No. 754
“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.” (Mal. 3:1-2)
Malachi’s prophecy, which concludes the Old Testament canon, is thought to have been written during the time when Nehemiah, the governor of Judea, was absent at the court of the king of Persia. The period of his absence is thought to have been one of religious decline, as the record shows considerable upheaval and setting in order again after his return. Malachi’s prophecy, therefore, may have served a double purpose – first to reprove and stimulate the people of that time, and secondly, and much more importantly, to give a general lesson applicable throughout the following centuries all the way to the present. It was necessary for Israel to repent and institute thorough reforms – reformation and repentance that is equally needed today. Their wayward and evil course was robbing God and impoverishing themselves. They needed to learn what great blessings would be theirs if they rendered a whole-heart service to the King of kings.
The Jews, comparing themselves with other nations, felt they were being held to a higher standard as a result of being God’s people. They felt they had only maintained their superior status through repeated and severe chastisements. They even questioned the value of being God’s “chosen people.” The arrogant, proud nations around them flourished in material things more than they. They chaffed at this, forgetting that they were a people for a purpose and trying experiences were really evidences of divine favor. As the Apostle said, “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” (Heb. 12:7)
This lesson of a future reward is pointed out by the words, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” (Mal. 3:16-17)
ISRAEL – TYPICAL AND ANTITYPICAL
This prophecy shows the favors to come for Israel – a portion for Spiritual Israel and a portion for Natural Israel. The faithful of the Jewish Age, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets will have a great reward. When Messiah’s Kingdom is inaugurated on the spirit plane, invisible to men, those Ancient Worthies, who were once called the fathers, will have a very high rank of service in the Kingdom; they will be its earthly representatives. “Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children” [of Messiah], whom thou [Messiah] mayest make princes [rulers] in all the earth.” (Psa. 45:16)
Spiritual Israel, the great Messiah for whom the Jews have so long waited, has many members – Jesus is its Head and the Church is His body. This Messiah constitutes the Spiritual Seed of Abraham – “the stars of heaven.” (Gen. 22:17) Of the Spiritual Seed St. Paul says, “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed [typified by Isaac], and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29) The members must first be completed and glorified in Kingdom power before the Ancient Worthies can receive their blessing on the earthly plane. Natural Israel will then be gathered to them as the nucleus of the Kingdom of God on earth, to which ultimately all nations, peoples, kindred and tongues will flow for a share in Israel’s New Covenant blessings. As the Messiah Head and Body are to be God’s jewels on the spirit plane, the faithful Jews of the past are to be the jewels on the earthly plane.
“MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT”
The Israelites were discouraged by their failure to keep the Law and to get the promised blessings. They were encouraged, however, by the Lord’s promise that someday a great Messiah would appear – a Messiah greater than Moses, with whom God would make a New Covenant on their behalf. Israel already had God’s perfect Law, but the New Covenant would be superior to the old Law Covenant because it would have a better Mediator. The new Mediator would not make the Law easier to keep, but somehow His Covenant and Sin-Offering would be more effective than the one instituted by Moses; it would put away sin forever and give willing Israelites a new heart, a heart of flesh, after which they would be given everlasting life provided they maintained their relationship with the Almighty. (Ezek. 36:26)
Jeremiah articulated this promise, saying: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jer. 31:31-34)
From that point forward, Israel’s hope was in the Messiah, whose coming would bring to them the New Covenant blessings; they have been waiting for Him ever since. Who cannot help admiring the persistency of the Jewish faith – their loyalty to God! Who cannot help noticing how sharply it is in contrast with their previous unbelief and idolatry. Who can doubt that God still loves His people whom He foreknew and whom He promised to regather back to their own land and back to His favor under the New Covenant! (Rom. 11:25-27)
The Prophet Malachi clearly suggests, however, that disappointment might be in store for the Jews in connection with the much longed for Messenger or Mediator of the New Covenant, in whom the Jews so delighted and hoped. The Prophet declares that the day of the Lord’s coming will be a strenuous one: “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?” (Mal. 3:2) The intimation is that not many will abide, not many will stand – the majority will fall.
The Prophet proceeds to give the reason: He will require such purity, such holiness, that few will come up to His requirements. The tests He will impose will be like “fullers’ soap,” which is the enemy of every spot upon a white garment. His requirements will be like those of a refiner of silver – all the dross must be eliminated, in a furnace hot enough to insure its separation. The test will last a considerable amount of time, for He will sit as a refiner sits, closely inspecting, that the heat be neither too great nor too little, the time neither too long nor too short.
This great Messiah, the Messenger of the New Covenant, began His refining and purifying work nearly twenty centuries ago, following the divine rule “to the Jew first.” (Rom. 1:16) He began to refine and purify a priestly class for association with Himself in the glorious Messianic work. The privilege of being the antitypical Levites came to the Jew first. Thousands of them responded at Pentecost and thereafter, but not enough to complete the foreordained number of Spiritual Israelites, the members of the Body of Messiah.
After that, the selecting work continued; God has called and drawn from all nations and the great Refiner has been purifying those who responded. If they have suffered afflictions for righteousness, they have shared in the sufferings of Messiah that they may be accounted worthy also of a share in His glories to follow. We think the “elect” number of Spiritual Israelites is complete or soon will be; the blood of the New Covenant will soon be put into effect for Natural Israel and for all the families of the earth, and on that basis the Messianic Kingdom or reign of righteousness will begin.
(Based on Reprint 4930.)
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THE JUDGMENT DAY PARABLE
“For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me . . . Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matt. 25:35-36, 40)
This Scripture is generally misunderstood and misused, most believing it to refer to the Gospel Age. But the context shows that the Lord is here referring to those living in the Millennial Age. The principle, however, is helpful to us now, because whoever does a kindness for anyone belonging to the Lord at any time is counted by Him as doing it unto Him.
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matt. 25:31-46) begins: “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations.” Those spoken of as gathered before the throne will be the world of mankind – not the Church. The Church will be with Him on His throne. (Col. 3:4; Rev. 3:21)
Those gathered are sometimes referred to as Gentiles, meaning those not in covenant relationship with God. In the past God made a covenant with the nation of Israel alone; therefore, all other nations and peoples were outsiders. During this Gospel Age God has made a covenant with the Church through Christ, a special Covenant. The opportunity to make this Covenant of Sacrifice (Psa. 50:5) has been open throughout the Gospel Age, and those coming to God through that covenant are said to be “Israelites indeed.” (Gal. 3:8, 16, 29; John 1:47)
In this parable Jesus refers, not to Christians, but to Gentiles – the world in general who will be gathered before Messiah’s throne. “And he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” It is not a separation of classes, but a separation of individuals. Whoever is tried and demonstrates that he is a goat will go to the left. Whoever proves himself to be a sheep will go to the right. In figurative language the Lord thus designates the place of disfavor on the left and that of favor on the right. The parable shows that these two classes will not be aware of the fact that they are going to the right or to the left. Not until the conclusion of the trial do they find out where they stand.
The whole picture refers to the thousand years of the Messianic reign, the world’s judgment, the world’s trial. The sole object of that reign is to prove who of mankind will desire to be God’s sheep, coming into His fold and having His Son as their Shepherd, and who will not come into harmony with Him, but will have a goat-like nature. They will then be rewarded or punished accordingly.
MINISTERING UNTO MILLENNIUM BRETHREN
In what way will the people have an opportunity of ministering to the Lord’s brethren during the Millennial Age? We note that the Apostles were in prison sometimes because of their service to the Lord and were ministered unto; and that some of the Lord’s followers since have been in prison or in need of assistance, but probably not very many have been in prison or hungry or naked. Hence it is difficult to see how this parable could refer to the Church. Now we see the explanation: Throughout the Millennial Age the Messiah will be dealing with the world of mankind, the majority of whom are now in the great prison-house of death.
The Apostle Paul, in speaking of the resurrection, says that the dead shall come forth “every man in his own order” (company or class). They will not all come forth at once. The Church class will come forth first; then the Great Company class; and early in the new order of things will come forth the Ancient Worthies, who will be the earthly representatives of God’s Kingdom. (1 Cor. 15:21-23) As Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews who rejected Him, “Ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 13:28) They will be the human representatives of the Heavenly Kingdom, which will be invisible. Jesus said nothing about them seeing Jesus Himself or His disciples in the Kingdom. He did say, however, “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more.” (John 14:19)
St. John tells us that the Church will be like her Lord (1 John 3:2), thus if the world will not see Him, they will not see the Church; for the Church will be spirit beings that cannot be seen. So we have these orders, at least: The Little Flock, the Great Company, the Ancient Worthies, and the world of mankind – “every man in his own order.”
Jesus said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth . . . and they that hear [obey] shall live.” (John 5:28-29, 25) As those of the world return from the tomb, we think it will be in answer to prayer, very much the same as did Lazarus. The Lord Jesus, said, “Where have ye laid him?” Then He lifted up His eyes and prayed to the Father, after which He said, “Lazarus, come forth.” (John 11:34, 41-44)
We do not understand that in the Millennial Age the people will have power to command the dead to come forth from the tomb, but that our Lord Jesus will have that power. As He prayed for the restoration of Lazarus, not because of any service which Lazarus would do for Him, but because Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary, so we envision that nearly all the world will come forth in answer to the prayers of their brothers, their sisters, their parents, children and friends.
We think that as restitution progresses during the Millennial Age, the Lord will let the people know of the privilege they might have of cooperating with God, joining with Christ in the work of restitution. Thus they will pray for the return of their loved ones and will make provision for them. Each will thus be brought forth, preparations having been made to assist them when they come back into life. This whole work of bringing mankind back into life will be God’s work. It will be the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, the work of spirit beings, as God’s agents. But human beings will be permitted to cooperate, through their love for humanity.
The “sheep” class will be those who will have the Lord’s spirit. As the Lord’s purpose will be to bring people back from death, to teach them and to prepare them for eternal life, all the sheep will feel the same way. They will gladly feed, clothe and help those released out of the prison-house of death. Their prayers will go out continually for those in prison. This explains the whole work of the Millennial Age, and shows how all people will come into harmony with God.
A SELFISH CLASS AND AN UNSELFISH CLASS
There will certainly be some who will not be interested in helping their fellow men, but will be more interested in enjoying the abundant blessings available in the Millennial Age. The sheep class will be busy working, but the goat class will be showing their selfish disposition. God does not purpose that any who are selfish shall have everlasting life. Selfishness came into the world as a result of sin. We were all born selfish, but we have better knowledge now and are beginning to see God’s way. All in true sympathy with God and righteousness will then cultivate love in their hearts.
As the sheep class provides for those already recovered from the prison-house of death, they will ask for others to come back. Those with the sheep-like disposition will not be reluctant to help those not considered worthy or desirable before they died. They will be glad to welcome back all (even those who believed they were going to eternal torment when they died) and introduce them to the blessings they never imagined would come. The sheep class will seek to cooperate with Christ in the work of blessing the world and in the process they will develop a noble, Christ-like character. They will be helping themselves, as well as helping those raised from the dead.
At the close of the Millennial Age the Lord will place on His right hand the sheep class who ministered to His Millennial brethren, saying to them: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matt. 25:34) The Kingdom referred to is the earthly paradise originally given to Father Adam (Gen. 1:26-28), but lost through his disobedience. No other class will be given this earthly Kingdom.
The Heavenly Kingdom is for those of the Church who have been proven worthy. They will get it because they have the spirit of love. Those of the world who cultivate the Lord’s spirit will receive the Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, while the Church will receive the Kingdom prepared for them from before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 1:4)
EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED
There is another part to this parable that we cannot neglect. It reads: “And these [the goat class] shall go away into everlasting punishment.” (Matt. 25:46) We believe in everlasting punishment because we always believe in everything the Bible teaches. But what kind of punishment it will be is another matter. The Bible says that the punishment will be death, and we believe the Bible. (Rom. 6:23; Ezek. 18:4)
The creeds of the Dark Ages tell us that everlasting death means everlasting dying, endless torture. So when the Bible speaks of everlasting death, some people have their heads so twisted that they make death mean life. There is such a thing as everlasting death. When the goat class are sentenced to death, they will become dead everlastingly. They will remain dead to all eternity. The Greek word kolasis, here rendered punishment, is from the root word kolazo, meaning to cut off, or to restrain by cutting off.
God will give men all the opportunities they wish to be selfish, to choose the wrong way. They will have the opportunities and blessings of the Millennial Age, as long as they do not outwardly violate the Law, as long as they do not injure somebody else. They will not be forced to help those returning from the dead, as that work will be one of charity, of love. But unless they attain the spirit of love, they will not be fit for the Kingdom; for “God is love.”
No one will attain everlasting life except those who are in accord with God, whether on the spirit plane in the Heavenly Kingdom or on the human plane in the everlasting Kingdom of mankind upon the earth. All others will be everlastingly destroyed, cut off from life: “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.” (Psa. 37:9; Acts 3:23; Psa. 101:8; 2 Thess. 1:9)
FIRE A SYMBOL OF DESTRUCTION
Concerning the wicked, our parable says, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41) Fire always symbolizes destruction, and everlasting fire would mean an everlasting destruction. What about it being prepared for the Devil and his angels? We answer, the Devil is the father of lies, “a murderer from the beginning,” the one who “abode not in the truth.” (John 8:44) He has assistants, “the angels which kept not their first estate.” (Jude 6) Instead of remaining holy angels, they became demons, associated with Satan. Their final penalty is to be quite appropriate for them – fire, the fire of God’s anger, the fire of God’s opposition. As fire destroys, so God’s anger will destroy Satan and all in harmony with him. Because the goat class of mankind will manifest the selfish spirit of Satan, contrary to the divine spirit, they will have their portion with Satan and the fallen spirits and be destroyed in the Second Death. This will cleanse the universe and have everything pure. Not a sinner will be left in it.
Thenceforth all will be governed by love. The Lord Jesus Christ was tried; the Church, His Bride will have been tried; the Great Company will have been tried before being received into the Heavenly condition. In the days of Noah all the angels were tried (those who did not maintain their condition of loyalty to God were cast down to tartarus – that is, to our earth’s atmosphere, and there restrained until the judgment day – 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). So all mankind will be tried during the thousand years of Messiah’s reign, and only the victors will go into the everlasting conditions. No wonder that the Revelator, prophesying of that glorious time, says: “And every creature which is in heaven [the Church, the Great Company, the angels, the cherubim and seraphim], and on the earth, and under the earth [those now in the tomb] . . . heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (Rev. 5:13)
Soon all shall sing Hosannas to our Heavenly King; hail Him Lord of all!
(Based on Pastor Russell’s Sermons, pages 224-231.)
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BLESSED ARE THE MEEK
“The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.” (Psa. 25:9)
Even perfect human beings would need divine guidance in their judgment of matters, their decisions, their conduct and their manner of living. And if the perfect would need divine guidance and oversight in order to avoid mistakes from their limited degree of knowledge, because they do not know fully the Father’s will, much more would the imperfect need this! Whether good or bad, wise or foolish, all classes of mankind need such instruction. But there is only one class now in the proper attitude of mind to receive it, and that class is scripturally called “the meek.”
We cannot say that the meek are those who feel themselves inferior and that there are necessarily those who are superior they can look up to. In that regard, Adam could not have been meek; Jesus could not have been meek; the Heavenly Father could not be meek. While it is not scripturally stated that the Heavenly Father is meek, yet Jesus was meek, and He was the express image of the Father’s person in the flesh. Hence we would assume that the Heavenly Father possesses meekness, in distinction from arrogance.
GOD RESISTS THE PROUD
Our Lord Jesus said, “I am meek and lowly in heart.” (Matt. 11:29) Our Lord was meek in that He was teachable. He realized that even in His perfection there were things to be learned, and He learned obedience through the things which He suffered. It was because He had the quality of meekness, the quality of being teachable, that the offer was made to Him to be our Savior. Without this quality we may assume that He never would have been our Redeemer. Without this quality, He would have been self-assertive and proud, not ready to do the Father’s will. As it was with the Master, so it has been with those who seek to follow in His footsteps.
Even small talents that are rightly directed are more valuable than larger talents that are misdirected. We can observe in our daily lives that great talents are misdirected for lack of proper knowledge and guidance. We may assume this lack of guidance has resulted from the lack of the spirit of being teachable – the lack of desire to know the best way, the Father’s way. We can see that even nonbelievers, if they are meek, would have much more opportunity to learn about the Lord’s will than would those who think that they are above instruction. Whoever knows it all to begin with, is not apt to be in a condition to receive any instruction.
The Lord declares that He resists the proud. (Jas. 4:6) Even if they were to become His children they would be kept at a distance. If the proud were permitted to come nearer to the Lord, it would make them more proud; whereas, if they are kept at a distance, they may become meek and teachable and humble. We see then that all need instruction. But the only ones who are in a position to receive it are those who recognize their need and who are in the attitude to avail themselves of the Lord’s offer to guide their judgment, their actions and their course in life. Those who avail themselves of the privilege get a proper perspective of everything – of the things of the present life and also of the things of the life to come.
These are the ones whom the Lord is pleased to instruct and guide in the knowledge of His Son, and into all His blessings. We read in the Scriptures that the meek shall inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5) – that is, the Church of the First born will inherit it under the terms of the primary and original Covenant. They will be the Seed of Abraham and from them blessings will go to all those of mankind who will be obedient during the Millennial reign. After the final test at the end of the Millennial Age, the whole world will be teachable. They will have learned the great lesson that God is the fountain of all wisdom; and they will have profited by this instruction. Then the meek of the restitution class will inherit the earth.
(Based on Reprint 5370.)
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