NO. 758: THE PAROUSIA MESSENGER

No. 758

“Them that honour me I will honour.” (1 Sam. 2:30)

October 31 will mark 104 years since our beloved Brother Russell left us. “Parousia Messenger” is the title we offer for Brother Russell because he officiated during the small Parousia from 1874 to 1914, and because he made crystal clear the meaning of the Greek Parousia – as presence, and not coming, as it is generally given in the King James translation. Once that became clear to him, it began to sweep away many of the accumulated errors of the past, leading directly to his understanding of the 16th Chapter of Leviticus, the same being a concise picture of the entire Atonement, which culminates in “the restitution of all things.” (Acts 3:19-21)

When the Parousia Messenger began his ministry, the erroneous doctrine of eternal torment as the wages of sin was so deeply entrenched that it was generally considered sacrilege to contradict it. Many were the prominent and forceful orators who appeared as evangelists in their crusades to save the poor sinner from such an awful fate, so that Brother Russell was faced with what seemed an im­possible assignment. This is graphically illustrated by the porten­tous force against which Gideon was arrayed with his band of 300 – likely out­numbered by more than a thousand to one: “And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.” (Judg. 7:12; Judg. 6:5)  

This was precisely the situation when Brother Russell began his attacks on human immortality, the consciousness of the dead, and eternal torment as the wages of sin. His most popular public discourse was, Where Are the Dead, which always included a good exposition on Restitution. When he sent out brethren from Bethel (the Bible House in Pennsylvania) for Sunday discourses he always urged them to include a good portion of their public discourse on Restitution; and he himself occasionally remarked to Breth­ren, “That’s the subject!” when he was to speak on Where Are the Dead. He kept steadfastly at the subject and its pertinent errors, so that he was able to see certain victory ahead by the time he had finished his ministry. By 1916, it was con­sidered by many intellectuals as a distinct mark of ignorance on the part of those who still regarded eternal torment as the wages of sin.

Certainly Brother Russell was the “principal man” of God’s Household in his day; he was the “angel” (messenger) to the Church in Laodicea; he had a message to deliver and he delivered it with telling force – until the very day his Great Captain finally said to him: It is enough! But his ministry brought upon him the most vicious attacks from the “bright lights” of Satan, and they were legion. (2 Cor. 11:14-15) When they could not “gainsay nor resist” the Truth he preached, they devised the most vicious sort of slander against him – alleging he was grossly  immoral, a thing he could deny, but he could not disprove. The human mind being as it is today, the advantage was with the slanderers. Many were ready enough to believe the evil side of things. Others referred to him as “That braying Balaam’s Ass!” Here was indeed the antitype of Jeremiah being cast into the dungeon: “And in the dungeon there was no water [truth], but mire [filthy words]: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.” (Jer. 38:6) All this he took in stride, being mindful of Jesus’ words: “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” (Matt. 10:25) The Lord Himself had called him “blessed” (Matt. 24:46) and this more than compensated for the slanders hurled at him by “the workers of iniquity.” (Psa. 37:1)

He was adamant against Combinationism, which had become prominent at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. Combina­tionism takes the position that it does not matter what one believes so long as he is sin­cere in his belief. In that convention in Chicago such an attitude tended to place all the assembled heathen dignitaries on equal footing with Christian ideals. And it might be observed that the quality of Christianity that was displayed at that convention by some in attendance tended to confirm such a conclusion. In fact, some of the heathen were heard to remark that they thought they should be coming to America to convert us to their ways and beliefs, instead of us sending missionaries to them to change their ideals.

Combinationism is Scriptural fornication – a combining of forbidden things. It finds its type in the account of some of the Jews engaging in illicit union with the surrounding heathen in direct violation of the sixth Commandment against committing adultery. (Num. 25:1-18) St. Paul pinpoints this situation: “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.” (1 Cor. 10:8) He added, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [as types]: and they are written for our [special] admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [ages] are come.” (1 Cor. 10:11) The “ends” are the closing of the Gospel Age and the opening of the Millennial Age (the closing of the Jewish Age and the beginning of the Gospel Age, when Paul wrote about it).

When That Servant appeared on the scene all of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible – except Restitution – were being taught in some section of Christendom; but all of them were either directly encumbered with some error, or were not clearly understood by those attempting to teach them. Before he had finished, every one of those doctrines, including Restitution, had been relieved of all rubbish, and had been made crystal clear. This was foretold by the prophecy of Malachi: “And he [the messenger of the covenant] shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. (Mal. 3:1-3) The word “purifier” in this text would be better ren­dered “polisher”; and who of us will not admit that Brother Russell did “polish” the Truth (silver) in admirable brilliance! And in doing this he never resorted to the tricks of oratory. There were better orators than he, but certainly no better preacher. And in him was a living proof of our Lord’s sure words, “For I will give you a mouth [eloquence] and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay [contradict] nor resist.” (Luke 21:15) Every one that was “of the Truth” heard his voice gladly.

He was engaged in “the good fight” until the very day he died; and it could be said of him as one historian wrote about Martin Luther: He fell peacefully asleep in Jesus. “Them that honour me I will honour” (1 Sam. 2:30), and the Lord did honor him greatly. And if we wish to honor him, we can do so in no better way than to adhere to and uphold that Truth that was so dear to him. As Jesus said of Himself: “He that hath my commandments [the Truth], and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” (John 14:21)

(By John J. Hoefle. Excerpts from No. 280, October 1, 1978.)

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A BLESSED HOPE FOR SUFFERING HUMANITY

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” (Rom. 8:22-23)

No thoughtful person will long question the Apostle’s declaration that the human family as a whole is a groaning creation. Although he does not include the Church in this declaration for reasons we shall see, he points out that the Church also groans under present conditions. When we hear music and laughter and see throngs engaging in all manner of entertainment, we might be inclined to say there is a good portion of the creation that is not groaning much. If we look more closely, however, we find that much of the laughter is an offset to tears and much of the entertainment is indulged in with the desire to drown care.

In the Bible we are informed about the angels and the joys of Heaven; we are given to understand that no sorrow enters there, nor any tears, nor any dying. Did not the same God who created man create the angelic hosts? Why is there such a wide difference between the conditions on earth and in Heaven, prompting our Redeemer to teach us to pray for God’s Kingdom to come to earth and His will to be done on earth as it is done in Heaven? Why does He tell us that the faithful in the resurrection will be made like the angels and not die anymore? Why are we not like the angels now? Why are we sick and why do we die? Why are we imperfect in our mental, moral and physical powers?

The answers to these questions require superhuman wisdom. There must be a reason; otherwise the same just, loving, gracious God would treat His human creatures as kindly and generously as His spiritual creatures. Why is it that all of our blessings are only hoped for while all the blessings of the angels are actual and present?

Note the prophetic declaration: “For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem.” (Psa. 102:19-21) This is in full conformity with the Apostle’s statement, and adds the further explanation that the groaning is because man is a prisoner and under the death sentence. But when did he become a prisoner? When did the death sentence come upon him?

The Scriptures answer that our race was sold under sin – became the slave of sin – and that the experiences of sorrow, degradation, imperfection and death are all parts of the wages of this great taskmaster. “For the wages of sin is death,” the Apostle declares. (Rom. 6:23) He personifies sin and death as great monarchs now reigning over the children of men. (Rom. 5:14, 21) The tomb, into which both good and bad go, is the great prison house where all figuratively sleep. There they await the Millennial morning when Messiah comes to vanquish Satan, who has the power of death, delivering the captives from the chains of sin and from the grave, the prison house of death, Sheol, Hades.

Mark the Redeemer’s words: “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [hades – the grave] and of death.” (Rev. 1:18) Note the consistency of the prophetic statement referring to Messiah and the work of His gracious Kingdom: “I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” (Isa. 42:6-7) And again: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” (Isa. 61:1)

Our Lord personally preached from this text, pointing out that it would be He who would release our race from its bondage to sin and death. (Luke 4:18) The Word of the Lord assures us that we have divine sympathy, and that a Savior adequate to all the conditions has been supplied by the Heavenly Father, and that the world merely awaits the proper time for Him to act, when He will strike off the shackles and unlock the prison door to let all the prisoners go free from this condemnation.

ORIGIN OF MAN’S SLAVERY TO SIN

To understand this condition that includes every member of the human race, we must hearken carefully to the Word of God. The Apostle gives the explanation: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom. 5:12) The Apostle’s words are abundantly supported by the Genesis account of Adam and his disobedience to God and his subsequent rejection from divine fellowship. He was expelled from Eden and subjected to dying conditions because of his disobedience, his sin. There the slavery began; there the groaning and dying of our race had its start. The Creator’s words were, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen. 3:19)

Nothing could be plainer or easier to comprehend for those whose vision is not clouded by human philosophy and the smoke of the Dark Ages. The “groaning” began with Father Adam and has continued ever since. His posterity has lost more and more of the original image and likeness of God and has become more and more depraved – mentally, morally and physically. “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:10) None are perfect either in word or deed. We may have the will to do right, but how to perform what we will is another matter, as the Apostle suggests: “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Gal 5:17) The dying condition has made us incapable of absolute good and weak in the face of the temptations of the Adversary.

“THE HOPE SET BEFORE US”

Thank God the Bible holds out hope of the deliverance of our race from this bondage of the prison house. The context of our opening text makes this clear: “For the earnest expectation of the creature [humanity] waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Rom. 8:19-21) This is a remarkable declaration, for note that it is not referring to the Elect Church, but to the creation, the world in general.

Humanity was subjected to frailty (imper­fection and weakness – “vanity”) by reason of Adam’s transgression, but this subjection was not without hope – a good, great, blessed hope, the “hope set before us” in the Gospel. (Heb. 6:18) Other Scriptures support this declaration that God will ultimately deliver the human family from bondage to sin and death – from “the bondage of corruption.” After all, this was exactly what the angel announced at our Savior’s birth: “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” (Luke 2:10)

Moreover, the Scriptures give us a reasoned explanation, not only of why the reign of sin and death has been permitted, but of how and where that reign will be annulled and humanity be delivered. The Scriptures declare that the Lord Jesus paid the penalty for Adam, releasing not only Adam himself from divine condemnation to death, but also all those who came under divine condemnation through Adam’s sin – the entire groaning creation.

When speaking of the deliverance of the groaning creation, all Scriptures point to Messiah as the divine agent that will effect this deliverance. Throughout the Scriptures every hope for deliverance of the race from sin and degradation to eternal life is based upon Messiah and His work –His sacrificial work finished at Calvary and His work of glory during the Millennial Age during His Second Advent.

THE LIBERTY OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD

Just as corruption came upon all through Adam, the deliverance from that corruption is to come to all through the second Adam. All are to be delivered from bondage, but how they use the privilege of liberty will be their choice. Those who use it rightly will come into harmony with the Redeemer and with the Heavenly Kingdom, and will eventually be blessed with eternal life. Those who reject it after they come to understand it fully, comprehending its lengths and breadths, will thus be choosing for themselves the Second Death. This distinctly shows the liberty of the sons of God, their freedom from corruption – death. As sons of God, the angels are not subject to such corruption, such dying conditions.

The Scriptures declare that Adam, in his original perfection, was a son of God. (Luke 3:38) He lost his son-ship for himself and for all of his race and received instead degradation and bondage to corruption. The hope in Christ for Adam and for his race is deliverance from the power of sin and death into the liberty proper to them as sons of God. The entire Millennial Age will be devoted to this work of setting free the human family from the bondages of ignorance, superstition, weakness, and heredity. Through restitution processes, all who are willing will be brought back to the original image and likeness of God, making them again human sons of God like Father Adam before he sinned.

The Apostle argues on this subject: “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Rom. 5:17-19)

How beautifully clear is this statement by the Apostle! How did we overlook the true significance of these words for so long? Our eyes were blinded by the unscriptural theory that after the selection of the Church – the “little flock,” the saints – the remainder of mankind would be condemned to an eternity of torture! Since we have gotten rid of that delusion, our eyes are opening more and more to behold the lengths and breadths and heights and depths of God’s great plan of salvation. His plan first deals with the Church during the Gospel Age and subsequently will deal with all of the redeemed – all of the children of Adam condemned for Adam’s disobedience and bought with the precious blood of Christ. They will be justified for their condemnation and set at liberty by the great Redeemer when He in due time takes unto Himself His great power and reigns. (Rev. 11:15-19)

WHY THE LONG DELAY?

Why would God delay so long to bring these blessings to the world? If God’s plan is higher and nobler than any of the plans and theories of men, why has it yet to be enacted? Why did He permit the world to remain enslaved for 4,000 years and more before He sent the Redeemer? Why has He continued to allow it to be enslaved for 2,000 years since the Redeemer purchased the world? Still only a handful of the human race has intelligently heard of the only name under Heaven and among men whereby we must be saved. Does the delay not contradict God’s claims of love and power? If He has the love which longs to help the world, does He lack the power to do it? If He has the power, does He lack the love?

No! The Scriptures assure us that the love of God is boundless and He has already accomplished for mankind a redemptive work at the cost of the human life of our Lord Jesus. They also assure us that God’s love is unchanging, that divine power is almighty, and that it only waits for the proper time to be exercised for the full blessing of all the families of the earth through the Redeemer. God’s purpose to bless Adam and his race is a restitution promise, and the Millennial Age will be “times” or years of restitution, uplifting mankind from the mental, moral and physical degradation into which it has fallen during the reign of sin and death. It will also be a time for blessing the physical earth and making it the perfect home for the perfect race, the footstool of God, filled with the glory of God. (Isa. 66:1; Isa. 60:13)

However, the Scriptures tell us that another work was first to be accomplished, namely, the selecting of the Little Flock, the elect Church. Instead of being restored to human perfection, the Church has proven her loyalty to the Lord by her self-sacrifice, even unto death, and has been granted a share with Christ in the First Resurrection, receiving a change from the earthly nature to the Heavenly nature, like unto her glorified Redeemer and Head. This work of selecting the Church has been an important one, and has occupied a long period. Those who have had the privilege of becoming members of this elect Church and joint-heirs with the Redeemer have considered any loss or sacrifice as dung in comparison with the excellence of the blessings promised. (Phil. 3:8)

Looking again at our opening text and its context, we note how the Apostle differentiates between the Church and the world and the groans of each. The Church does not groan after the same manner as the world. It groans quietly within, waiting with the glorious hopes for their adoption and deliverance. (Editor’s comment: To a degree, the same may be said of those who desire to and do serve God faithfully after the closing of the High Calling. They look forward to participating on the earthly plane in the blessing of all nations.) In contrast, the world, without God and without hope, groans in doubt and despair.

Notwithstanding all our hopes and joys in the Lord and our fellowship with one another, we do sometimes groan, being burdened. Our joyful anticipations for the future does not prevent us at times from feeling a measure of the trouble, sadness and discouragement of our earthly environment. Our physical, mental and moral weaknesses at times assert themselves so strongly that we cannot do as we would; we cannot exult in tribulation even though in our hearts we may rejoice. As the Apostle suggests, we are at times “in heaviness through manifold temptations.” (1 Pet. 1:6) But ours should not be an outward groaning. As our text suggests, we “groan within ourselves.” It is a subdued groan, modified because of the offset of our glorious hopes.

The Apostle shows that while both the world and the Church groan, they are waiting for different things. The Church has waited for the deliverance of her Body – not bodies, in the plural – but for the deliverance of the Church as a whole. Some of the members have gone before, but finally the entire Body of Christ, which is the Church, will be completed and they shall see their Lord and be with Him and share His glory, a united Church, a united Body of Christ, beyond the veil.

The world, the groaning creation, does not know of the divine plan, however. Its groaning is of a hopeless character, but we know what God has provided for mankind even though the world is blind and ignorant of it. We know that during the Millennial reign the Christ, head and body will be the channel for the blessing of all the families of the earth. They will be recovered from death and through restitution processes they will be lifted up to righteousness and eternal life. Only the incorrigible will die the Second Death.

Thus the Apostle says that the groaning creation is waiting for “the manifestation of the sons of God.” The sons of God are the Church. As the Apostle says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)

We see then that the world’s hope is in the glorified Church, whose glorious Head is the Redeemer Himself. When this Church is exalted in Millennial glory the world’s time of blessing will begin. Then all the groaning creation will be liberated and have the opportunity of coming out of the mental, moral and physical corruption of death, and into liberty and perfection of life as sons of God. All of these privileges have been secured for them through the merit of the precious blood.

How glad we are that in this dawning time of the new dispensation the true light is shining from the divine Word, as well as throughout the realm of nature! How glad we are that we no longer must think of the Church alone as the subjects of salvation and the world as a whole the subjects of condemnation and eternal torture! How just, how reasonable, how loving, are the divine arrange­ments! To see these things should draw our hearts near to the Lord in appreciative love, and we should worship with the greatest devotion One whom we thus see worthy of praise and adoration.

We are not, however, to expect the world to be able to realize these things. It is not the divine purpose that they should grasp the plan. As the Master said to the faithful disciples of old and still says to us, “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.” (Luke 8:10) They will both hear and understand in due time, but the Gospel Age has been the time for the calling out of the Elect, the perfecting of the saints.

Let those whose ears and eyes have been blessed by the Lord respond with gratitude and humility. Let us respond not merely with outward praise, but let us also confess His loving kindness and tender mercy with our hearts. Let this appreciation more and more sanctify our hearts and separate us from the world, its aims, and its selfishness. Let us fight a good fight against sin, especially in our own mortal bodies. The Spirit of the Lord should lead us more and more to desire that perfection which is most pleasing and acceptable to Him, and to strive, therefore, to the extent of our ability, relying upon the merit of that great Atonement Sacrifice, offered once for all and sufficient for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus, our great High Priest,

Hath full atonement made;

Ye weary spirits rest;

Ye mournful souls be glad:

The year of Jubilee is come,

Returning ransomed sinners home.

Extol the Lamb of God,

The all-atoning Lamb;

Redemption through His blood,

To all the world proclaim:

The year of Jubilee is come,

Returning ransomed sinners home.

(Based on Pastor Russell’s Sermons, pages 609-620.)

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NO. 757: SATAN – HIS NATURE AND EMPIRE

No. 757

“Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.   . . . thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee . . .” (Ezek. 28:15-16)

There are some who deny altogether that such a being as Satan exists. They have been repulsed by nonsensical accepted teachings about Satan and have concluded not only to reject what the creeds teach about him, but have rejected the Bible teachings about him as well, considering them to be identical. This flies in the face of reason, experience, and Scripture. Reason suggests, as the Bible teaches, that sinful acts, like righteous acts and the universe itself, must have been originated by some first cause. Furthermore, the first cause of sinful acts must have itself been sinful; and since sinful acts imply purpose as well as cause, their originator must have been a being endowed with a mind and a will, hence a being – a person.

Reason thus tells us that the first cause or source of sin must exist and is a being, and the Bible assures us that this being is Satan. Experience likewise suggests to us that there are also at least a number of other invisible evil beings – evil spirits. On no other grounds can we explain the frequent, sudden injection of irrelevant, unfamiliar, foreign and repulsive evil thoughts into the minds of human beings – thoughts not suggested by the principles, activities, circum­stances and experiences of those into whose minds they are injected.

SATAN A PERSONAL BEING

Many Bible passages and incidents show the personhood of Satan. It is certainly implied in his acts toward Job and the connected dealings between God and Satan. (Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-7) It is also consistent with the thought of Satan’s personhood when he resisted the high priest Joshua and God rebuked him. (Zech. 3:1-2) Jesus strongly implied Satan’s personhood by stating that Satan may adopt policies foreign to his usual course to bolster his diminishing cause. (Matt. 12:24-26) This was also clearly taught when Jesus stated that Satan was once in the Truth but “abode not in the truth,” later originating falsehoods and murdering the human family by introducing sin into the world. (John 8:44; Gen. 3:1-7)

If Satan is merely the principle of evil as some claim, how could he ever have been in the Truth? If Satan were the principle of evil and not an evil person who works through evil principles, it would have been completely contrary to St. Paul’s stated purpose to deliver the erring Corinthian brother to Satan for corrective stripes. (1 Cor. 5:5) Paul showed that he was a firm believer in a personal devil when he cautioned the Corinthians, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Cor. 2:11) How could Satan have “devices” unless he could think and plan? Making devices implies thought and purpose and thus personhood. Certainly when he transforms himself into an angel of light from an angel of darkness, he must think and reason, which of course implies personhood. (2 Cor. 11:14)

The fact that fallen angels “believe and tremble” – and therefore think and feel – proves that Satan, their leader, thinks and feels and thus is a personal being. (Jas. 2:19) Satan’s walking about as a “roaring lion,” seeking especially Christians as his prey, proves his personhood. (1 Pet. 5:8-9) When Michael contended with him over the body of Moses, which Satan seemed to want for use as an object of worship in Israel, it was consistent with him being a real, personal being, and not the abstract principle of evil. (Jude 9) Accordingly, reason, facts and Scripture prove that Satan is a personal being.

LUCIFER CREATED PERFECT

The being we call Satan was originally good. The Hebrew word satan means “adversary” or “opponent,” but that was not his original name. Until he sinned and led the human race into sin, his name was Lucifer, meaning “light-bearer.” (Isa. 14:12) In nature and rank he was a cherub, one of the highest of all angels. (Ezek. 28:14, 16)

The Prophet Ezekiel gives a comprehensive description of this cherub’s history, both before and after he sinned, and also describes his final end – annihilation. (Ezek. 28:12-19) He is addressed as the “king of Tyrus” – Tyre symbolizing the present evil world, whose ruler is Satan. His original physical, mental, moral and religious perfection is described in both literal and figurative language. He is described as being “full of wisdom” and “perfect in beauty.” He is pictured as covered with various precious stones, illustrating his moral and religious qualities prior to his fall. (Ezek. 28:12-13) Precious stones are elsewhere used to symbolize the moral and religious perfections of the New Jerusalem – the glorified Church, the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife. (Rev. 21:11-21) Such stones were also set in the high priest’s breastplate. (Exod. 39:10-13)

Lucifer remained perfect even for a while after he was made guardian angel to Adam and Eve in Eden. (Ezek. 28:15) The Prophet describes his work in Eden and then describes his position and work among the heavenly hosts. He was perfectly righteous and good from the time of his creation and for probably millions of years after until he fell into sin in Eden. His subsequent fall into corruption is graphically described, followed by his final exposure and annihilation in the Little Season following the Millennium. (Ezek. 28:16-19)

OTHER DESCRIPTIVE NAMES

Other names and expressions applied to Satan in the Bible illustrate his qualities and activities subsequent to his fall. Thus he is called:

Beelzebub or Baalzebub – meaning “lord of the fly.” Baalzebub was the Philistine god of Ekron (which means “uprooting” or “destruction”). (2 Kings 1:2-6, 16) This name is symbolic of Satan’s plague of errors (flies) leading to war and destruction. (Matt. 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15)

Belial – meaning “wicked” or “worthless.” This is another name descriptive of his character. (2 Cor. 6:15)

Devil – from the Greek word diabolos, meaning a false accuser, a slanderer. This is descriptive of his opposition to God, the Truth, righteousness, mankind in general and the good in particular. (Matt. 4:1; Luke 4:2, 6; Rev. 20:2)

Enemy – descriptive of his malicious actions and hate-filled attitude. (Matt. 13:39)

God of this world – descriptive of him as the ruler of the present evil order of affairs. (2 Cor. 4:4)

Liar and father of lies – descriptive of his deceitfulness and his role as the originator of error. (John 8:44)

Murderer – by introducing sin he murdered the whole human family. (John 8:44; Rom. 5:12)

Serpent and old serpent – describes his poisonous and cunning nature. (Gen. 3:4, 14; Rev. 20:2; 2 Cor. 11:3)

Prince of this world – because he is by usurpation the ruler of the present evil order of affairs among mankind. (John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11)

Prince of devils – because he is the ruler over the fallen angels. (Matt. 12:24)

Prince of the power of the air – descriptive of the invisible nature of his rule over humanity through the fallen angels. (Eph. 2:2)

Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience – because he uses the wicked and disobedient as his servants and tools. (Eph. 2:2)

Tempter – he entices to sin, error, selfishness and worldliness. (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5)

Wicked one – the absence of goodness in his character is rightly described by the words the poet Milton puts into his mouth: “Farewell remorse: all good to me is lost; Evil, be thou my good.” (Matt. 13:19, 38)

Thus we see that his Biblically-given names accurately describe his character, works and office. A being correctly characterized by such names must surely be the supreme of all sinners and evil-doers.

LUCIFER’S FALL FROM PERFECTION

Lucifer was good when he came from the creative hand of God – God did not make him so that he had to sin. On the contrary, God gave him a disposition favorable to righteousness and averse to sin. This naturally raises the question of how he could have sinned if there was no sin in the world and no sinful propensities in his original make-up.

The possibility that he would sin lay in the fact that he was endowed with liberty of choice. As one of the highest of the angels (Isa. 14:12), some of the other angels were his subordinates and by divine arrangement gave him the honor and obedience due to his rank above them. It was in harmony with God’s order for him to both desire and receive such honor and obedience, but it seems that Lucifer permitted his mind to dwell excessively on receiving such recognition. Thus he failed to keep such desires in proper subjection to the higher desire to please God above all things and to receive honor and obedience only in accordance with God’s arrange­ments. The more he harbored in his heart the desire to receive deference from others, the stronger this desire became. He began to desire honor and obedience from those who were not put under his charge by God.

Thus a craving gradually grew in him for more honor and power than God had arranged for him. As he contemplated the race of mankind and its possibilities, his growing ambition made him begin to see in the human family a possible dominion from which he could gain further honor and obedience than God offered him. His ambition was then the controlling quality of his heart. The limits of this guardianship over the human family in Eden were too confined to satisfy his growing desire for honor and obedience, prompting him to lead unfallen mankind into sin as the only way by which his ambition could be gratified.

We may reasonably assume that at the outset Lucifer did not intend to go as far as he has gone. His course gradually turned him from Lucifer, the “light-bearer,” into Satan, the “adversary” – a relentless opponent of God and man. There is a saying, “He who says A must say B too.” In other words, whoever gives in to wrong for his own advantage will have to go ever further in wrong to secure his ends. Satan has gone further than B – we might say he has now gone as far as Y, and by the end of the Millennium he will go to Z, the full limit of evil, whereupon his destruction will ensue. (Heb. 2:14)

The course he has taken has wrought fearful havoc with his own once holy character; it has destroyed his fellowship with God and all those in harmony with God; it has drawn many angels into sin and its evil results and has brought sin and ruin upon the human family.

As a result of his course, Satan became cunning instead of wise, most unjust instead of just, most selfish instead of loving, and most obstinate in evil instead of powerful in good. As a result he is the most conspicuous example of depraved character in the universe – almost the synonym of sin itself. He has attained all of his ambitions: He has become “the prince of this world.” (John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11) He has blinded the minds of the human family under “this present evil world.” (2 Cor. 4:4; Gal. 1:4) He has achieved prince-ship over the fallen angels. (Matt. 12:24; Eph. 2:2; Eph. 6:11-12) Yet his example of “vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself” has come at a terrible cost to himself and to all his underlings! Let us avoid imitating him.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” (Isa. 14:12) Because of the course he has taken, the once glorious angelic being has been cut off from association with holy things and sentenced to final destruction.

THE FOUNDATION OF SATAN’S EMPIRE

The Prophet Isaiah describes how Satan’s unholy ambition brought about his fall into sin and the establishment of his empire:

“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.” (Isa. 14:13) Satan vowed to make himself an exalted ruler, the king over the angels (“stars” – Job 38:7), the ruler over the kingdom (“mount” – Dan. 2:35, 44, 45; Isa. 25:6) of the human family (“congregation”), an invisible spiritual ruler. The “sides of the north” refers to the Pleiades in the north, long considered the center of the universe, representing God’s throne which Satan sought to usurp.

“I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” (Isa. 14:14) Satan vowed to put himself out of reach of all trouble, founding an independent empire in which he would be God’s equal.

Thus we see that he has founded an empire having two phases. The first is an invisible phase consisting of the fallen angels under his leadership. This is the higher and controlling phase of his empire. The second phase is a visible and subordinate phase, consisting of human agents as the visible repre­sentatives among men of the invisible and ruling fallen angels.

The earthly phase of Satan’s empire is composed of three divisions: oppressive govern­ments, predatory aristocracies and false religions. Three classes of officials represent the three divisions: rulers, aristocrats and clergy.

Satan established the principle of “divine right” as the foundation principle supporting his empire. This principle has three forms corresponding to the three divisions of his empire: the divine right of kings (rulers), the divine right of aristocracy (the elite class), and the divine right of clergy. This doctrine in its three forms was calculated to make the masses submit blindly to the leadings of the three classes of officials as a matter of divine sanction and obligation. This principle of divine right was calculated to indoctrinate the masses and keep them in subjection to Satan’s representatives, and thus to him. This becomes manifest when we consider what the three forms of this principle mean:

Divine right of kings: Through his mouthpieces, especially the clergy, Satan taught the following: (1) Kings (rulers) are God’s direct appointees, vice­gerents and representatives. (2) Rulers do exactly what God wants them to do. (3) Therefore, God sanctions all the acts of rulers (which means, e.g., God sanctioned all the acts of the Czar, the Kaiser, etc.). (4) Therefore, people are duty bound to obey without question everything their rulers require. The principle of the divine right of rulers was calculated to keep the people subject to those rulers whose selfishness Satan could depend upon to advance those governmental policies he wished advanced. Thus he could control the people governmentally by the divine right doctrine.

Divine right of the aristocracy: He caused the following things to be taught, especially through the clergy: (1) It is the divine will and pleasure that practically the whole earth and its riches be owned and administered by the aristocracy (now usually called “capital” – the privileged upper class). (2) The aristocracy act as stewards and almoners of the Almighty, dispensing on their own terms (through wages, charitable works, etc.) the surplus of earth’s bounties to the remainder of mankind who are their slaves, serfs or employees. (3) God sanctions the administration of affairs by the upper class. (4) Therefore, the masses should be content with their lot and with what is dispensed to them by the upper class. The principle of the divine right of the aristocracy was calculated to keep the people subject as employees, servants or slaves to the aristocratic upper class. Satan could depend on the selfishness of the upper class to advance those aristocratic policies that he wanted advanced. Thus he could control the people economically and socially by the divine right doctrine.

Divine right of the clergy: Satan caused the following thoughts to be taught, especially by the clergy: (1) God speaks to the people through the clergy. (2) Therefore, the clergy are His mouthpieces dispensing the truth. (3) He sanctions the teachings of the clergy. (4) Therefore, the people should with unquestioning minds blindly believe and practice the clergy’s teachings. The principle of the divine right of the clergy was calculated to make the people subject to the clergy, on whose selfishness Satan could depend to advance those religious teachings and practices that he wanted advanced. Thus he could control the people religiously by the divine right doctrine.

The doctrine of divine right is of course false as a whole and in its three forms. It was calculated to keep the human race subject to Satan and since the flood it has succeeded until recent times, when wars and social debates have somewhat set it aside throughout Christendom.

For the good of his empire Satan has always seen to it that some “law and order” has existed; it was required for the successful operation of his empire’s three earthly departments. He was too shrewd to allow anarchy to reign in his kingdom, knowing well that it would result in the wreck and ruin of his cause. Hence, from the outset there has been civil law in his empire, guarding especially the rights of the leaders in state, religion and capital. He has only tolerated the setting aside of civil law when it interfered with the overturning of those governments, religions and aristocracies that he decided should be overturned for the good of his empire.

He has also introduced some laws purportedly for the benefit of the “common people,” but these laws have always been designed to first serve the interests of the statesmen, clergy and aristocrats, and therefore the interests of Satan. These laws were calculated to keep the people subject to his own interests; only secondarily did they serve the interests of the common people. His governments, religions and aristocracies have always been oppressive and exploitative of the common people, allowing crimes and other invasions of their rights.

In individual cases Satan has encouraged such crimes and exploitations, partly because it was in his interests to corrupt the race and partly to arrange for the execution of punishments that would strike fear into the hearts of the people and engender respect for his laws. Thus he has been both an angel of light and an angel of darkness as it best served his ends, and the same may be said of his representatives. “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Cor. 11:14-15)

SATAN’S SUPPORTING DOCTRINES

The three doctrines of divine right are the foundational doctrines of Satan’s empire. An empire based on such principles and using such means for its perpetuation must naturally be a very evil one. St. Paul refers to Satan’s empire as “the power of darkness” – the power of sin and error. (Col. 1:13) While Satan greatly deceived the people by these doctrines of the divine right of rulers, clergy, and aristocrats, he knew these doctrines by themselves were not sufficient to ensure his rule over the human race. He found it necessary to advance three other supporting doctrines to hold up the superstructure he was building upon the foundation of the divine right doctrines.

Early in the history of the human race, in Eden itself, Satan set forth three falsehoods. For these lies Jesus called him a liar and the father of lies. Jesus also called him a murderer because Eve was deceived by these lies, causing sin and death to come upon the race. (John 8:44) Following are the three supporting doctrines of Satan’s empire based on these lies:

(1) The immortality of the soul: Satan said, “Ye shall not surely die.” (Gen. 3:4) That is, you will only seem to die; actually, you will live right on, even though you are seemingly dead. In other words, the dead are alive. This is a direct contradiction of God’s statement, “Thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17)

(2) The consciousness of the dead: Satan said, “Ye shall be as gods.” (Gen. 3:5) That is, the dead become spirit beings, angels, and therefore they are conscious. Angels are many times referred to as “gods” in the Old Testament. For example, “Worship him, all ye gods.” (Psa. 97:7) Compare this with St. Paul’s inspired comment: “And let all the angels of God worship him.” (Heb. 1:6)

(3) The torment or bliss of the dead: Satan said the dead will be in a state of “knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:5) That is, they will experience either bliss (good) or torment (evil).

Satan’s design is very apparent. He knew that if he could deceive the race on these three subjects, he could deceive them into believing that certain other errors were true, certain truths were false, certain wrongs were right, and certain rights were wrong. Having done this, he promised rewards for the next life to those who accepted his errors and practiced his wrongs, and threatened with eternal torment those who refused to do so. He also threatened torments in the next life to those who accepted God’s truths (which he misrepresented as being error) and practiced certain of His commands (misrepresented as wrong by Satan), while promising eternal bliss to those who would not do these things.

Thus he deceived the people into believing and practicing his errors through fear of torment and hope of reward in the hereafter. He also deterred the people from believing and practicing God’s truths by misrepresentation of the source and character of God’s teachings and by fear of torment and hope of reward in the hereafter. He enslaved the human race to his will and prevented them from doing God’s will! This dark plot succeeded with the majority of the human family. (2 Cor. 4:4; 2 Cor. 11:3, 14-15; 2 Thess. 2:9; 2 Tim. 2:26) Thus with three lies he mightily supported his empire and its foundation errors of divine right.

THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS

We have shown that Satan’s empire is founded on and supported by errors. By these errors he has constantly exerted an evil influence in the world, operating against truth, righteousness and purity – “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” (Eph. 2:2). An empire so founded and so supported must be an evil one, as all history attests. The course of Satan’s empire is marked by every evil word and work. The majority of the rulers, aristocrats and clergy of his empire have been corrupt indeed. The history of “this present evil world” (Gal. 1:4) is a succession of war, revolution, pillage, murder, destruction, lust, cruelty, conquest, oppression, degradation, unhappiness, misfortune, death, and persecution. How little space in history is occupied by good, noble and philanthropic endeavors and how much of its space is given to the opposite!

Satan’s empire has also been one in which are found the greatest inconsistencies. Its various religions, philosophies, civilizations, governments, social arrangements, laws and workings have all largely contradicted each other. From this we infer that Satan adapts to the extent necessary the form of government, religion, society, etc., to the varying ideals of different peoples. If he could, he would keep all people in the densest ignorance, deepest oppression, darkest superstition and basest character and environment; but when any people will no longer stand for this, he makes such concessions as he must, while still retaining control. This accounts for the many coups, revolutions and reorganizations that have occurred in the governmental, aristocratic and religious divisions of his empire.

Whenever governments, aristocracies and religions cease to serve his purpose of controlling the people he wrecks those governments, aristocracies or religions, often with extreme ruthlessness, and replaces them by others more in harmony with his aims and the concessions he must make to his subjects. He certainly makes it uncomfortable for those rulers or religious leaders who oppose the principles and purposes of his empire. This is manifest in the opposition and persecution that he has unleased against every Christian leader and movement that has attacked his errors and preached God’s Truth – he has made them his special targets.

When we look upon the physical, mental, moral and religious perfection in which God created the human family in Eden, and then by contrast consider the physical, mental, moral and religious wrecks that Satan has made of so many of our race, we have one of the most striking evidences of his wicked character as a person and as a ruler. We see the conspicuous failure of his empire as a means of blessing its subjects and the need for it to be replaced by the Kingdom of God. We see the crying need for Satan to be replaced by The Christ as the Ruler of the world in order to rescue the human race from utter ruin and destruction, and to return it to the original perfection and bliss of God’s image and likeness.

Shortly after the fall of mankind into sin, God intimated such an ultimate recovery of mankind from the power of Satan. (Gen. 3:15) He renewed and amplified this thought by his promise to Abraham. (Gen. 28:14) He repeatedly illustrated and emphasized it by the types of the Law. (Heb. 9:23) The sublime poetry of the Prophets and Psalmists reiterated it. He clearly expounded it through Jesus and His Apostles. He encourages His faithful people to offer this prayer for it: “Thy Kingdom come,” and by the signs of the times He indicates that His Kingdom is as at hand. It is the “desire of all nations” and it will prove to be the cure for all their ills. (Hag. 2:7) God speed the day of the overthrow of Satan’s empire and of the establishment of His Kingdom under the whole heaven!

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The above is derived from Chapter III of Epiphany Volume 17, The Millennium, written by Brother Paul S.L. Johnson. It has been edited to adapt it to the paper format.

Write to us at: epiphanybiblestudents@gmail.com

NO. 756: PAROUSIA – EPIPHANEIA – APOKALYPSIS

Part Two

No. 756

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed . . . and it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44)

In our July 2020 paper we discussed the three Greek words parousia, epiphaneia and apokalypsis and how they are used in the New Testament in relation to the Lord’s Second Advent. We noted the importance of keeping the thought of our Lord’s presence separate from the thought of His manifestation or revelation. We established the use of the term “Parousia” to refer to our Lord’s presence at His Second Advent and the term “Epiphany” to refer to His manifestation or revelation at His Second Advent. We discussed three of our Lord’s parables that foreshadowed His work during the period of His Parousia preceding the Epiphany. We then introduced the fact that specific scriptural prophecies prove that our Lord’s Parousia began in the autumn of 1874. We now continue our discussion of this topic by summarizing four of these prophetic lines.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM

We first look at the inspired dream of Nebuchadnezzar and its inspired interpretation by Daniel. (Dan. 2) The dream shows the four great universal Gentile empires which would rule over the earth during the interim between the overthrow of the typical Kingdom of God, whose last king to sit upon the throne of David was Zedekiah, and the installation of the true King, Immanuel, in His Millennial Kingdom glory. These four different empires or governments are pictured as parts of a great image which Daniel interpreted as follows:

(1) The head of gold represents the Babylonian Empire, Nebuchadnezzar’s govern­ment, the first universal empire of earth. (2) The breast and arms of silver represent the Medo-Persian Empire, the second universal empire. (3) The belly and thighs of brass represent the Grecian Empire, which overthrew the Persian and became the third universal empire. (4) The legs of iron and the feet represent the Roman Empire, which succeeded the Grecian and became the fourth universal empire. The two strong legs represent the earlier stages of the Roman Empire, with Rome and Constantinople each in turn as the capital. The feet represent the later development of the same Roman Empire, with the intermixture of papal influence represented by the feet, which were partly iron (representing civil government), and partly clay (representing ecclesiastical rule).

These four governments constitute the sum total of Gentile dominion, scripturally known as “the times of the Gentiles.” Afterward God Himself is to establish His Kingdom – the fifth universal empire: “And in the days of these kings [represented by the ten toes of the image] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44) This is the very Kingdom for which we pray, “Thy Kingdom come!”

The Church is not neglected in this picture; she is shown as a stone taken out of the mountain “without hands” – by divine power. This stone represents God’s Kingdom, Christ and the Church. The inspired dream and explanation show that the disaster coming to the kingdoms of this world, represented in the image and in the toes of its feet, would be the result of the impact, or smiting of the image by the stone: “Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain [kingdom], and filled the whole earth.” (Dan. 2:34-35)

Although it is evident that the human empire has nearly run its course and that the heavenly empire is needed to deliver the world from its own selfishness, the sure word of prophecy reveals more if carefully scrutinized. Not only does it show that the next universal empire will be the Kingdom of God’s dear Son, it reveals when “the times of the Gentiles” began (606 B.C.) and how long those “times” were to last. It shows that these times are “seven times,” and that each of the seven times is a period of three hundred and sixty years, and that consequently the complete period of the seven times is 2520 years. (Lev. 26:17-18, 24, 28) (See Studies in the Scriptures, Volume II, Chapter IV for a detailed discussion.)

Thus we may surmise that Gentile rule was to terminate and Immanuel’s rule be fully set up in 2520 years from the time the Lord removed the diadem from Zedekiah, saying: “And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, Thus saith the Lord God; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.” (Ezek. 21:25-27)

The interval between the removal of the typical Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Israel, and the introduction of its antitype, the true Kingdom of God, must correspond to the period of Gentile dominion – 2520 years. Measuring this period from 606 B.C., we find that the 2520 years expired in 1914 and the lease of Gentile power to rule the world then began to expire. However, the time for the “stone” to smite the image upon its feet in preparation for its destruction was to precede its destruction and thus also precede the full establishment of God’s Kingdom. This smiting period is the Parousia – the period in which Christ is present, gathering His “jewels,” His “elect,” and in which He will smite the nations with the rod of iron dashing them in pieces as a potter’s vessel. (Psa. 2:9; Rev 2:27)

God began the selection of His Kingdom class in the days of civil Rome and has continued the selection throughout the Gospel Age. The setting up of His Church (Kingdom) in power was to come toward the close of Gentile power, but before its end, for it was to be “in the days of these kings” and not after their days. Note the similarity of the expressions “in the days of the Son of man” and “in the days of these kings.” They are the same days – the days before the lease of Gentile power began to expire – the days when the Son of Man was to be present establishing His Kingdom, which will destroy all these Gentile kingdoms.

TYPICAL ISRAEL’S PARALLELS

A second line of prophecy showing that we are living in the Parousia is provided by the parallels of fleshly Israel and spiritual Israel. The Scriptures show that fleshly Israel and its typical sacrifices and arrangements fore­shadowed spiritual Israel and its better sacrifices and arrangements.

After receiving God’s blessing, Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, which signifies “Prince with God.” (Gen. 32:28) His descendants were therefore called Israelites – the people of the Prince with God. The antitype of Jacob is Christ, the true Prince with God, and His house is spiritual Israel. Jacob’s twelve sons inherited his name and blessing, and through them it descended to all the fleshly house of Israel. Christ’s twelve Apostles inherited His name and blessing, and through them it has descended to all the spiritual house of Israel.

The typical fleshly house had a high priest, Aaron; the antitypical spiritual house has a greater high priest, Christ Jesus our Lord, the “High Priest of our profession.” The fleshly house had a priesthood under Aaron; the spiritual house has a “royal priesthood” under Christ, to whom the promise is made that they shall be kings and priests unto God. (Heb. 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:9)

While we could list every detail pertaining to fleshly Israel and find it duplicated on a higher plane in spiritual Israel, suffice it to note that the Jewish Age or period of fleshly Israel’s favor ended with a “harvest” period of forty years. The harvest began with our Lord’s baptism in 30 A.D., with the three and a half years of His ministry being a national test of Israel. When Israel as a nation was rejected at the time of our Lord’s crucifixion, the main part of the harvest work began – the separation of the wheat from the chaff. Those who were “Israelites indeed” were gathered out of that rejected nation before the great time of trouble came upon it, resulting in the utter destruction of its national polity in 70 A.D. All of this is likened to a “harvest” season, with its garnering of the wheat and subsequent burning of the chaff.

Our Lord taught through parables that the Gospel Age of spiritual Israel’s favor will likewise end with a time of harvest, gathering the wheat together and ultimately destroying the tares. (Matt. 13) In the harvest of the fleshly house our Lord in the flesh was the Chief-Reaper, and His Apostles were co-laborers. In the harvest of the spiritual house our Lord as a spirit being is also to be present as the Chief-Reaper and members of the spiritual house are also to be reapers, with some on each side of the vail.

Given these parallels, it should not surprise us to find that the period of divine favor to fleshly Israel foreshadowed the period of divine favor to spiritual Israel, and that the length of the Jewish Age corresponds exactly with the length of the Gospel Age. (See Studies in the Scriptures, Volume II, Chapter VII.) The Jewish Age, from the death of Jacob to the death of Christ, was 1845 years long. The harvest of the Jewish Age began with Jesus’ baptism, 3½ years before His death, meaning it began 1841½ years after the death of Jacob. It lasted forty years until A.D. 70, or 1881½ years after the death of Jacob.

Notice how the Gospel Age corresponds to this. The Gospel Age did not begin with our Lord’s birth or with His baptism. His work during the three and a half years of His ministry was the offering of the Kingdom to the fleshly house, testing them and proving they were unready to receive it. The Gospel Age began in 33 A.D., after our Lord’s death and resurrection, when He commissioned His disciples to preach the gospel to all nations. (Matt. 28:19; Matt. 24:14)

Applying the measurements of the Jewish Age to the Gospel Age, 1841½ years from the Spring of A.D. 33 is the autumn of 1874. The 1845 years measuring from the spring of 33 A.D. would reach to the spring of 1878. The 1881½ years from the spring of 33 A.D. would bring us exactly to autumn 1914 – the very year and time shown by Daniel’s prophecy to be the full end and limit of the “Gentile times.” This cannot be accidental – it is by design. The eye and ear of faith could not ask for stronger testimony. Anything plainer or clearer would be actual sight and leave no room for faith.

THE JUBILEE PROPHECY

A third line of prophecy is similarly hidden in type in the Mosaic Law: Israel’s Jubilee Year. To understand this line of prophecy one must first understand that the Second Advent of our Lord is not for the purpose of destroying the world, but for the purpose of blessing it according to the promise made to Abraham that in his Seed all families of the earth will be blessed. (Gen. 28:14) No one can see the beauty or significance of Israel’s Jubilee without first learning of God’s glorious provision for restitution. (Acts 3:19-23)

Israel’s Jubilee year, in which every person and family had every lost possession and all personal liberties restored to them, was a type of the coming “Times of Restitution.” The human race will then have a full opportunity to attain freedom from sin and Satan, and from the hereditary weakness of the flesh. After being lost through Adam’s transgression, the dominion of earth will be restored to the human family for whom it was created, and for whom it was redeemed by Christ.

The Scriptures show that Israel’s Jubilee was a system of fifty-year cycles and that a Great Jubilee cycle, a Jubilee of Jubilees, was comprised of fifty cycles of fifty years – 2500 years. Such a cycle began to count after fleshly Israel had observed her last typical Jubilee, which we find from the Scriptures was her nineteenth Jubilee year, in the year 626 B.C. (See Studies in the Scriptures Volume II, Chapter VI for a detailed discussion. Our paper No. 723, November 2017 also gives more on this.)

The Jubilee was a part of the Law and no feature of that Law, not one jot or tittle, can pass away without reaching a fulfilment, or antitype. Accordingly, when we measure the Great Jubilee cycle of 2500 years from the date of the last typical Jubilee (626 B.C.), we find that the antitypical Great Jubilee of Jubilees should have begun in October 1874. The 625 years B.C. plus the 1875 years A.D. are 2500 years, which would include the Jubilee year; consequently, with the year 1875 (which began in October 1874 according to Jewish reckoning), the antitypical Jubilee of 1,000 years was due to begin.

Note carefully how this corresponds with what we learned from the two lines of prophecy already examined which showed us that this very same date, October, 1874, was the time when the “harvest” of this age was due to begin and when the Lord Himself, as the Chief Reaper, was due to be present. The only thing necessary to connect this Jubilee prophecy with the others is the statement of the Apostle Peter that our Lord must be present (at His Second Advent) at the beginning of “the times of restitution of all things.” (Acts 3:20-21) These restitution times are the Antitypical Jubilee times typified by Israel’s Jubilees.

THE DAYS OF WAITING ARE FULFILLED

A fourth line of prophecy referred to as “the days of waiting” is set forth in Daniel and corroborated in Revelation. These “days” (a day represents a year – Ezek. 4:6) consist of: (1) the 1260 days ending in 1799; (2) the 1290 days ending in 1829; and (3) the 1335 days ending in 1874. (Dan. 12:7, 11-12; Rev. 12:6, 14; Rev. 13:5) (We cannot here go into the details concerning these time periods. See Studies in the Scriptures, Volume III, Chapter III.) Second Adventists once attempted to apply these “days” as we do here but abandoned them when 1874 came and passed and they failed to see Jesus with their natural eyesight, in a body of flesh and with Calvary’s scars. They have abandoned these “days” of Daniel entirely, because they find no way of applying them which would prolong them beyond 1874.

The fault does not lie with the interpretation as presented above but with wrong expectations. Like so many others, Second Adventists erred in expecting that the Gospel Age, which has been a spirit and faith epoch, would end with a visible fleshly manifestation. They expected the invisible spiritual kingdom of Satan to be followed by a visible fleshly Kingdom of Christ. Thankfully, those who are watching (among the Adventists as well as in other denominations) are getting the eyes of their understanding opened by the anointing of the promised “eyesalve.” (Rev. 3:18)

It was concerning the last period of 1335 days that the angel declared to the Prophet, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” (Dan. 12:12-13) This blessing to he who waits is the rejoicing and joy felt by those who are watching.

A great blessing has come to the watchers Since October 1874 – when Daniel’s 1335 days indicate a great blessing was to begin, when the Jubilee types indicate “the restitution of all things” was to begin (implying the second presence of the Great Redeemer), and when the parallels of the two houses of Israel show the second presence of our Lord as the Great Reaper was due. Since then the Word of God has opened before us in a most marvelous manner. Since then the sure word of prophecy as a lamp to our feet has shown us many evidences that we are in the end of the age. Since then the day-star has been rising in the hearts of the watchers, and has illuminated our minds, releasing us from the terrible nightmare of the error of the eternal torment doctrine.

Since then the true character of our heavenly Father has been revealed to us. The necessity for the great atonement for sin has been made plain and the object of the permission of evil has been distinctly shown. Various features of the divine plan have been revealed, including the high calling of the Church to the divine nature and joint-heirship with Christ, and the resulting blessing of restitution to human perfection for the world of mankind in general. All who have been brought “out of darkness into his marvelous light” can appreciate the words of the Lord: “But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. . . . many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.” (1 Pet. 2:9; Matt. 13:16-17)

THE PROPER ANNOUNCEMENT

“Behold, the bridegroom!” (Matt. 25:6, ASV) This is the proper announcement; it is not “Behold, the bridegroom cometh,” as given in the King James Version. (The oldest Greek manu­scripts omit the word translated “cometh.”) He has been present since October 1874, saying “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20) This message intimates very clearly that the “knock” and “voice” will be inaudible to natural ears, and heard only by the ears of the understanding, the hearing of faith. It shows that it will not be a knock or call heard by a denomination (Adventists, Presbyterians, etc.), but rather it will be a knock that must be heard individually and responded to individually. Anyone who hears the “knock” or “voice” may exercise faith, open the door of his understanding, and realize his Lord’s second presence.

One who never hears the “knock” is evidently not counted worthy to hear it, but those who hear are also not compelled to respond. Only they who recognize the knock and respond by faith – opening the door to the Lord and receiving Him as their present King – only they are blessed “to sup” with the Lord, receiving the spiritual nourishment, the feast of “meat in due season,” which the Master promised to strengthen the faithful for the judgments, tests, trials and siftings which must “begin at the house of God.” (1 Pet. 4:17) “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.” (Luke 12:37)

It is not with any hope of arousing the world to faith in the Lord’s presence that we announce “Behold the Bridegroom!” The world is not worthy of the knowledge now and would only misuse it. They will know in the Lord’s due time during the period of the epiphaneia and apokalypsis of the Son of Man – the Epiphany. They will be awakened by the great crash of the day of trouble. We make the announcement, however, with the confident expectation that the justified and consecrated will hear the message and examine the Scriptures, investigating the subject.

PRESENCE GRADUALLY REVEALED

We have drawn a clear distinction between the Parousia, the Lord’s presence, and the Epiphany, the manifestation of the Lord’s presence. While the “bright shining” of the Lord’s manifestation was due to begin not long after the Parousia began, it has begun only with His people and will gradually extend to the world in general. It is just as it was at the Lord’s first advent: “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5) Only the faithful watchers have yet discerned the Parousia and until the worst of the trouble breaks out, they only will appreciate the bright-shining of the Lord’s Epiphany. The increased brilliancy of the Word of Truth is an ever increasing joy and pleasure to the watchers, and they will not be caught unawares: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” (1 Thess. 5:3-4)

Our Lord declared that this day of His presence would bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the secret counsels of the heart: “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” (Luke 8:17) Christ’s “harvest” work during this period of His presence is opening people’s eyes to justice and injustice, righteousness and sin. The shining light is awakening the world to a realization of its rights and its wrongs, to a realization that the earth belongs to mankind in general and not exclusively to a few who have seized and exploited it. This same light is exposing the corruption and falsity of many long-venerated theories and institutions – religious, political, social and financial. Let us also not overlook the Apostle’s declaration that Satan’s power to deceive the world through Antichrist is to be consumed by the bright-shining (epiphaneia) of His presence (parousia). (2 Thess. 2:8)

The bright-shining of the Lord’s presence is causing great joy to the faithful, illuminating their hearts (2 Pet. 1:19), but it is affecting nominal Christians, and the civilized world in general in a totally different manner. Among many of the worldly, it has the effect of increasing their selfish propensities, producing discontent. It is thus preparing the world for the great climax of catastrophe predicted in the Word of the Lord as the consummation of this age – the overthrow in anarchy of all governments and institutions of this present order of things, “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation.” (Dan. 12:1)

THE FIFTH UNIVERSAL EMPIRE

As we have seen, it was predicted through the Prophet Daniel that “in the days of these kings” (the representatives of the fourth universal empire, Rome), God would cause His Kingdom to smite the image upon its feet (the iron and clay representing its civil and ecclesiastical conglomeration), utterly crushing it. We have seen that God’s Kingdom, represented by the stone, would then grow great and fill the whole earth.

We have shown that we are now in the time when the Kingdom of God is exerting its force against the kingdoms of this world: the King Himself is present as He must be before He can destroy present kingdoms and take their power. He is already exerting the influences which will eventuate in their destruction. He is prepared, backed by all the power of God, to quickly establish upon their ruins His own glorious Kingdom, consisting of Himself the King, and His faithful ones of the Gospel Church as His Bride and joint-heir.

The influence exerted by the Light – the Truth emanating from our Lord’s presence – is already breaking the power of ignorance and superstition, which for long centuries has held the masses of mankind subservient to Papacy. The same bright-shining is likewise dissolving the lighter shackles of ignorance and error forged by the various sects of Protestantism. Ultimately, all superstition and false reverence will be dissolved, and false institutions will fall. Then it will be manifest that error, falsehood and fear never truly sanctify the heart. With the world of mankind released from servitude to fear, it will further manifest its true character of selfishness and ungodliness, speedily precipitating the great trouble predicted.

It would be a mistake, however, to suppose that the Parousia of our Lord is merely or chiefly in connection with the world and its preparation for the chaos of the present order of things. On the contrary, the chief work of the Lord during His Parousia is in connection with His Church. As we saw in the parables of the pounds and talents, He foretold that on His return He would first reckon with His servants, to whom He entrusted the pounds and talents, before manifesting His wrath against His enemies, slaying all who would not have Him to reign over them. That slaughter time, in which all who do not accept the reign of righteousness will be destroyed from among the people, begins with the burning of the “tares” in the end of this age, when there will be great trouble, “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” To some extent it will continue throughout the Millennial Age. To the very end of the age, all who willfully oppose the Lord will perish. (Isa. 65:20; Acts 3:23; Rev. 20:8-9)

The Kingdom we are expecting is not an earthly kingdom, but a heavenly one; not a fleshly kingdom, but a spiritual one; not a kingdom visible to the natural eye, but an invisible yet powerful kingdom. We believe it is now in process of establishment and will soon smite the kingdoms of this world and supplant them, We find nothing in the Scriptures to corroborate the thought entertained by some that this Gospel Age, having begun in the spirit, is to culminate in a reign of Christ and His Church in the flesh, with an earthly throne, etc.

On the contrary, the King and His joint-heirs, the Church as spirit beings, will have a spiritual empire. Their subjects, to whom they will offer the blessings of restitution purchased at Calvary, will be men in the flesh, whose highest hope and ambition will be restitution to the grand perfection of the human nature lost in Eden and redeemed at Calvary – an earthly image of the Heavenly Father. During the Millennial Age, Christ and His saints will be no more visible to mankind than Satan and His associates have been during the Gospel Age. Here we have the spiritual Kingdom of Messiah, with all power, displacing the spiritual kingdom of Satan.

We have given here only the briefest possible summary of the Scriptural evidences that we are living in the Parousia, the presence, “the days of the Son of man.” We have shown the consistency and harmony of Scriptures which have never been harmonized in the past, and which cannot now be harmonized from any other standpoint or with any other interpretation.

(Based on Reprint 2972. Continued from our July 2020 paper.)

Write to us at: epiphanybiblestudents@gmail.com

NO. 755: PAROUSIA – EPIPHANEIA – APOKALYPSIS

Part One

No. 755

“Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh.” (Matt. 24:42, ASV)

The Greek New Testament uses three words in relation to the Lord’s Second Advent: parousia, epiphaneia and apokalypsis. The word parousia is generally used with respect to the earliest stage of the Second Advent, although it really applies to the entire Millennial Age. Epiphaneia and apokalypsis relate to a later stage of the Second Advent and not to another or third advent. Epiphaneia and apokalypsis are not two different features of the Second Advent, but two different words used to describe the same feature. All of these Greek words are somewhat obscure or hidden in our common translations of the Bible, and undoubtedly for a purpose. The Lord evidently wished to keep the world and the wicked in ignorance of His gracious plan until the due time for it to be understood.

The Lord instructed His people to watch: “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all [believers], Watch.” (Mark 13:35-37) [1] He did not wish the details of His plan to be understood even by His people until near the time of their fulfilment. But we are now in “the time of the end,” the time when it was foretold that “the wise shall understand.” (Dan. 12:9-10) The “wise” are not the worldly-wise, but the humble watchers who are wise enough to take heed to the Word of the Lord.

Since few of the watchers are Greek scholars, God has made gracious provision through valuable helps such as concordances and various trans­lations such as the Emphatic Diaglott, enabling the very humblest of His people to have a clear understanding of certain features of His Word before kept hidden under imperfect translations. God Himself has been bringing these things to the attention of His people through the Studies in the Scriptures and other publications.

With these aids, the watchers have come to see that the Greek word parousia, commonly translated “coming,” does not mean what our English word signifies – namely, to be on the way or approaching. On the contrary, it signifies presence, as of one who has already arrived. The watchers note also that the Scriptures assert certain things concerning the Lord and His parousia (His presence) which clearly imply that He will be present and doing His work, His great work of setting up His Kingdom and smiting the nations with the sword of His mouth, wholly unknown to the world, as a “thief in the night.” The watchers also notice that the Scriptures clearly indicate that after the Lord has done certain things during His presence (parousia) and unknown to the world, He will later make a manifestation of His presence which will be discerned by all mankind. This outward mani­festation is designated as His epiphaneia, which signifies “shining forth” or “bright shining.”

As already noted, the word parousia does not apply merely to a little period of presence at the beginning of the Millennial Age. Christ’s parousia and that of His Church will continue throughout the age. The epiphaneia or apokalypsis will also not be a sudden burst of glorious light, nor do any of these words signify a visible showing to mankind of the Lord’s person, or of the persons of His Church. Let us remember His words, “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more.” (John 14:19)

PAROUSIA IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

The Greek word parousia occurs in the New Testament 24 times. In the King James Version it is translated “coming” 22 times and two times it is translated “presence.” For a more consistently proper trans­lation, we cite here from Young’s Literal Translation (YLT). We suggest also comparing the Rotherham and Emphatic Diaglott translations.

“Tell us, when shall these be? and what is the sign of thy presence [parousia], and of the full end of the age?” (Matt. 24:3, YLT)

“So shall be also the presence [parousia] of the Son of Man.” (Matt. 24:27, 37, 39, YLT)

“And each in his proper order, a first-fruit Christ, afterwards those who are the Christ’s, in his presence [parousia].” (1 Cor. 15:23, YLT)

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye before our Lord Jesus Christ in his presence [parousia]?” (1 Thess. 2:19, YLT)

“To the establishing your hearts blameless in sanctification before our God and Father, in the presence [parousia] of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” (1 Thess. 3:13, YLT)

“For this to you we say in the word of the Lord, that we who are living – who do remain over to the presence [parousia] of the Lord – may not precede those asleep.” (1 Thess. 4:15, YLT)

“And the God of the peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved unblameably in the presence [parousia] of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:23, YLT)

“And we ask you, brethren, in regard to the presence [parousia] of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together unto him.” (2 Thess. 2:1, YLT)

“And then shall be revealed the Lawless One, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the manifestation of his presence [parousia], him [the Lord], whose presence [parousia] is according to [is during] the working of the Adversary, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders.” (2 Thess. 2:8-9, YLT)

“Be patient, then, brethren, till the presence [parousia] of the Lord . . . be patient, ye also; establish your hearts, because the presence [parousia] of the Lord hath drawn nigh.” (Jas. 5:7-8, YLT)

“For, skilfully devised fables not having followed out, we did make known to you the power and presence [parousia] of our Lord Jesus Christ, but eye-witnesses having become of his majesty.” (2 Pet. 1:16, YLT)

“This first knowing, that there shall come in the latter end of the days scoffers [in the nominal church], according to their own desires going on, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of his presence [parousia]?’” (2 Pet. 3:3-4, YLT)

“And now, little children, remain in him, that when he may be manifested, we may have boldness, and may not be ashamed before him, in his presence [parousia].” (1 John 2:28, YLT)

Seven other verses use parousia in reference to persons or things other than Christ. Five instances incorrectly translate it “coming” in the KJV. (1 Cor. 16:17; 2 Cor. 7:6-7; Phil. 1:26; 2 Pet. 3:12) The two instances where the KJV properly translates the word parousia as “presence” are in 2 Cor. 10:10 and Phil. 2:12.

EPIPHANEIA AND APOKALYPSIS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

The Greek word epiphaneia occurs in the New Testament six times. In the King James Version it is translated five times as “appearing” and one time as “brightness.” It signifies “bright shining” or “manifestation.” We again cite Young’s Literal Translation:

“I charge thee, before God, who is making all things alive, and of Christ Jesus, who did testify before Pontius Pilate the right profession, that thou keep the command unspotted, unblameable, till the manifestation [epiphaneia] of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in His own times He shall shew – the blessed and only potentate, the King of the kings and Lord of the lords.” (1 Tim. 6:13-15, YLT)

“And was made manifest now through the manifestation [epiphaneia] of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who indeed did abolish death, and did enlighten life and immortality through the good news.” (2 Tim. 1:10, YLT)

“I do fully testify, then, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to judge living and dead at his manifestation [epiphaneia] and his reign.” (2 Tim. 4:1, YLT)

“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of the righteousness that the Lord – the Righteous Judge – shall give to me in that day, and not only to me, but also to all those loving his manifestation [epiphaneia].” (2 Tim. 4:8, YLT)

“Waiting for the blessed hope and manifestation [epiphaneia] of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13, YLT)

“And then shall be revealed the Lawless One, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the manifestation [epiphaneia] of his presence [parousia].” (2 Thess. 2:8, YLT)

The name of the last book of the Bible is from the Greek word apokalypsis – Apocalypse or Revelation. This word and the related word apokalypto signify a revealing, an uncovering – as of a thing previously present but hidden – and refer to the same stage of the Lord’s Second Advent as epiphaneia. In the following texts these words refer to the uncovering or revealing to the world of the Lord’s second presence. Many of these texts also show that when He is revealed, His Church will be with Him and be revealed or manifested at the same time and in the same manner:

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed [apokalypto] in us.” (Rom. 8:18)

“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed [apokalypsis], ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1 Pet. 4:13)

“To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed [apokalypto] in the last time.” (1 Pet. 1:4-5)

“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed [apokalypto].” (1 Pet. 5:1)

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed [apokalypto] by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” (1 Cor. 3:13) This verse evidently refers to the tests of the Lord’s people during the period of His presence in the end of the age. The Lord prophesied of the same tests: “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed [apokalypto]; neither hid, that shall not be known.” (Luke 12:2)

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation [apokalypsis] of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet. 1:13)

“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed [apokalypsis] from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 1:7-8) The flaming fire here represents the judgments that will be made against all unrighteousness.

“So that ye are not behind in any gift, waiting for the revelation [apokalypsis – translated ‘coming’ in the KJV] of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 1:7, YLT) The Lord’s people need to watch and wait for the manifestation or revelation of the Lord. Those watching are aware of His presence (parousia) and the harvest work beforehand and share in the revelation.

“That the proof of your faith – much more precious than of gold that is perishing, and through fire being approved – may be found to praise, and honour, and glory, in the revelation [apokalypsis –translated ‘appearing’ in the KJV] of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet. 1:7, YLT)

“For the earnest expectation of the creature [creation – mankind] waiteth for the manifestation [apokalypsis] of the sons of God.” (Rom. 8:19) The Church (the sons of God) will bring life and liberty to the groaning creation through the New Covenant.

“But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed [apokalypto].” (Luke 17:29-30) The judgments upon Christendom (represented by Sodom – Rev. 11:8) will begin after the saints have all been changed. The presence of the Lord will be revealed, although He had already been present for some time, gathering His elect.

PAROUSIA AND EPIPHANY ARE SEPARATE THOUGHTS

Hereafter we will use the term “Parousia” to refer to the thought of our Lord’s presence during His Second Advent and the term “Epiphany” to refer to the thought of His manifestation or revelation at His Second Advent. It is important that those watching keep separate these two thoughts of presence and manifestation. Although really present as a glorious spirit being of the divine nature, the Lord will not be manifest to the natural eye during the Parousia. Hence it is necessary that the Lord’s faithful ones “watch” because they, like the world, cannot discern a spirit being with their natural eyes. The watchers only discern the presence (Parousia) of their Lord by the eye of faith. The sleepless eye of faith will in due time take note of “the sign of the Son of man” – the indications of the presence of the King. (Matt. 24:30)

The work of the Lord during the period of the Parousia preceding the Epiphany has been unknown to the world and to the nominal church. It is known only to those watching: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” (2 Pet. 1:19) That light has shone upon the pathway of the watchers throughout the Gospel Age night; but now its various prophetic rays have focused and clearly indicate that we are already living in the Parousia. As the Master expressly foretold, the world in general goes on as usual, in utter ignorance of His presence and of His harvest work and of the beginning of “the day of the Lord.” The world continues as usual – eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, planting and building as in the days of Noah. (1 Thess. 5:2; Matt. 24:37-39)

It is a mistake to suppose that our Lord meant that it is wicked for the world to eat, drink, plant, build and marry; these are not improper things. Any such interpretation is strained and faulty and is the result of an utter misconception of the subject. Our Lord merely wished to show that the world would be ignorant of His presence and utterly ignorant of the great time of trouble, or “day of vengeance” which the inauguration of His Kingdom will bring to the kingdoms of this world, which are to be dashed to pieces as “the vessels of a potter.” (Isa. 61:2; Rev. 2:27)

The ignorance of the impending trouble is similar to that of the people who lived in the days of Noah: “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.” (Luke 17:26) The days of the Son of Man are the days of His Parousia – invisible and unknown to the world – known only to the watchers who see only with the eye of faith. (For more on this topic, see our paper No. 753, May 2020.) But what is the purpose for our Lord being thus present? What will be His work during the period of presence preceding His Epiphany or manifestation to the world?

PARABLES FORESHADOWED THE LORD’S WORK

A number of the Lord’s parables clearly outline His work during this period. The parable of the wheat and the tares (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43) represents the period of the Parousia preceding the Epiphany as the “harvest” time of the Gospel Age. The Son of Man, represented by the householder of the parable, sowed the good seed and His servants have worked in the field throughout the age. When the end of the age finally comes and the full crop of wheat is ripe, then the harvest is reaped.

The parable shows the separation of the two classes of the nominal church during the “harvest.” Note that the wheat field is not the entire world, but merely the professedly Christian part of the world – Christendom. The parable focuses on the wheat field and on the wheat in particular. The tares (spurious Christians) are dealt with only incidentally. The tares choke the wheat but nevertheless the Master will obtain a sufficiently large crop, for all God’s purposes will be accomplished. (Isa. 55:11)

The separation of the tares from the wheat and the gathering of the wheat into the garner of heavenly conditions precedes the work of cleansing the wheat-field of its symbolic tares by symbolic “fire.” This entire harvest work is to take place during the period of the Parousia or presence of our Lord before His Epiphany or manifestation. He is the Chief-Reaper, and all the under-reapers work under His direction and eye; and every kernel of true symbolic “wheat” will be gathered into the glorious symbolic “garner” by resurrection and change.

The sickle of truth will be the separating medium. It will not be until the separation is nearly complete and the “wheat” nearly all garnered into the “barn” (the glory of the heavenly nature) that the “fire” (the great time of trouble mentioned by the Prophet Daniel and by our Lord) will burn and symbolically consume all the “tares.” Thereafter none will make false professions of being Christians while really being of the world and possessed of its spirit. (Rev. 14:14-19)

The parable of the pounds (Luke 19:11-27) and the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30) are companion parables that also depict the Parousia. (See our paper No. 737, January 2019 for a more complete discussion of these two parables.) In both of these the Lord represents Himself as a great nobleman and heir to a throne, who went to a far country to be invested with kingly powers and then returned to use those powers. Upon departing, he left various riches under the stewardship of his servants. Upon his return as king, his first work was not to deal with enemies – those who resisted his reign over them. His first act was to call his servants before him to judge their stewardship over the riches he had left with them.

The return of the nobleman in the two parables unquestionably represents the Second Advent of our Lord and Master. As illustrated by these parables, He does not first deal with the rebellious world – those who would not have Him to rule over them. He instead first calls His own servants and reckons with them – rejecting some from further service because of unfaithfulness, and accepting others to a participation in the joys of the Kingdom, which He at once establishes. The nobleman’s reckoning first with his servants signifies that after His return the Lord will reckon first with the Church; it corresponds to the separating of the wheat and tares in the first parable.

This part of the Lord’s work at His Second Advent precedes the Epiphany or manifestation to the world. The world is to be in total ignorance of this period of Christ’s presence and this feature of His work until the reckoning with His servants and the glorification of the faithful is finished. The judgment of the world will then begin with a time of trouble (Dan. 12:1) symbolically pictured as a fire in the parable of the wheat and the tares. (Matt. 13:42) As we have seen, the Apostle informs us that our Lord will be revealed or made manifest (apokalypsis) in flaming fire (judgments), taking vengeance. (2 Thess. 1:7-8)

The world would not go on in its usual routine (eating, drinking, planting, building, marrying, etc.) if they knew of the Lord’s presence and the progress of the “harvest” of the Gospel Age. They would change their usual order of affairs considerably and be in great fear if they knew that the next thing in order would be judgments upon themselves, the beginning of the day of the Lord, which is to be to them “the day of vengeance.” (Isa. 61:2) Very evidently, therefore, this reckoning with the Church and the reward of the faithful will precede our Lord’s apokalypsis, or revealing.

NOT A THIRD ADVENT

However, we are not to understand that the Lord will take the Church away to heaven and then come back again to make His epiphaneia or apokalypsis; for that would be a third advent, which is nowhere even hinted at in the Scriptures. The change of the Church to the spirit nature will occur first and then Christ and the Church, His bride, having become one in nature will commence the work of bringing all things into subjection to the heavenly Kingdom, the Millennial Kingdom. Our Lord and His Church will not be absent from the earth during the period of the world’s tribulation. They will be present but invisible, bringing upon the world the tribulation foretold in the Scriptures. The result will be the humbling of the hearts of mankind so that eventually all will 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.” (Isa. 2:3)

This fact is abundantly proven by the Lord’s own words: “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works 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 have received of my Father.” (Rev. 2:26-27) The Prophet David affirms this power of the overcomers: “To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints.” (Psa. 149:7-9)

The majority of the faithful members of the body of Christ will have gone beyond the vail before the trouble, but others may remain in the flesh for a time, to serve further on this side the vail. It is true that our Lord said, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” (Luke 21:36) We cannot be too certain which way He meant that they could escape. They might escape by avoidance of the trouble, or by being shielded from feeling its worst effects.

PROOFS OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE

Many will doubtless be surprised to learn there is much scriptural proof that we are already in the Parousia, the time of the presence of the Son of Man. Peter foretold that “scoffers” would question this, saying, “‘Where is the promise of his presence [parousia]?” (2 Pet. 3:3-4, YLT) Our Lord’s own declaration, as we have already pointed out, answers the question. He stated that in the days of His presence the world would be eating, drinking, planting and building, and would not know of His presence. It could not be more explicit.

But what are the proofs of Christ’s presence? This is a reasonable inquiry. Even though we know that He is a spirit being whose presence would be invisible, we would not be justified in believing that the Lord is present without solid evidence. We have a right to expect clear, reasonable grounds for faith before accepting any matter which implies so much. We are not, however, to ask or to expect evidences to our natural sight: the eyes of our understanding must also be the eyes of our faith. (Eph. 1:18) We can expect reasonable, satisfactory evidence for our faith but we cannot expect visible demonstrations of an invisible Parousia. As the Apostle explains: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7)

As the angel explained to the Prophet Daniel, the entire matter was to be hidden from the world: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. . . . Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” (Dan. 12:4, 10) The “wise” were to only understand at the due time – “the time of the end.”

This and other general prophecies offer clues that we are living in about the time of the Master’s second presence. However, there are specific prophecies that prove that our Lord’s Parousia began in the autumn of 1874. While somewhat hidden, there are several clear and positive lines of prophecy which interlace and corroborate each other in this testimony. We have seen nothing with our natural eyes – only with the eyes of our understanding, only in the light of the “more sure word of prophecy.” (2 Pet. 1:19)

Although space will not permit us to give a complete and comprehensive statement of these prophecies, we will summarize four of these prophetic lines in our next paper. A comprehensive study of these prophecies is presented in Studies in the Scriptures, Volumes I-V. We leave it for true watchers to use the keys which God has provided if they are interested in penetrating into the “deep things” of the divine Word now due to be understood.

(Based on Reprint 2972. To be continued in our August 2020 paper.)

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LETTER FROM A DEAR SISTER

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Thanking you for checking on me and my family. We are safe under the wings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My daughter is a nurse at Mt. Sinai Hospital. We are seeing daily the fulfillment of the Bible. We are “Rejoicing in Tribulation.”

Christian love to all,

Your Sister by His Grace . . . . . (New York) (Written May 7, 2020)

Write to us at: epiphanybiblestudents@gmail.com

[1] Quotations are from the King James Version (KJV) unless otherwise noted.

NO. 754: WAITING FOR MESSIAH

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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