—rulers, instructors.
INTIMATE COMMUNICATION
Between The Kingdom And Its Representatives
That the earthly phase of the Kingdom will be on terms of intimate communion, fellowship and cooperation with the Kingdom proper, the spiritual rulers, is evident. They will be related to each other as father and children, and as cooperative departments of the same heavenly government: the heavenly being the legislative or law-giving department, and the earthly the executive or law enforcing department.
As it is written: “Out of Zion [the spiritual Kingdom] shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord [the Divine messages, through the “princes”] from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:3)
SETTING UP THE KINGDOM
“The Kingdom of God is preached, and every man [accepting the testimony as a message from God] presseth into it.” (Luke 16:16) For over nineteen centuries this message, this offer of the Kingdom, has been doing its intended work of selecting the “elect overcomers” from the world. During all this Age these have waited the Father’s time for their setting up or exaltation to power, as his Kings and priests, to rule and to teach the redeemed people of the earth, and thus bring to them the opportunity of everlasting life through faith and obedience. Yet during all this time this Kingdom class has suffered violence at the hands of the Ishmael and Esau class, and at the hands of Satan, the prince of this world, and his blinded servants. As Jesus expressed it—”The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt. 11:12) He, the head of the Kingdom, suffered to the extent of death; and all of his followers have suffered something of earthly loss as a consequence of being translated out of the power of darkness into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son (Col. 1:13).
This submission for over nineteen centuries to the violence of dominant evil has not been because of lack of power on the part of our risen, ascended and glorified Lord to protect his people; for after his resurrection he declared—“All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matt. 28:18) The exercise of the power is delayed for a purpose. In the Father’s plan there was a “due time” for the great sacrifice for sins to be given, and another due time for the Kingdom to be set up in power and great glory to rule and bless the world: and these were far enough apart to permit the calling and preparing of the “elect” Church to be joint-heirs of the Kingdom with Christ. The evil influences and opposition of sinners have been permitted for the purifying, testing and polishing of those “called” to be members of the Kingdom class. As with the Head, so with the Body, it is God’s design that each member shall as a New Creature be “made perfect through suffering.” (Heb. 5:9)
But now we are in the end of this Gospel Age, and the Kingdom is being established or set up. Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874, A.D. according to the testimony of the prophets, to those who have ears to hear it: and the formal inauguration of his kingly office dates from April 1878, A.D.: and the first work of the Kingdom, as shown by our Lord, in his parables and prophecy (the gathering of “his elect”), is now in progress.
“The dead in Christ shall rise first,” explained the Lord through the Apostle; and the resurrection of the Church shall be in a moment. (Vol. III, Chap. 6) Consequently the Kingdom, as represented in our Lord, and the sleeping Saints already fitted and prepared and found worthy to be members of “his body” the “bride” was set up in 1878; and all that remains to be done for its completion is the “gathering together unto the Lord” of those of the “elect” who are alive and remain—whose trial is not yet complete.
However, instead of the Kingdom waiting for the living members to finish their course, the Kingdom work began at once; and the living ones on this side the veil, are privileged to know “the mysteries of the Kingdom” and to engage in Kingdom work before their “change”; and as they die (will not fall “asleep,” but) will be “changed” in the moment of death, resurrected as part of the blessed and Holy first resurrection: as it is written—“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, they shall rest from their labors, while their works will continue.” (Rev. 14:13)
All this is in harmony with the Scriptural declaration that the Kingdom of God must first be set up before its influence and work will result in the complete destruction of “the powers that be” of “this present evil world”—political, financial, ecclesiastical—about the close of the “Times of the Gentiles,” October A.D. 1914. Let us note some scriptures to this effect.
In describing the events under the Seventh Trumpet, this order is observed: (1) the power is taken by the Lord as King of Earth, and his reign begun; (2) as a consequence the great judgment-trouble comes upon the world. We are told, prophetically, that the reign begins before the Time of Trouble, and before the resurrection of the Saints and prophets; but that it will continue long after these (for a thousand years), until it shall have “judged” all mankind, rewarding those who reverence the Lord, and destroying those whose influence is corrupting. Note these points in the following quotation:
“We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art and wast and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. [Represented in Christ, “All things are of the Father,” and “all things are by the Son,” his honored representative.] And [as a consequence of the reign begun] the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that reverence thy name, small and great; and shouldst destroy them which corrupt the earth.” (Rev. 11:17,18)
We read similarly that the Kingdom reign will begin before “Babylon” falls; and that Babylon will fall as a result of Kingdom judgments—discerned later by some in her who are represented as getting light and liberty through Christ after her fall. They say:
“True and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great harlot which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.” (Rev. 18; 19:2-7)
The Prophet Daniel was divinely inspired to rehearse and explain to King Nebuchadnezzar his vision of Gentile power, represented by a great image. The vision showed a stone smiting the image on the feet, and as a result the utter wreck of Gentile power, and that stone then expanding until it filled the whole earth. The explanation given shows that God’s Kingdom will be set up and fully empowered, and that the wreck of earthly governments will be the direct result of the energy of that Kingdom. Daniel’s inspired testimony is as follows:
“In the days of these kings [the last of Gentile power-represented in the toes of the image] the God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom [present in embryo throughout the Gospel Age, but not recognized by the world as such]; it [unlike the changing Gentile powers pictured in the image] shall never be destroyed; and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people [as the power of the image shifted from one people to another], but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” (Dan. 2:44,45]
Our Lord assured his faithful that at the time of the establishment of his Kingdom and the overthrow of Gentile power, the overcoming Church would be with him, and have a share in that work. His own words are:
“He that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.” (Rev. 2:26,27)
We may not be able to judge accurately as to what features of the great work are now being carried on by the Lord and his glorified saints beyond the veil.
However, we may be sure that they are active participants in the work assigned the members of the same Kingdom class, whose course and service are not yet ended on this side the veil—the harvest work (1) of gathering the living “elect”; (2) of saying unto Zion “Thy God reigneth”—the Kingdom is being set up; and (3) declaring the Day of Vengeance of our God.
SETTING UP THE EARTHLY GOVERNMENT
Not before the full end of Gentile Times (October, 1914) should we expect the earthly phase of God’s Kingdom; for in giving a lease of dominion to the Gentiles until that date God made no mistake and his plans alter not. The earthly phase of the Kingdom of God when set up will be Israelitish; for such is God’s covenant with Abraham and his natural seed. Even the chief favor, the spiritual Kingdom, was offered first to fleshly Israel, and would have been given to them if they had been ready at heart to receive it on the conditions attached to it, to suffer with Christ and afterward to be glorified with him (Rom. 8:17). Israel indeed desired and sought the best God had to give; but “Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for: but the election [the “little flock” selected from both Jews and Gentiles] hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded”—not forever, but until the election of the spiritual seed, the Kingdom proper, is completed (Rom. 9:31-33; 11:7,23, 25-32).
While Israelites in various stages of unbelief will be gathered back to Palestine under Divine favor, according to promise, yet none shall be in any degree reckoned as a part, or even as supporters of, or associated with the earthly phase of the Kingdom, except as they shall first recognize Christ Jesus as the Son of God, the only Redeemer and Deliverer for Israel and the world.
The beginning of the earthly phase of the Kingdom after 1914 — will, we understand, consist wholly of the resurrected holy ones of olden time—from John the Baptizer back to Abel, ”Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the holy prophets.” (Matt. 11:11; Luke 13:28; Heb. 11:39,40) While these Ancient Worthies will have neither part nor lot in the spiritual Kingdom, because not “called” thereto, that high or “heavenly calling” not being possible until after the ransom had been paid by our Lord Jesus, yet they will occupy a position of preferment above the world, having attested their faith and love during the reign of evil, in a manner approved of God. Thus they were prepared and proved worthy to be the earthly ministers and representatives of the spiritual Kingdom. In harmony with this it is written in the Psalms, as addressed to the Christ—”Instead of [being longer considered] thy fathers [they] shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes [chief ones] in all the earth.” (Psa. 45:16)
These Ancient Worthies will be unlike the rest of men, not alone in the fact that their trial is past while the trial of the world in general will just be beginning; but they will be unlike them also in the fact that they will have attained the reward of their faithfulness—they will be perfect men, having completely restored to them all that was lost in Adam of mental and moral likeness to God, and perfection of physical powers. Thus they will not only be the “princes” or chiefs of earth (the earthly representatives of the Heavenly Kingdom—Christ and his Church), but they, individually, will be representatives of what all the willingly obedient may attain to under the New Covenant.
When Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the Ancient Worthies have been resurrected, and shall appear among the re-gathered Israelites, about the close of the time of Jacob’s final trouble with Gog and Magog, their superior mental powers will speedily distinguish them from others. Moreover, their perfect minds will quickly grasp present-day knowledge and inventions; and they will be peculiar in many ways, as was the man Christ Jesus, of whom the people said—“How knoweth this man literary matters, having never learned?” (John 7:15)
And as Jesus taught the people positively, definitely, clearly, and not doubtfully and in a confused way, as did the scribes, so it will be with the perfected Ancient Worthies, when they appear amongst men. Besides, these worthies, “princes,” will have direct communion with the spiritual Kingdom (Christ and the Church) as our Lord had with the angels, and as Adam enjoyed similar personal communion before he came under Divine sentence as a transgressor. These “princes” of the new earth (the new order of society) will be fully qualified for the honorable position assigned to them.
Thus we see that when God’s time for the inauguration of his Kingdom among men shall arrive, his agents will all be amply ready for the service; and their master-strokes of wise policy, their moderation and dignified self-control, and their personal exemplification of every grace and virtue will attract men and quickly enlist them—chastened under the great tribulation—in active cooperation. Even before the disclosure of their identity, doubtless the people of Israel will have remarked their pre-eminence over other men.
Furthermore, let us remember that the very design of the great Time of Trouble, now nearing a culmination, is to break the stony hearts of the whole world, to bow down into the dust the proud, and break up the fallow ground with deep furrows of pain, trouble, sorrow, thus to make the world ready for the great blessings of the Millennial Kingdom.
This will serve its intended purpose: as the Prophet declares, “When thy judgments [Lord] are [abroad] in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” (Isa. 26:9) By that time all will have learned that selfish schemes and all schemes that can be devised and carried out by fallen men are defective, and lead only to various degrees of trouble and confusion. And all will by that time be longing for, but despairing of, a reign of righteousness—little realizing how near at hand it is.
Israel’s long cherished hopes of the Kingdom will meantime be reviving amongst those who, from respect for the promises, shall have gathered to Palestine. When to these the Ancient Worthies shall declare their resurrection, and the form of righteous government to be established, the plan will undoubtedly be promptly recognized as of the Lord, and when they shall learn that the real Kingdom over them is the spiritual, and that Jesus the crucified is the King, and mentally, with the eye of faith, shall “look upon him whom they pierced”—then, “They shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem.” And God “will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication.”(Zech. 12:10,11)
The news of the discomfiture of the hosts of Gog and Magog, and of the wonderful deliverance of Israel from their enemies, will be speedily followed by the news of the appearance of their renowned “fathers,” resurrected, and the establishment of a government with these at its head, and of the general conversion of Israel to the long rejected Messiah. And no doubt much of this will pass for a fraud amongst Gentiles: the Jews will be laughed at for being gullible, and the Ancient Worthies will be classed as shrewd impostors.
But the blessing from the reorganization of government under the new auspices in Israel, will work such wonderful and rapid changes in Israel’s welfare as will astonish the then anarchistic and discouraged world, and lead many to think and to say—whether impostors or not, the work of these men who claim to be the resurrected prophets is the very one the world needs! Would to God they would take control of the whole world, and bring order and peace out of our universal disorder. And then they will send to have these wonderful “princes” extend everywhere their government, their yoke of righteousness, seen to be so beneficial to Israel. This is stated by the Prophet in the following words: “It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain [Kingdom] of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains [as a Kingdom above all kingdoms], and shall be exalted above the hills [the highest peaks]; and all nations shall flow unto it.
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain [Kingdom] of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion [the spiritual Kingdom—the glorified Christ, head and body] shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem [the seat of the earthly representative government in the hands of the “princes”]. And [previously—in the great Time of Trouble] he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people. And [as a result of the Lord’s rebukes and subsequently his law and Word] they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isa. 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-4)
THE INTIMACY BETWEEN THE KINGDOM AND ITS EARTHLY “PRINCES”
As we should expect, the communication between the two phases or parts of the Kingdom will be easy and direct; and thereby the supervision and instruction of mankind will be complete—the “princes” being the channels of Divine commu-nication. This seems to be the intimation of our Lord’s words to Nathanael: “Hereafter ye shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God [the messengers of God, the “princes” of the new dispensation] ascending to and descending from the Son of Man.” (John 1:51) Was not Jacob’s dream of the ladder between heaven and earth, and the passing to and fro of messengers, a prophecy as well as a dream, foreshowing the coming close communication between the Heavenly Kingdom and the world, in which work, as one of the communicating messengers, Jacob himself was to have a share in the blessing of the world? We believe that it was so intended (Gen. 28:10-12).
That Moses, the mediator of the Law Covenant, was a type of Christ, the Mediator of the New Covenant, is clearly taught in the Scriptures and generally recognized by Bible students; but all have not recognized that Moses was a type of the entire Christ, head and body, and that in this sense the entire Gospel Age has been the period of Christ’s raising up. This, however, is the only application of the type that will fit in a number of cases: for instance, in Acts 3:22,23.
At the making of the Law Covenant, at Mount Sinai, Moses seems to have been a type of the complete Christ (head and body) at the introduction of the Millennial Age, when the New Covenant will be introduced to the world—after “the sound of the great [seventh] trumpet,” and the black darkness and “great earthquake,” etc., of the Day of Vengeance shall have appalled mankind and made them ready to hear the voice of the Great Teacher, and glad to accept his New Covenant. This is distinctly pointed out by the Apostle (Heb. 12:18-22) who seems to mark every step of the parallelism. Israel had been approaching and had finally reached Mount Sinai, that might be touched, and from which such fearful sights and sounds emanated that all feared and quaked: but we are approaching Mount Zion and its wondrous glories and blessings far superior to those at Sinai; but accompanying these greater blessings will be the more terrible trumpet, blackness and earthquake shaking—the final shaking of all that can be shaken (all that is sinful and contrary to the Divine will), that only that which is true and enduring may remain. The solution of the whole matter is in the words: “Wherefore we [who anticipate thus] receiving a Kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably.” (Heb. 12:28)
Continuing examination of this illustration, we note that after this Moses went up into the Mount (Kingdom) and was glorified in type; that is, the skin of his face did shine so that Israel could not look at him. This would seem to typify the completion of the Church (Christ, head and body) in glory. And the veil which Moses afterward wore before the people, but laid off when with the Lord in the Mount would seem to typify the earthly phase of his Kingdom, the “princes in all the earth” through whom the Christ will speak to the people and be represented, the glory being hidden.
This seems to be a striking illustration of the intimate relationship which will exist between the earthly “princes” and the heavenly Kings and Priests. Moses’ going up into the mount to commune with God while the mountain was clothed in clouds flashing with lightning, and the earth quaked as the thunder rolled, represented the fact that the Body of Christ will be completed, the last members “changed” and received into the Kingdom at the time when the present order of things is being changed, in the midst of a great time of trouble such as earth has never yet experienced.
(The preceding six pages were garnered from That Servant’s Studies In The Scriptures, Volume 4, Chap. XIII Page 615)
In the Winter 2011 edition of LHMM’s The Present Truth and Herald of Christ’s Epiphany there were six Questions on pages 60-62. Two of these questions included the Consecrated Epiphany Campers concocted by R. G. Jolly and John Krewson. RGJ became Executive Trustee of LHMM after Bro. Paul S. L. Johnson died in 1950. RGJ died February 14, 1979. John Krewson was disfellowshipped from LHMM in 1956 and formed The Laodicean Home Missionary Movement. Krewson came up with the Quasi Elect and the two got together and coined the false premise of Consecrated Epiphany Elect (CEC).
The first Question was asked of R. G. Jolly at a Question meeting Oct. 31, 1971. The questioner referred to a discourse by Elmer Herzig entitled “Laodicea” given at Chicago Oct. 30, 1970 and asked: “Did Bro. Herzig say that all Youthful Worthies and CEC would finish their course before Laodicea ends?” After approximately 1000 words the answer was “Yes.”
The Second Question was asked of RGJ at a question meeting, in Pottstown, PA: “Is the High Priest still in his sacrificial garments? If so, when will he take them off?” His answer with almost 150 words: “Not yet.”
Question Three is from PT Question Book, p. 252: “Can I be absolutely sure that I am a Youthful Worthy?” The answer is a little confused. The best answer: “You will know soon after resurrection.”
Question Four: With no indication of when or where it was asked: When will we know when the last Youthful Worthy has finished his course? His answer: “It would be more important to know who will be the last.”
Question Five (1952): Would it be proper, then to say that the Youthful Worthies are covered tentatively by Jesus’ imputed merit and that it will not be used for the world of mankind until after all the Youthful Worthies have finished their earthly course? His Answer: “Yes.”
Question Six (1967), PT Question Book, p. 58l, pars 2, 30: Are the Consecrated Epiphany Campers—having their names written in the new book of Life? This was another murky answer and more on this in a future article.
Brother John J. Hoefle wrote in his paper No. 81, April 1962, entitled “A Review of Campers Consecrated.” This paper was in question and answers form. All of these questions had already been answered and published in previous papers, which annihilated the false doctrine of Consecrated Epiphany Campers.
Question: – Did either of the last two Principal Men ever teach such a class in the end of this Age?
Answer: – NO, neither of them even hinted that we should look for such persons in the Household of Faith, although Brother Johnson clearly taught that the Epiphany Camp In The Finished Picture would contain the “formerly faith justified ones who hold to the Ransom and practice righteousness, and Converted Israel.” However, of these he clearly states in E:10‑209 that they would be the Not Consecrated Jews and Gentiles.
Question: – Is such a class designated in any direct Scripture, or indicated in any type or prophecy?
Answer: – No, there is nothing anywhere in the Bible that even hints at such a class. And be it remembered that a type that might seem to allow such interpretation would in itself be insufficient, because it is clearly stated on p. 25 of the Berean Topical Index under Types and Figures that “A type must not be used to teach a doctrine, but merely to illustrate one that is already taught in plain terms."
Question: – If there is no direct Scripture, type or prophecy to prove Campers Consecrated, how did the idea originate?
Answer: – It is a pure invention of the Jolly‑Krewson twosome.
Question: – Should we expect them (R. G. Jolly and J. W. Krewson) to see a new doctrine?
Answer: – No; their attempt in this matter is a part of the “gazing” so clearly forbidden in Ex. 19:21‑23. Here are Brother Johnson’s comments on such matters: “All the brethren, except the star‑members, are forbidden direct Biblical study on new doctrines, types and prophecy, which is ‘gazing’ for them.” (E:10‑XXIV) And again on page XXVI: “Nonsense upon nonsense has been produced by the typing of the Toms, Dicks and Harries during the Parousia and the Epiphany.” Campers Consecrated is just some more of that “nonsense.”
Note further in E:11‑495: “None of these brothers were the first to see new doctrines, which under Jesus is the exclusive privilege of star‑members .... They have been privileged to find new confirmations of doctrines previously made known by Jesus to His star‑members.” And further in E:11‑369: “This was a prohibition to brethren now inventing new teachings as true (such as Campers Consecrated – JJH) and from God, a prohibition which the six classes of sifters and others have disregarded. (This should prove to all the Fully Faithful just who are the real “sifters” since Brother Johnson’s death – JJH). It impliedly charges that the teachings that God gives by Jesus be held, AND NO OTHERS.”
Question: – Could there possibly be a place for Campers Consecrated in the Epiphany Tabernacle?
Answer: – Not if the Epiphany Messenger gave us the Truth on the Epiphany Tabernacle. In E:6‑199-202 he clearly states there can be no justification outside the linen curtain. And in the same book, p. 348, he says Tentative Justification – which comes only to those inside the linen curtain – must precede the call to consecration.
Question: – Are we still operating under the Epiphany Tabernacle?
Answer: – So far as we know, neither of the Jolly‑Krewson twosome can deny that the Epiphany Tabernacle is no longer with us; but they impliedly deny it by their Campers Consecrated “strange fire” (false doctrine). We say this because the Epiphany Messenger never placed such a class in or about the Epiphany Tabernacle. Note his comments in E:11‑591: “There is a threefold set of antitypes of the Tabernacle type: (1) the Gospel‑Age antitype, (2) the Epiphany antitype and (3) the Millennial‑Age antitype. Only one of these three antitypes operates at a time; i.e., only one of them can be visible as working at any one time, and the other two are kept out of sight at such a time.” In view of such clear comments by the Epiphany Messenger, those who now attempt to change the Epiphany Tabernacle are forced into one of two positions: (1) They must admit they no longer accept the truth on the Epiphany Tabernacle, as given to us by the Epiphany Messenger himself; or (2) They must contend we are no longer operating under the Epiphany Tabernacle. If this latter is true, then the Millennial‑Age, or Basileia, Tabernacle must logically be present with us.
Question: – What is Brother Johnson’s interpretation of the complete Epiphany Tabernacle?
Answer: – In the finished Epiphany Tabernacle the Most Holy represents the condition of Divine beings; the Holy represents the condition of crown-retaining New Creatures – members of the Body of Christ; the Court represents the condition of the Great Company and Youthful Worthies; the Camp represents the condition of the formerly faith‑justified (those people who lost their Tentative Justification in the Court by being forced from the Court, thus receiving the “grace of God in vain” for elective purposes); and outside the Camp represents the unbelieving world, and the excommunicated.
Question: – Is there any evidence that the Basileia Tabernacle has come into existence?
Answer: – No evidence whatever! And to demonstrate the confusion of those who succumb to the Sixth Slaughter‑weapon Man (Revolutionism) we cite p. 8 of the January 1962 Bible Standard, col. 1, bottom, where R. G. Jolly states the “Epiphany signs are now plainly manifest in our midst.” This statement is indeed the Truth; and those signs were clearly apparent in 1914 when the Epiphany period began. “The Epiphany and the Time of Trouble are identical,” says Brother Johnson; and the Time of Trouble (one of the more pronounced “signs” of the Epiphany) made its appearance at precisely the same time as did the Epiphany period. With this “word behind thee” as a sure guide, we may definitely conclude that equally strong “signs” of the Basileia will also appear when the Basileia Tabernacle is erected and the Basileia is ushered in. Thus far, R. G. Jolly has not pointed out a single one of those signs.
Question: – What outstanding feature makes a clear distinction between the Epiphany and Basileia Tabernacles?
Answer: – There are NO New Creatures in the flesh in the Basileia Tabernacle. In the Millennial Tabernacle Brother Johnson sets forth the Most Holy and the Holy as containing Divine beings operating from God to man; the Court containing only Levites – the Great Company as spirit‑being, Merarites, the Ancient Worthies as Kohathites, and the Youthful Worthies as Gershonites, none of which can be described as New Creatures from the Gospel‑Age viewpoint; the Camp containing the World undergoing Restitution; and outside the Camp having those not yet beginning Restitution, and those second‑deathers who die at one hundred years of age. Therefore, we may know with absolute certainty that, so long as even one New Creature remains on earth in the end of this Age, it would be utterly impossible for the Millennial‑Age Tabernacle to begin operation.