NO. 278: GOD'S KINGDOM SINCE 1914

No. 278

In the Watch Tower of October 15, 1966 (pp. 613-626) The Jehovah’s Witnesses pre­sent an article titled What Has God’s Kingdom Been Doing Since 1914; and, since we our­selves being intimately familiar with the events that have occurred since that date, we believe our readers will welcome an analysis – a presentation of Fact against Fiction. In their treatise the Witnesses stress the year 1914 as the time for the establishment of God’s Kingdom on earth – with themselves as the earthly visible representatives of that Kingdom. That 1914 is a very marked date in human history needs no argument; nor is any argument necessary for informed Bible students that that year is also clearly set forth in Old and New Testament prophecy. Clearly enough, then we have no objection to the date itself; it is then only with the events that occurred in 1914 – and since ­and their Biblical and secular significance that we part company with the Witnesses’ expressions.

Let us first consider Mal. 4:5,6: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet be­fore the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” These are the last words of Old Testament Holy Writ; and for centuries that have intervened the Jews have given a literal interpretation to the prophecy – so much so that many of them to this day have a vacant chair at their Passover table each year, for the use of Elijah – just in case he should make unexpected appearance. But a critical examination of Matt. 11:14 will reveal clearly enough that Jesus interpreted Elijah as a type of the Gospel-Age Christ Company, which, coupled with the Malachi text, sets him forth as a type with specific purpose – namely, Elijah pre­figured the Gospel-Age Church in its endeavors to reform “this present evil world” ­to reform the irreformable – which task has never yet been accomplished.

In discussing John the Baptist, and his status, Jesus had said of him: “If ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was to come.” The American Revised Version gives the text like this: “This (one, John the Baptist) is (represents) Elijah that is (literally, the one being about) to come.” And what John did then on a small scale for Israel in preparing “the way of the Lord” for Israel makes him an antitype of Elijah. Note now Matt. 17:12,13: “Elias is come already, and they knew him not... Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them. Then the Disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.” And, since John antityped Elijah announcing Jesus at His first Ad­vent, so the Gospel-Age Church would antitype Elijah in much greater degree in announc­ing Jesus at His second Advent in power and great glory.

Jesus having so clearly marked Elijah as a type, we are now justified in studying the events in Elijah’s life for helpful information concerning the antitype. In 1 Kgs. 19:8 it is stated that “he did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the Mount of God.” In Heb. 12:18-20 St. Paul very clearly declares that Horeb (or Sinai) was a type of the greater mountain (king­dom), which would be the answer to the prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.” And Elijah’s going “forty days” in the strength of the food he received would antitype the Greater Elijah (the Gospel-Age Church) going forty antitypical days (or forty years) from 1874 to 1914 – when, for the first time in Gos­pel-Age history “the stone cut out of the mountain without hands” (Dan. 2:45) was col­lectively and individually sufficiently complete to begin to “break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms.” The end of the Gentile Times had been reached, and their eviction then immediately begun. This is in exact harmony with Brother Russell’s teaching on the subject.

SINCE 1914 – A SECOND COUNTERFEIT KINGDOM

The foregoing is probably not too much at variance with what the Witnesses themselves believe of the situation up to 1914; but we shall now examine some of the happenings since that time. One of the first major undertakings of the Witnesses after the death of Pastor Russell in October 1916 was the publication in 1917 of Volume VII of Studies in the Scrip­tures – under the name of the International Bible Students Association, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, as they were then known. That Volume VII was also titled “The Finished Mystery,” was hailed as the seventh vial fulfillment of Rev. 16:17; and certain statements in that book concerning patriotism, etc., were construed by the United States Government as a decided interference with their prosecution of the war against the central powers, resulting in eight of the organization’s leaders being sent to Atlanta Penitentiary in 1918 (from which they were subsequently pardoned in 1919).

Shortly after their release from durance vile, a sharp and widespread controversy arose among the former adherents of Brother Russell over the chronology which he had pro­duced from the Scriptures; and the leaders of the Society made valiant correct and com­mendable defense against those who were attempting to find the chronology wrong by some nineteen years. Both Volume VII and the chronology were made tests of fellowship; and an extensive division resulted. Many were disfellowshiped because they could not accept the multitudinous errors in Volume VII, and others were disfellowshiped because they could not accept the true chronology as given by Brother Russell. But it was only a few years until the Witnesses themselves forsook the true chronology, and rejected their own Volume VII ­so much so with the latter that it is now ‘Index Expurgatorious’ to their own members. This poses a timely question: If Volume VII is wrong now, was it not equally wrong in 1917 when the uproar occurred concerning it? And, if they have been the visible Kingdom of God on earth since 1914, what explanation do they now offer for such a colossal blun­der on the part of the Lord? “God is not the author of confusion.” Furthermore, if the chronology was right fifty years ago, it should still be right. Mathematical calcu­lations are the same – yesterday, today and forever!

SATAN CAST OUT OF HEAVEN

The article under discussion also proceeds to say that in 1914 Satan was cast out of Heaven, and “his angels were hurled down with him.” The account of the angels that sinned is discussed by the Apostle Peter, and we now quote it from Wilson’s Emphatic Diaglott translation (2 Pet. 2:4-6): “God did not spare the angels who sinned, but hav­ing confined them in Tartarus (translated ‘Hell’ in the King James version – from the Greek Tartaroo, meaning the thick murky atmosphere about this earth) with chains of thick darkness, delivered them over into custody for judgment; and did not spare the Old World, but kept in safety Noah, the eighth, a Herald of righteousness, bringing a deluge on the world of impious men; and condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes, making them an example for the impious hereafter.” It should be noted that all of this text is stated in the past tense – that it is a chronological narrative, giving the events in order of time. Thus, the first one mentioned is “the angels who sinned”; the second, the “deluge on a world of impious men”; and third, and final, Sodom and Gomorrah. Surely, this is clear evidence that the “angels who sinned” had been cast down to Tarta­roo (confined to the atmosphere of this earth) even before the flood destroyed the “world that was.”

Further corroboration of Scriptural fact against the Witnesses’ Fiction is to be found in the performance of Jesus and the Apostles on numerous occasions casting out de­mons – evil spirits – fallen angels – Satan’s partners in the master crime of all Ages. Just a few such citations are: Matt. 4:24, 8:16; Mark 3:22; Luke 4:41, 10:17; Acts 5:16, 16:16-18 and 19:12, etc. Also, the words of Jesus, Luke 10:17, 19, Dia.: “The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us by thy name.

And He said to them, I saw the Adversary falling from Heaven like lightning.” Certainly, this is a clear statement by the Lord Himself that Satan had been cast out of Heaven be­fore this Gospel Age had even begun. Also, 1 Pet. 5:8, Dia.: “Your opponent, the enemy (Satan), like a roaring lion, is walking about, seeking to devour.” Who are the “Your” in this text? We answer, they are the people to whom St. Peter addressed his letter – “To the sojourners of the dispersion, of Pontus, Galatia,” etc. It needs no argument that those Jewish “sojourners of the dispersion” were people here on earth, so it would be interest­ing to hear from the Witnesses how Satan walking about in Heaven could devour human beings here on earth. But perhaps the most compelling of all argument against their fiction is our Lord’s prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. How could God’s will be done in Heaven if Satan was there “as a roaring lion,” seeking to de­vour?

Yet the Witnesses now make great claim that their proclamation of these errors – this fiction – is the expression of God’s Kingdom on earth since 1914! And in all this they have been casting aside one truth after another since 1914 – truths for which they stoutly contended at least through 1916. Not only so, but they have been changing their own teachings with great rapidity year after year in distressing confusion – although the Scripture is very emphatic that “God is not the author of confusion” – and when His Kingdom is actually es­tablished on earth “the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isa. 35:8) They have modified and changed much of their teaching since this paper was first published in 1966. However, in spite of this clear promise, we believe it is a fair appraisal that the large majority of the Witnesses’ dedicated adherents do not now have a clear understanding even of what they themselves should believe – one strong reason for this being that, as one prominent official, their vice-president, put it some years ago: “We don’t believe this year what we did last year, and we probably won’t be believing next year what we believe this year.” Can such bedlam possibly be the “desire of all nations” which is promised to come when God’s Kingdom really begins to operate on earth?

At this point it is in order also to call attention to another very radical change they have made in their teachings since they have been the “representatives of God’s King­dom,” so we quote from p. 134 of The Finished Mystery: “Instead of teaching that the saved of our race will all be saved to the same thing, the Scriptures show two degrees or kinds of Heavenly salvation (which is correct, and exactly as Pastor Russell taught it—JJH) .... the Little Flock, who are to sit down with Christ in His Throne; the Great Company who are to stand before the Throne, having palms of martyrdom but without the crowns of glory . “

At present the Witnesses have made their “Great Company” of Rev. 7:9 a “large multi­tude” of human beings – their present dedicated devotees, who are to live right on through Armageddon and continue to live forever right here on earth – a complete reversal of what they received from Brother Russell, and which they enthusiastically taught some fifty years ago – after 1914; so our readers may determine for themselves which is fact and which is fiction in this extreme change they have made. However, they have modified their teaching about the “great multitude” living through Armageddon, as quite a few of their faith­ful followers have since died.

COMFORT FOR THE JEWS

Another complete reversal is their present teaching on the re-gathered Jews in Palestine to what it was forty years ago. In 1925 their then President J. F. Ruther­ford produced a new book – COMFORT FOR THE JEWS – and here is some of the comments to be found on the Frontispiece:

“Judge Rutherford, known throughout the world as a friend of the Hebrew people, is vigorously supporting the claim of the Jews to the Holy Land ... His lectures to large audiences, which have been broadcast throughout the world, on ‘JEWS RETURNING TO PALESTINE,’ have created an intense interest. This Vol­ume is the first unbiased presentation of the subject from the Scriptural viewpoint pub­lished.” Then on the next page is quoted Psa. 122:6: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: They shall prosper that love thee.” All of this is correctly based upon the clear Scriptural declaration (Isa. 2:3), “Out of Zion (the Glorified Messiah and His Elect Bride, who are the primary seed of Abraham, who are to bless all nations—Gal. 3:8) shall go forth the Law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” – which city will con­tain the true earthly ‘princes’ (rulers – representatives) of the Kingdom. All of this is now categorically denied in the Watch Tower of October 15, 1966:

“The earthly Jerusalem has nothing to do with it,” they say; “Since Jesus was put to death on Calvary outside the walls of Jerusalem in the year 33 C.E. that city has no connection with God’s Messianic Kingdom.”

After correctly discussing the dispersion and the terrible afflictions of the Jews all during this Gospel Age, the Judge then proceeds to say on p. 45 (also correctly):

“But is Israel cast off forever? The answer is No indeed! Mark the statement made by our Lord to Ezekiel at the time of pronouncing the final decree against them. It is: ‘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’—Eze. 21:27. (Emphasis by the Judge) The mere fact that the Lord said He would overturn it until a set time, is conclusive proof that it is God’s purpose to restore Israel to His favor upon certain conditions. But when? The answer is, With the coming of Shiloh, the Messiah, to whom shall the gathering of the people be, as promised in Gen. 49:10. Then He of whom Moses was a type shall come into His own... That will mark the time when the favor of God may be expected to return to Israel.” (“Comfort For The Jews” by J. F. Rutherford)

This clear and emphatic statement by the Judge is indeed the truth, and the Witnes­ses believed it to be the truth forty years ago; but THEY DON’T BELIEVE IT NOW – although they claimed to be witnessing to God’s Kingdom then, just as they claim to be doing so now. Thus, again the question: Were they teaching fiction then or – are they teach­ing fiction now? To help our readers to arrive at the correct answer to this question, we now quote Zech. 14:1-3: “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh (the times of restitu­tion spoken by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets—Acts 3:19-23), and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations (Gog and Magog, the hosts of merciless plunderers of regathered Israel) against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle” – as He did for Joshua against the Amalekite kings at Gibeon (Josh. 10:1-14), as He fought for David against the Philistines at Baal-Perazim (2 Sam. 5:17-21), and as He miraculously delivered Israel from the hosts of Midian by Gideon and his band of 300 men, the Midianites and the Amalekites being “like grasshoppers for multitude; and their cam­els without number, as the sand by the seaside for multitude.” (Judges 7:1-25 This mi­raculous help is to come to the Jews at Jerusalem in “the day of the Lord” (just before the real Mediatorial Kingdom is established at Jerusalem), clearly testifying that this delivery from their enemies is an event yet in the future.

A BRIEF RESUME

In the foregoing pages we have detailed only a few of the major reversals of teach­ing by the Witnesses over the past forty years. If we attempted to analyze all of their variations, it would no doubt require a good-sized book. Clearly enough, a great part of their “witnessing” could be nothing less than fiction – either then, or now – because they now teach just the reverse of what they did a few years back. For the benefit of our read­ers, we now offer some Scriptures which will help determine if their present-day witness­ing is fact or fiction:

“When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn right­eousness” (Isa. 26:9). Have the inhabitants of the earth really been learning righteous­ness by this somersaulting change in teachings with each succeeding year? “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain (Kingdom): for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9). Which shall we con­sider “the knowledge of the Lord” – what the Witnesses gave us forty years ago, or what they are giving us now? And have men ceased to “hurt or destroy” as a result of their “knowledge,” or do we not see more hurting and destroying than ever before in human history?

All of this performance by the Witnesses is an identical twin to the Papacy claims during their false “kingdom” from 799 to 1799, when they also went from one error into another, freely excom­muni­cating the ‘heretics’ who did not agree with them – just as the Witnesses also now do. And, as they now claim to be separating the Sheep from the Goats, so Papacy also claimed to be separating the saved from the damned – then, the same as now, offering false promises to the ‘faithful,’ and decreeing false punishments to the ‘un­faithful.’ And, also like the Papacy, they have been guilty of drastic mistranslation of the Scriptures to make them fit their present contentions.

Let us emphasize the very close similarity of the first counterfeit Kingdom of the Papacy in 799-1799 to the second counterfeit now being preached by the Witnesses. Said the Papacy, If you do not accept us, you are lost – in eternal torment. Say the Witnes­ses, If you do not accept us, you are lost – in unending death. Said the Papacy, We are the Vicar of Christ on earth, the infallible repository of God’s Word - no salvation out­side of our domain. Say the Witnesses, We are the visible representatives of God’s King­dom on earth since 1914, no salvation outside of us and the teachings we offer. And in both counterfeit kingdoms the teachings were repeatedly changed – diametrically contra­dicting previously-held beliefs, yet loudly proclaiming themselves to be the Mouthpiece of God on earth, while shouting anathema at all dissidents, excommunications for so much as a question against what comes from the “Channel.”

As That Servant has so aptly said, “When the Truth comes in conflict with error, when the Sword of the Spirit, wielded by some of the Lord’s simple followers, proves mighty in the overthrow of error – when the light of Present Truth, and the clearness in which it is presented, and the beauty in which it can be seen and appreciated, is contrasted with the error, the result is either that the Truth is seen in its beauty, or the erring one opposing it becomes more densely blinded than before.”

And it is a very pleasant observation that the Truth always deals much more gener­ously with the errorists than do the errorists with those who have the Truth. During Brother Russell’s ministry the preachers of error all over Christendom were consigning him to “the hottest corner in Hell” – all the while he himself was allowing for them the “Gospel (good news) of the Kingdom” under the benign mediatorial reign of the Christ. Likewise, the Scribes and the Pharisees were labeling Jesus as an emissary of “Beelze­bub,” as He himself was predicting for them that they would “see Abraham, Isaac and Ja­cob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 13:28) So also the Papacy ­during their counterfeit kingdom – not only sentenced the “heretics” to eternal torment, but actually started the torment for many of them by splitting their noses, pouring mol­ten lead into their ears, tearing them apart limb from limb on the rack, while the recip­ients of their heinous torture were praying peace and forgiveness for their tormentors. In similar manner, the Witnesses now consign to everlasting extinction those who reject their errors – although those of us who have the Truth allow for the deluded devotees of their “kingdom” a full opportunity to imbibe the “knowledge of the Lord” (the Truth) under benign real Kingdom conditions. Recently one of the Witnesses called at our res­idence, while we were absent, with intent to berate us. At the end of a courteous hear­ing, he said of us as he left the house, “He’s a dead man!” It is indeed a sad commen­tary that the tendency of errorists always seems to be to heap imprecations, excommunica­tions (“make fire come down from Heaven in the sight of men”—Rev. 13:13) and revilings upon those who expose their errors – even while those with the Truth make generous allow­ance for those in error. All of the Heathen Gods are cruel Gods, as can be seen from their hideous portrayal on the totem poles and other idol constructions.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim Pastor Russell as their founder, but this is what he says about the true Kingdom in the very year of 1914 – a most forceful contradiction to their present claim that the appearance of their organization constitutes the visible Kingdom on earth:

“The Ancient Worthies (not their earthly organization!—JJH) will be the earthly represent­atives of the Messianic Kingdom (See the 11th chapter of Hebrews for a list of the names of some of these faithful Ancients—JJH). The Christ, however, will be the great Teacher in glory, from whom all instructions will come through these earthly representatives. As people begin to get the true, the real knowledge about the glorious character of God, they will begin to see how inferior they are. Then (when “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, are in the Kingdom” – in Jerusalem – ­Luke 13:28—JJH) they will be in condition to receive instruction.” (See Reprint 5583, Dec. 1, 1914) The prophets were “holy men of God’ (2 Pet. 1:21), so they will be “in the Kingdom.”

CONCERNING ARMAGEDDON

The Witnesses’ have promised their dedicated “Large Multitude” life eternal through Armaged­don and on through the Ages to come (although they have modified their teaching on this since this article was first written) is also a complete reversal of their past teachings. We quote now from p. 3 of the Publisher’s Preface of The Finished Mystery:

“In the light of Divine Prophecy, now being daily fulfilled and made clear to ‘the watchers,’ the following from the pen of Pastor Russell is further proof that he was sent of God to this gener­ation. Long years before the beginning of the trouble now upon nations he wrote: ‘The four exhibitions of the Lord, given to Elijah, represent, we believe, four manifestations in which the Lord is about to reveal Himself to mankind, the first three of which will prepare men for the final one, in which will come the desired blessing to all the families of the earth. These are:

“(I) The mighty winds rending the very rocks. Blowing winds seem to be used in Scripture for wars ...

“(2) An earthquake. Throughout the Scriptures an earthquake seems always to repre­sent revolution.... conditions which would follow such a war would make revolution the next thing in order.

“(3) The fire from Heaven – an epoch of Divine judgments and chastisements upon a maddened, but unconverted world, wild in anarchy, as other Scriptures show us. The results of their wars, revolu­tions and anarchy, in the failure of their schemes, will have a humbling effect, and will prepare mankind for God’s revelation of Himself in

“(4) The still small voice. Yes, He who spoke to the winds and the waves of Gali­lee will, in due time, speak peace to the peoples.”

The foregoing is now also repudiated by the Witnesses in some of its major parts, because it makes a shambles of their present claims and fictional hopes presented to their dedicated devotees; but, as we said in our February l966 paper, Time itself is making them appear very ridiculous. In the Witnesses’ present feverish endeavors to separate the Sheep from the Goats, there is one determining question which should prove beyond the shadow of doubt to all unbiased minds if their present teaching is fact or fiction: IS SATAN NOW BOUND?

It is clearly stated in Rev. 20:1-3 that “An angel laid hold on that old Serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more.” Would any one of sound mind – or even the Witnesses themselves – con­tend that Satan is now bound? And, if he is not bound, then he must still be deceiving the nations. And, if the nations are being deceived, how can they possibly be held ac­countable for their deception? It is exactly the same as a sleight-of-hand performer tricking his audience by his manual manipulations. The Witnesses keep right on separ­ating the Sheep from the Goats, however, with high reward for those who accept them and eternal death to all others who do not join them before Armageddon.

Be it noted that Papacy made exactly the same mistake in their counterfeit kingdom from 799 to 1799, when they also were separating the Sheep from the Goats – except that they now claim that Satan was indeed bound then – that he has been “loosed for a little season” since 1799. Thus, their counterfeit kingdom was an improvement – in theory, at least – upon the present kingdom of the Witnesses. The Witnesses do not claim that Satan is bound – at least not yet have they made such claim. But perhaps we should give them time! But for now let us keep in mind the promise of Rev. 21:3-4: “Behold, the Taber­nacle of God is with men... and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” During the Papal counterfeit kingdom there was just the reverse of this great promise – violence, cruelty and oppression, prevailed in all quarters. And during the Witnesses’ kingdom since 1914 it is also evident that violence – “nation against nation” – is the prevailing order of the day. Judge Rutherford was wont to stress the “physical facts” in his lectures and writings forty some years ago; therefore, we would now call upon the Witnesses to catalog the “physical facts” to prove that the benign Kingdom of God is now with us. However, we now place ourselves on record in predicting an even greater “Armageddon” delusion than was their “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” delu­sion before 1925. “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.”

Let us consider also the promise of the conditions when the separation of the Sheep and Goats is in order: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain (King­dom): for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord.” (Isa. 11:9) Today we find just the reverse of this in the earth – “men’s hearts failing them for fear” – the violence of the atomic bombs, etc., is multifold greater than was the violence that filled the earth in the “world that was.” (2 Pet. 3:6; Gen. 6:11) Also, according to the Wit­nesses’ own contentions, the vast majority of religious teachers in the earth today are rank frauds – deceiving the people with error, instead of teaching them the “knowledge of the Lord.” But, when God’s true Kingdom is actually in operation in the earth, “they shall no more teach every man his neighbor, 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.” (Jer. 31:34) It should need no argument that millions upon millions of human beings today have not the mental capacity to recognize the truth when it is presented to them; that is why it is so easy for “grievous wolves” to prosper greatly today – something all should expect in this great “Time of Trouble.” (Dan. 12:1)

However, the Witnesses do teach a reign of “righteousness and Truth” after Arma­geddon, with them as the chief rulers in the earth. But, they say, “The generation now living who do not accept us before Armageddon will perish in that holocaust, and will have no part in that Kingdom – nor any opportunity of ever being resurrected.” This is a gross perversion of the true Kingdom – the “Good Tidings of Great Joy, which shall be to all people.” In that true Kingdom, “All that are in their graves will hear his voice and come forth.” (John 5:28,29) This “all” will include the present generation, as well as past generations. The Worthies will be the earthly representatives then – and the “Word of the Lord” will go forth from Jerusalem. (Isa. 2:3) Their Gospel(?) is very “bad news” to the large majority of this generation – and cannot be too joyous for some of their adherent who will have relatives and friends perishing in Armageddon – if they fail to accept and join the Witnesses beforehand.

“Now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.” (Mal. 3:15) This is just the reverse of what we may expect when the true Kingdom of God is here – when “the Tabernacle of God is with men.” “Do you therefore, Beloved, being forewarned, be on your guard, lest being led away by the deceit of the lawless, you should fall from your own stability; but grow in favor and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 3:17,18, Dia.)

(Reprint of No. 194, Aug. 1, 1971)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle Pilgrim

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – Will you please give us your analysis of the May 15, 1978 Watchtower article on “What Draws You to God”?

ANSWER: – What draws men to God is His Truth. He is not drawing “all sorts” during this Faith Age – only those of a “good and honest heart” – and only those who are “of the Truth.” “Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” (Jn. 18:37) “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:16,17) The Witnesses are sancti­fying all people, whether “of the truth” or not, when they come with them (set them apart for service – so many hours a week, etc.). Many are “sanctified” because of fear of Armageddon annihilation.

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32) Here is the Berean Comment on this text: “During the Millennium.... By giving them a knowledge of the Lord.” The Jehovah’s Witnesses make changes in texts to be different ­and to suit their teaching; so in this text they say “He will draw all sorts” instead of “all men.” (p. 5, col. 2, par. 2)

In this same paper they tell us “that the Devil has caused the negative way of think­ing to permeate every form of false religion.” (p. 7, col. 1, par. 1) If the Devil is now causing the “negative way” of thinking, then how can they expect such people whose minds are blinded by “the god of this world” to “discern between good and evil,” Truth and Error? (Heb. 5:14) In that glorious Kingdom the “eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” (Isa. 35:5) Most assuredly that Kingdom will include the people of this generation, as well as those of past genera­tions, whose eyes have been blinded by the “god of this world.” (2 Cor. 4:4) This is indeed the Gospel – “Good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” (Luke 2:10)

They do suggest that their adherents ask themselves: “Am I doing so with a willing and happy heart? Or, is it possibly with the thought of avoiding destruction at the fast ­approaching day of Har-Magedon?—Eccl. 12:13; Rev. 16:15,16.” (p. 7, col. 2, par. 1) No doubt they well realize that many of their adherents come with them because of such fear. One former Witness told us that he left that organization some time before their Armaged­don prediction for 1975, but when 1975 drew near he thought he had better “get right with God” beforehand, so he went back with them. However, when their prediction proved to be another hoax, he left them again.

For now, as well as all during the Gospel Age, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44) The Father is not “drawing all sorts” – nor all men – during this Faith Age – only the called ones: “For many be called, but few chosen.” (Matt. 20:16) “For you see your call­ing, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” (I Cor. 1:26) Those who are called are “footstep followers” of Jesus, and walk the “narrow way to life.” (See Matt. 7:14) All who are not called in this Age will have an opportunity to walk up the Highway of Holiness: “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isa. 35:8) The “wayfaring men” are those who didn’t walk a “narrow way” to life in this Age – and since there will be no error taught then, they will learn Truth and Righteous­ness. “God is faithful that promised.” (Heb. 10:23)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Gentlemen:

Thank you for the two editions recently sent to me regarding What is the Soul? and Where are the Dead? Did someone give you my name and address to send these to me? I have not heard of this group before. I would like to read what you say regarding the Scrip­tures – The Resurrection of the Dead, Two Salvations and The Three Babylons.

Very truly yours ------- (FLORIDA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

Hoping you are keeping well and all in the Bible House with you. I was very glad to get two Truth papers from you the other day. I see in them the great Pastor and Teacher (RGJ) is falling down before the good truths that are left to his care – either because he is like Charles the first of England, he is too ugly to look into the glass or what – but something is wrong! The Class in Kingston is split in two...........

Please send me one or two parcels of tracts for the Gideon work.

Yours, dear Brother, in the good hope of the Kingdom ------- (JAMAICA)

NO. 277: NEW AND OLD COVENANTS ISRAELITISH

No. 277

While it is our intention herein to treat mainly of the Old (Law) Covenant and the New (Millennial) Covenant, certain explanatory comments will be offered on var­ious features of other covenants.

The Bible covenants are of two kinds – unilateral and bilateral. An example of a unilateral covenant is found in Gen. 9:11: “I will establish my covenant with you (Noah and his sons); neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there be any more a flood to destroy the earth (the present so­cial order).”

The outstanding example of the bilateral covenant is that made with the Jews through Moses. That the Law Covenant is bilateral is indisputably established by Jer. 31:32: “which my covenant they brake.” The Jews had solemnly promised to keep the Law Covenant – “all these things will we do, and live” – but they did not then real­ize their inability to do “these things” because of their fallen condition. Therefore, the man Christ Jesus is the only one who was able to keep that law, although some Jews to­day make very determined effort to keep it. When we were a boy in Dayton, Ohio, our Jewish neighbor had us to light the fire in his stove every Friday night at six o’clock, for which he gave us a penny; but he did not realize that in this very effort to keep the Law, he was breaking it by hiring us to work for him.

That the Law Covenant is typical in many ways of the New Covenant is also readily apparent. “Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet (mediator) shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.” (Acts 3:22) The New Covenant consists of the promises that God and man will make Millennially and post-Millennially to one an­other on certain conditions – as is evident from Ezek. 18:1-24: “The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying, What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.” (vs. 1-3) “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (v. 20) These conditional promises will constitute the New Cove­nant in its narrow sense. God’s two conditional covenants are contracts whose terms bind God and Israel to one another.

As an example of the word Covenant used in the second or wider sense of the word, we mention again the Law Covenant, as consisting not only of the things stated above, but also of the teachings, arrangements, institutions, etc., that were made the basis of the covenant in its narrow sense, and that as such were obligations of the parties to it. (See Ex. 24:3,7; 34:27,28; Deut. 4:13; Heb. 9:1-10; 10:1-4) In this sense the covenant was forty years in its making (Heb. 8:9; 3:7-9), its first part being certain (not all) features of the Passover, given before they left Egypt; the Sabbath given before they came to Sinai; the features given at Sinai, where the contract ­the covenant in its narrow sense was made: “Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on all the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you.” (Ex. 24:8) It would include also those given after they left Sinai until they were ready to enter Canaan – in addition to numerous ones in Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

The teachings, arrangements, institutions, etc. (contained especially in the New Testament), whereby God is realizing the oath-bound promises in its Sarah Covenant fea­tures to the Christ, are likewise seen to be, with those promises, the Oath-bound Cove­nant to the Christ in the second sense of the word. Also all of the arrangements, in­stitutions, teachings, etc., of the Millennium will, with the New Covenant promises, be the New Covenant in the wider sense of the word.

As examples of the word Covenant, the widest and third sense of the term, we cite the Mosaic, the Sarah and the New Covenants, whenever they are presented as wives of God (Gal. 4:21-31; Isa. 54; 60:6 – compare with Gen. 25:1-5). This requires some explan­ation: In addition to the conditional promises of the Law Covenant and their pertinent teachings, institutions, arrangements, etc., the covenant in this sense of the word in­cludes every Israelite in his capacity of ministering the covenant teachings, institu­tions, arrangements, etc., i.e., the covenant provisions, to his fellow Israelites, who, in their capacity of being so ministered unto, are the child or children of the Law Cov­enant. Let us note well this distinction: It is not so much one of persons as of the pertinent persons. When the Israelites ministered the covenant provisions to one another, they acted as the mother, antitypical Hagar (Gal. 4:24,25); and when nourished with the Covenant provisions by their brethren, they acted as the child, antitypical Ishmael (Gal. 4:25,29,30).

OLD COVENANT – NEW COVENANT

“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.” (Jer. 31:31) It should be stressed here that this New Covenant is to be made with both the houses of Israel. Prior to the death of Solomon there had been but one house of Israel; but the revolt led by Jeroboam after Solomon’s death divided the nation into two parts – the ten tribes going with Jeroboam, and two (Judah and Benjamin) remaining with Rehoboam. (See 1 Kings 12) They were first called Judahs (the tribe of Benjamin had been so decimated in the atrocity recorded in Judges 20 that they were more or less inconsequential in the new arrangement); then Judes; then Jews. The word Jew first occurs in 2 Kgs. 16:6.

However, the statement in Jer. 31:31 says the covenant will be made with both houses, so this pretty well eliminates any argument about the matter. As most of us know, there has been much argument about those “ten lost tribes”; the Anglo-Israels claim they are what is now the people on the British Isles. The arguments they produced had quite some surface logic before 1914 – when the center of the world’s money market was London. They also contended that British was from two Hebrew words, brith and ish, which means chosen man; and the London English in 1914 were the “top dogs” in world’s finance and about everything else. That has changed pronouncedly now, and we do not hear very much more about it; in fact, England is now in a deplorable financial condition, having lost most of their foreign possessions.

Whatever happened to the “ten lost tribes” is not of major concern to us now. In­asmuch as we are now almost face to face with the New Covenant, and its Jewish destiny, that should be of chief concern to us – and it is with us! When any one wanted to re­ceive any benefits under the old Law Covenant, they had first to become Jews; and that was typical of the New Covenant, where also all must become Jews if they are blessed by the Mediatorial reign.

The question properly arises, Why are the Jews God’s chosen people? The answer is that the Jewish nation descended from Abraham. And why is Abraham so favored? It is because he stood firm in his faith in the one true God, even as his own father was an idolater, as were also most of his relatives. “Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him thruout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.” (Josh. 24:2,3)

It should be stressed here that God never blesses any one that does not believe in Him; but the strength of Abraham’s belief is strongly revealed when he intended to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah, because God had told him to do that. There can be little doubt that Isaac was a most handsome, winsome and intelligent lad – born to Abraham when he was a hundred years old, and Sarah 75 years old. It is little wonder that Sarah laughed openly when the angel told her she was going to have a little boy; thus, when he came she named him Isaac, which means laughter.

And because Abraham hesitated not to offer Isaac at God’s request he was then given what we understand to be the oathbound Covenant: “The angel of the Lord called to Abra­ham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son; That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven (the Gospel-Age Christ Company), and as the sand which is upon the seashore (the Worthies, and through them the Jewish nation); and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” (Gen. 22:15-18)

While the Jews as a people went far astray from God during the Jewish Age, Paul tells us in Rom. 11:28, “As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.” In the very strict sense of the word, “the fathers” are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And Gen. 35:10 says this: “Thy name Israel means, “ He will rule as God”; and “he is faithful that promised.” (Heb. 10:23)

After the year 70 A.D. the Jews became a hunted and despised people – people with­out a country; and they were changed from an agricultural nation to a nation of money people – something they could take with them if things became rough – as they often did. And because of this, many Gentiles concluded that they had lost completely all favor from God. Yet during the most severe times they still maintained their racial and religious identity. So far as we know, it was not known by any one before 1874 that the Jews were receiving their “double” – 1845 years of disfavor for their 1845 years of great favor that ended when they crucified Jesus.

During this Age they used all the ingenuity they could muster in an effort to re­gain Palestine as their homeland; but they always faced failure until the “due time.” In 1878 some returning favor appeared, when a small measure of favor returned to them. More of this appeared in 1918 when the English wrested Jerusalem from the “terrible Turk.” And yet more of it in 1948, when they became established as a nation – although the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church has not yet recognized them as a nation. Since 1948 they have been having their troubles; but we have the strong assurance they will not any more lose their national unity.

THE 1967 WAR

In the year 1967 Egypt declared war on the Jews, which lasted just five days, with great victory for the Jews. Just recently a sister sent us a book, written by a Jewish lady who was there then, and we shall quote parts of that book, with some comments of our own, and perhaps some paraphrasing, the general tone of which is somewhat after the form of a diary:

“All through the month of May 1967, the storm clouds darkened on the hori­zon. Egypt was massing troops on the border and building up a formidable military force ready for attack; Israel was preparing to defend herself. Each day the situation be­came more serious. All our able-bodied men were being called up. The roads were filled with military vehicles carrying soldiers and equipment. Many more soldiers were being posted in Mount Zion and every corner was inspected as plans for its defense went ahead. It was dangerous to linger near the border at night........ War was threatening our be­loved land. War was poking its ugly finger into every home and opening its grasping hand.

“Thursday, June 1: The month began with a great movement of people; citizens of other nations who had been advised to leave and Israelis abroad who were hurrying to return. The rabbi in the States came to say good-bye.... ‘The situation is very serious’ he said. ‘It seems that war is inevitable.’ He was very depressed. ‘And when all the Arab countries around us come against us intending to destroy us completely, what chance have we got?’ I also believe that war is on our doorstep,’ I said, ‘but I would ask what chance the Arabs have when they come to fight against Israel?’

“‘But look at their strength and their numbers, and we are surrounded by them.’ ‘Do you think,’ I broke in, ‘that we’ve been brought back to our land after nearly two thousand years of dispersion, only to be destroyed by our neighbors? I cannot believe that God gave us a State of Israel for that purpose.’ ‘I agree with him,’ I said. ‘You know what befalls the enemies of Israel who attempt to foil the plan of God’.....

“As he was about to leave, a commander and some of his men came to tell us that we should prepare to be evacuated from Mount Zion at once. ‘You can’t possibly remain in this house exposed to the enemy on nearly all sides. Look down at those Arab soldiers right now.’ ‘We do not want to leave Mount Zion,’ I said. ‘But you’ve no protection here and the enemy is only a few yards away. Go to the city, where there are shelters.’ Albert said quietly, ‘We have the best protection and the best shelter.’ ‘Where?’ asked the commander in surprise. Albert looked upwards. ‘Above us,’ he replied. ‘The Almighty can protect us here just as well as in the city.’

“Sabbath eve, June 2: ‘Again we have to face our enemies. When will they leave us in peace?’ He answered cheerfully, ‘Next Friday we’ll all be at the Wailing Wall.’ “Monday, June 5: Suddenly the noise of machine-gun shells and rifle fire rent the air. Bullets were flying in all directions and as they hit the walls I knew that I must leave everything and make a dash for the gallery. Remembering a pot of potatoes cooking on the stove I ran upstairs to turn off the gas, trying to avoid the windows....

“The noise was deafening and continuous. It sounded as if every bullet hit the wall of the gallery and every explosion was outside our door. The play of sound was very misleading... Half an hour passed and the ring of the telephone could scarcely be heard above the din of the battle. With great relief I heard Albert’s voice on the line...... There was no lull in the fighting that whole day. Shots were being fired from above the gallery and from all the posts around us. Also the bullets and shells were coming from the other side of Mount Zion. It was a great battle. Jerusalem – City of Peace ­heralding by its name its ultimate destiny, was once again being lashed by the enemies of peace....

“We tried to sleep that night but it was impossible. The battle for Jerusalem raged all night with unabated fury. Added to the deafening noise of shells and bullets was the roar of war planes flying over Mount Zion in waves with such speed and power, scooping up every other sound in their path and then casting it all back to earth with such a thunderous roar that it seemed as if our ears would be shattered. We listened to all the firing on Mount Zion, not knowing which was from our side and which from the Arabs, and because every shot and explosion always sounded as if was destined for our wall, I imagined that little would be left of our house. Perhaps it had already been reduced to greater ruin than when we first saw it.....

“There was fierce fighting to the right of us, on the hill of Abu Tor, also on Mount Scopus and in the Mea Shearim quarter. Then we heard that four hundred Egyptian planes had been destroyed. We looked at one another. ‘That is surely impossible,’ someone remarked. ‘They must have made a mistake in the announcement. Perhaps they meant forty.’ But there had been no mistake in the announcement.

“During the night we had to brave the bullets and flying shrapnel and go upstairs. The toilet was situated on the open roof, next to the room where our soldiers were shooting from behind sand-bagged windows. On this open roof, the whizzing of shells and bullets and the noise of their hitting the stones seemed so unreal that we did not fully comprehend the danger in which we stood. A great blaze in front of the Dormition Church lit up the whole area. Then, suddenly, the dome of the Church went up in flames.....

“Tuesday June 6: A day we shall never forget. All day, without a stop, bullets and shells were flying and exploding. Always the noise seemed to be just outside the gallery... Israeli forces were occupying so many places, making such rapid progress, it was hard to believe ... A broadcast came over in Arabic, which one of our men understood. When it was finished he said simply: ‘King Hussein giving orders to his soldiers: ‘Kill every Jew you encounter, kill them with your guns, your hands, your feet, your teeth ­only kill them.’ We made some coffee for him and he told us our progress had been amaz­ing. The Arab military post opposite us had been conquered and also other surrounding Jordanian posts; only one of our men had been slightly wounded and the others were per­fectly all right.

“I have had some strange experiences today,’ he said quietly; ‘every bullet we fired struck its target. Whatever we did succeeded. We were amazed to see how quickly the Arabs evacuated their posts.’ ... I cannot believe the things I did today. It was as though some one else was commanding.’ Then he returned to this men upstairs.... They bent their helmeted heads low as they felt their way along the walls on their way back. That day had changed them from carefree boys to responsible men – defenders of Mount Zion.

“Wednesday June 7: I rushed upstairs. Everything was covered with a thick layer of dust which had fallen from the ceiling with every explosion, but I could not see any damage, not even a broken window. I was astonished. Where had all the bullets and shells landed during those two days of constant battle? It was really a miracle. Mount Zion seems to have been specially protected. I remembered the Commander’s words: ‘It was as though someone else was commanding.’......

“The shooting started again. There was hard fighting in the street and blood flowed in the narrow alleyways of the Old City. A high price was being paid in human lives and suffering in order to break down the walls of hatred and division. There are moments on the road of destiny which inspire fanciful thoughts, perhaps even prophetic thoughts. I looked into the future, the promised future, when the State of Israel would become the Kingdom of Israel, the Kingdom of peace, the Kingdom of God on earth with the Messiah rul­ing on the throne of David, and bringing peace to all the world....

“Then the sound of a trumpet could be heard, the long blast of the ram’s horn – the shofar – shattering the silence. The battle for Jerusalem was over. Rabbi Goren, the army chaplain, was blowing the shofar at the Wailing Wall, the wall of the Temple, and we could hear him singing the prayers. At that moment all Israel was pouring out its heart in prayers. For the first time for nearly two thousand years independent Jews were again in the City of David, at the Temple Wall, freed of its enemies. I remembered the time when the Jews stood praying at that Wall and had been stabbed in the back as they prayed......

“Now, imagine the flag of Israel on the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem after nearly two thousand years! However, the war had not yet ended, and we listened intently to the news coming over the radio. We heard that Jericho was in our hands, and later, Hebron and Bethelem, Ramallah and all the surrounding towns and villages. We were quite dazed. It seemed so incredible.

“Thursday June 8: It was an emotional day. So much joy, so much tragedy and such a consciousness of having experienced a miracle. Even those who had no religious be­liefs at all had to acknowledge that something had happened which was beyond their power. Every one was saying with the Commander of Mount Zion: ‘It was as though someone else was commanding.’ In fact, one religious soldier said: ‘I hope that our people will not forget that God has given us this victory.’ His words reminded me of the time of the siege of Jerusalem in 1948. Then, too, a wave of religious fervor swept through the people.

“‘Yes,’ I answered, ‘we hope that this experience will strengthen the faith of our people and bring a deeper realization of the fact that when Israel fights her battles there are also the ‘armies of God fighting with her.’ ‘That was always true,’ replied the soldier, ‘just as he fights for us now.’

“Friday June 9: In the first pale light of dawn I looked out of my window and saw intense action among the soldiers – some coming, some going. Then I learned that Egypt had accepted the United Nations cease fire. The war in Sinai was over. A new sound drew me to my window. A huge bulldozer was noisily climbing the hill. I watched it turn clumsily to face the corrugated iron fence which marked the border, marred the beau­ty of the landscape and was a constant reminder of the divided Jerusalem. How intensely I had always wished it could be removed. As it passed, broken walls and mounds of scat­tered stones and debris were all that was left. But the great majestic trees which had shielded it from view also lay prostrate in the dust. The border had disappeared and a new road was being made. After little more than an hour of continuous work with the bulldozer a small part of the way was cleared and I saw a car coming through from the Old City .... a safe and free road from Mount Zion to the Wall – all barriers down. It was only five days since the war started!

“At midday we were allowed to use the car to go into town. I had expected to see much damage in the city as a result of those two days of shelling, but I found no more than an occasional wall with some stones knocked out and a few broken windows. Even in the center of the city everything seemed to be going on normally. I had heard that the Knesset museum and university had been hit, but was told that very little damage had been done. It was all part of the miracle.”

The foregoing report of the 1967 war needs no elaboration from us; but we would inform our readers that we have been told that the Jews were given a plan of the Egyp­tian defense, so they went around the end of that defense, came in from the rear upon the unsuspecting Egyptians, who were then sleeping; and this accounts for the destruc­tion of 400 of their planes in one night. We are inclined to believe this because of the great success of the Jews which terminated the war in five days – A MIRACLE INDEED! But, then when the Lord was with the Jews, they never lost a battle even though outnumbered by their enemies; and He will again be with them as “in the days of old” in all their bat­tles for righteousness. How true it is, “It was as though someone else was commanding.” And this was forcefully shown to even the non-religious.

Information has come to us that the lady who wrote the book, and her husband, have both died since this writing; that he had been offered a knighthood in England for cer­tain meritorious service, which he declined – and that he left his entire estate to the Jewish State of Israel. An excellent example of faithful Jews – those who are promised the “first” blessings of the Kingdom under the New Covenant. “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.” (Jer. 31:31)

The great victory of the Jews in the 1967 war brings sharply to mind a remarkable coincidence of the Jews and the Egyptians when Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt. It was Egypt that experienced the annihilative defeat – a miracle also – with the Jews doing no fighting at all. And here, in the end of the Age, the Jewish nation was saved again – this time also with a crushing defeat of Egypt. We realize their troubles are not nearly over; but these upheavals and great successes at the hand of God are cer­tainly preparing them to receive the “New Covenant” (Jer. 31:31) in due time, all of which ties in most pointedly with St. Paul’s statement in Rom. 1:16: “To the Jew first” – they are still “beloved for the fathers’ sake”; and no amount of “strange fire” (false teaching) about Campers Consecrated, Quasi-Elect Consecrated, or the Large Crowd is going to change that. “God is faithful that promised.” (Heb. 10:28)

As stated, we expect more and worse trouble yet ahead for the Jews, but we have the “sure word of prophecy” that they will come off victorious there, too. “Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.” (Psa. 107:19) Note Zech. 14:1-3: “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh (it is already here), and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.” Note the Berean Comments on this Scripture: “When he fought for Joshua against the six Amalakite kings at Gibeon; when he fought for David against the Philistines at Perazim; when he mirac­ulously delivered Israel from the hosts of Midian by Gideon and his band.”

SOME POWERFUL CORROBORATIONS

Following are some quotations from Parousia and Epiphany writings: “We may see that aside from natural Israel and spiritual Israel, and the influences which have gone out from these to the world, God has let the world alone – let it do the best it could in the way of self-development, etc.” (Parousia 6, p. 204) And Reprints 4544, col. 1 top: “The first to look upon Him whom they pierced will be the natural Israelites.”

“This Mediator – the Head and Body – is such, as His death (the merit being that of Jesus alone) cancels the sins committed under the first (Law) Covenant, i.e., those of the Jews, that these Jews, having had the unchangeable call to the earthly favor (Rom. 11:29), might receive the promise given them – the land of Canaan as an eternal inheritance.” (E-6:686)

“Not that it gave them life thereby (the Mosaic Covenant), but that it gave them thereby further revelations fruitful in the spread of truth and righteousness... gave them a knowledge of their sins and sinfulness ... prepared them to receive Him, helped among them to qualify for Ancient Worthies and helped the measurably faithful among them to be fit for the first place among the world of mankind in the Restitution Age.” (E-1:115 bottom and 116 top)

“He confidently looks for the zeal of God to establish God’s Kingdom at the hands of His Elect under Christ, on the ruins of Satan’s Empire, to offer the Kingdom bless­ings, first to the living Jews, then to the living Gentiles, then to the non-elect dead from our times even to Adam’s time.” (E-1:302)

“How true the statement that those who have cursed, or injured, Israel have brought injury upon themselves! ... Great Britain and the United States, nations which have blessed the Jews, have in turn received great blessings.” (Reprints 5323, Col. 2, near bottom)

We not only have this from That Servant, but we also have a higher authority for this truth. God tells us to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” (Psa. 122:6) Also, “They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever.” (Psa. 125:1)

On page 31 of the January 15, 1978 Watch Tower there is a question on Rev. 11:8 ­“the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” The Witnesses say “the great city” is Jerusalem; but they blithely pass over verse 9, regarding the “two witnesses” (the Old and New Testaments) and their dead bodies lying in the streets for “three days and a half.” Here is the Berean Comment on that: “Three and one-half years from 1793 A.D.” The Comments also say “that great city” is Babylon, Christendom.” (See verse 13) Also, Zech. 14:2 says “the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city”; but that doesn’t bother the Witnesses any. They can see the destruction of Jerusalem, even though the Bible plainly contradicts them.

Once more we refer to Gen. 22:16-18 as embracing all the saved classes: The Little Flock, the Great Company, the Worthies and the saved Restitutionists (the “Sheep” – the Jews being the first blessed under the New Covenant). Thus, it fits excellently with the promise of a “New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah”; and is a strong support for our faith as we see the progress being made for its institu­tion.

“O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.” (Psa. 66:8-9)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace be multiplied!

It has been a long time since I have been able to write. It is such a long story! Anyhow, the good Lord has kept me still standing and rejoicing in His gracious favor. The Old Year left us looking hopefully into the future – looking for improvement over previous experiences. But despite our expectations, in the New Year we were faced with a grave experience. One of our sons and his wife had their vacation here with us ­they were from Canada. On the 10th of January we took them back to the airport. On reaching about 10 miles out of Kingston on our way back I observed a large crowd al­most blocking the way. We stopped to inquire what had happened – and there we saw a man lying dead on the road. After approaching, it turned out to be our son. Can you imagine! We were the first to identify him to the police as our son. What happened was – he was driving alone towards Kingston when a man carrying a long length of solid steel in a truck which was projected about 8 feet out, with no lights or indication on it – went across the street. It was obvious the car did not hit the truck, but came in contact with the projecting steel which was then across the pathway. The steel took the car at the level of the bonnet and tore off everything at that level. His neck was broken and he pulled out to the ground. When I went on the scene the blinkers on his car were still on, which indicated he was giving his signal to overtake. He and wreck­age were removed, and I had the task of returning to Kingston to inform his wife and children.

He was buried at our home on the 15th of January. The attendance there was in the thousands. He was a foreman at Seprod Group of Companies. Though under the weight of distress God gave me His Grace and Strength which offset all encumbrances, and made me able to conduct that funeral sermon. It was amazing to all far and near, and it left memories in the heart and mind of many, while it brought joy to my heart for the privilege of witnessing to the Truth. The hymn I kept repeating was No. 110: He KNOWS, HE KNOWS.

This incident has made a new impact on Sr. Mahoney. I have had to take her to the doctor – and even now she is under doctor’s care and barely able to move around. This has brought great stress on my Truth activities. In spite of all these untoward exper­iences, I have learned to trust Him where I cannot trace Him. I have received 10 lbs. from England – five each from two brothers. I am just about to reply to their letters.

We are in receipt of your January and February articles – and we do assure you of our appreciation of the papers. We are thankful to God for your help to us at this time of conflict so we are not left without a witness. May the good Lord continue to bless and keep you and all at the Bible House. With Christian love and fellowship to you and all.

By His Grace, Brother ------- (JAMAICA)

NOTE: In our answer to the above letter, we told this dear Brother, “Your experiences remind me much of the Apostle Paul, when the Lord said of him, ‘I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.’ (Acts 9:16) We here all weep with you..... Would that we might be near to comfort you personally; but you know now from your own experience that ‘the Lord will give strength to His people.’“

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace through our Beloved Master! (Heb. 10:2,10; Ps. 133)

Your letter and the Nov., Dec. and Jan. papers are received – and thank you for all! Please excuse me for not writing before now. I assure you that every day I think of you, Sister Hoefle and the others in Christian love and affection. The following is a list of my expenses in translating, etc.....

For now, I am in one big contention – controversy with Pilgrim ------- For this, as always, I have need of help from the Lord, because I am alone against 400 brethren. But alone with the TRUTH against 400 brethren in ERROR! Brother .... wrote me: ‘Bro. Spitaels, you are in great danger of the second death, and I want to help you..... He came to Charleroi for a visit to the LHMM assembly. I invited him to meet me for a private talk or for a public one, but he declined it. ‘NO, NO, by writing! And I don’t want you to send me anymore of your papers!’ He took fright! To me he is FALSE.... and I want to face him with the Truth!

And now, my beloved Brother, I send you, Sister Hoefle and the others my warm Christian love with my kiss in JESUS our Beloved Saviour and Redeemer. Numbers 6:24.

Your brother in Jesus by His Grace ------- (BELGIUM)

NO. 276: "THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS"

No. 276

Recently we have been urged to offer an analysis of this parable and related sub­jects as given by Jesus in Matt. 25:31-46. At the outset we would stress that in a parable the thing said is never the thing meant. Probably every one would accept that statement as respects this particular parable; nobody believes that Jesus was discuss­ing literal sheep and goats, although many take just the reverse position with His other parables and try to read them literally, thus reading themselves into a morass of con­fusing error.

First of all, the time and place: Most nominal Christians believe the time will be at the judgment day – a 24-hour period when the Lord and His faithful Church “will come down from Heaven with a shout, with an archangel’s voice, and with God’s trumpet.” (1 Thes. 4:16, Dia.) Of course, to fit that together with any semblance of logic they cannot do; nor can they locate the place, except to state it will be on this earth at the time it is burned up at the last day.

Our own thought, as we shall presently show, is that the parable covers the entire Kingdom reign of a thousand years, in harmony with the prayer of Jesus: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And that will be a time of puri­fying the sheep, and making manifest the goats – some during that thousand years, and some after it is completed – graphically stated in Ezekiel 46:23,24: “It was made with boiling places under the rows round about... These are the places of them that boil, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the people.” This is some­what akin to the Roman Catholic purgatory, the fires of which supposedly burn out (“purge”) the evils of the salvable.

ANALYSIS OF MATT. 25:31-46

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory (in the Kingdom), and all the holy angels (messengers – the Saints) with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” (v. 31) “And before him shall be gathered all nations (first the living who survive the “Time of Trouble,” and then those who come forth from the tombs); and he shall separate them one from another (during His Mediatorial reign – the final and complete separation being in the “Little Season”—Rev. 20:7-9), as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” (v. 32) “And he shall set the sheep (the meek, the teach­able) on his right hand, but the goats on the left (opposite of favor – as subjects of condemnation).” (v. 33) “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand (those during the Mediatorial reign who will have obtained the position of favor, by harmony and obedience), Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (when Christ delivers up the dominion of earth to man­kind—l Cor. 15:24 – He will do so by delivering it up to mankind, who were designed by the Father to have this honor);” (v. 34) “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: (All who are awakened in the kingdom will be without possessions of any kind);” (v. 35) “Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me (was sick – neither actually well, perfect – nor actually dead).” (v. 36) “Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?”(v. 38) “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren (Restitutionists – the least of His brethren), ye have done it unto me.” (v. 40)

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed (condemned – unfit for eternal life) into everlasting fire (annihilation – everlasting destruction), prepared for the devil and his angels (the Devil, fallen angels and the “goats” into the Second Death from which there is no recovery – See Rev. 20:14 and Be­rean Comments).” (v. 41) “For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;” (v. 42) “I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.” (v. 43) “Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?” (v. 44) “Then shall he answer them saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” (v. 45)

“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (v. 46) The goats to be cut off from life, eternally punished; just the op­posite of the sheep who receive eternal life – eternally blessed, as promised the obedi­ent in the Kingdom. The goats “shall be as though they had not been.” (Obadiah 16)

THE ADAMIC DEATH

During past centuries every member of the fallen race that has entered the tomb has gone there by experiencing the Adamic death; but all of them that return from the tomb will never again experience the Adamic death, although the dying process will be pres­ent with every one of them; and it is this that will be “boiled” out of them if they are to receive the real “resurrection from the dead” – a raising up to life again in ex­act duplication of what Adam had in the Garden of Eden.

Although the parable of the Sheep and Goats is exclusively applicable to the Kingdom reign, there are related expressions that may be applied to the Jewish and Gospel Ages. The goats of the Jewish Age are described as “the chaff” in contrast to the wheat; but it should be emphasized here that that “chaff” did not go into everlasting destruction, as will be true of the goats of the Mediatorial reign. However, when Jesus said, “Other sheep have I that are not of this fold” (John 10:16), He was referring exclusive­ly to the sheep of the parable we are now discussing.

There was only two classes in the Jewish nation at the first Advent; but there are three classes here in the Gospel Age, as there will also be three classes in the Millennial Age. In 1 Pet. 4:18 there is this: “If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” The “righteous” in this text are the Lord’s true sheep; the “ungodly” are the second-deathers; and the “sinner” is the Great Company (see James 5:20 Berean Comment). In the Kingdom reign there will also be three classes: sheep, goats and princes (Psa. 45:16).

THE ADAMIC-DEATH PROCESS

The Adamic-death state and the Adamic-death process are closely related, yet there are pronounced differences in the two expressions. As every person is raised from the grave he at that instant permanently separates himself from the Adamic-death state (hades—oblivion); it no longer has any hold on him. But not so of the Adamic­-death process. At the resurrection of the restitutionists most of the Adamic-death process (the evils of the “curse”) will still be noticeably present with all. Note the Berean Comment on Rev. 20:14: “Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire – including aches, pains, mental and moral imperfections of every sort .... gradually from the beginning of the Millennial Age to its close.”

Adam had been told, “In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” – “Dying thou shalt die” (see margin of Gen. 2:17). It is this dying process that must be eliminated after the awakening if man is to return to perfection. This is tersely told in Psa. 103:2-4: “The Lord forgiveth all thine iniquities; healeth all thy dis­eases; redeemeth thy life from destruction; crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies.” The first two of these promises are already arranged, and guaranteed to every one that returns from the grave in the Mediatorial Kingdom. “He is the propitiation for our (the Christ Company) sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) “Make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:17)

The second two sections of this text will require the cooperation of the people themselves if they are to be fully consummated. The sheep will give full cooperation, but the goats will not. Some of these latter will die during the Mediatorial reign (Isa. 65:20); but the large majority of them will not be destroyed until the end of the Little Season – those who outwardly conform to the benevolent requirements of the King­dom, but who inwardly retain some of the evils of the past.

It should now be clear enough to all our readers that the dying process is not a person, but a thing – a condition – indelibly stamped into the character of the goats. And this being true, it should also require little argument that this contagion – in whatever form it may appear – could not possibly be destroyed, be put out of existence ­until the last goat infected with it would be destroyed. – It is indeed “the last enemy” of 1 Cor. 15:26; and “He must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet... the last enemy death.” That this “last enemy – death” – cannot possibly mean the Adamic-death state is self-evident because that will have passed out of existence at least one hundred years before the end of the Mediatorial reign. Therefore, the Adamic-death process is the last enemy; and it will not be destroyed until the full and of the Little Season.

The question has occasionally come to us, Did Brother Russell teach the Adamic-death process in this manner; and the answer is definitely, Yes he did! In Parousia Vol. 5, page 380, par. 3, middle, there is this: “In the future no one will die for Adam’s sin: it will be out of view as a factor in the trial of the future. The only death thereafter will be the Second Death, which will affect only the sinner who commits the sin, not the parents, not the children. In that day he that dies shall die for his own sin. ‘The soul that sinneth it shall die.’ (Ezek. 18:4) Though such will have weak­ness of the Adamic nature (the Adamic-death process—JJH) from which they will never re­cover, for refusing to use the means and opportunities placed within their reach during the Millennium by the Mediator of the New Covenant, yet under that New Covenant inher­ited weaknesses will not be reckoned against them, being fully offset by their Redeemer’s sacrifice. Hence from and after the time when this opportunity of the Millennial Age is offered to each one, the Adamic weakness and imperfections (the Adamic-death process—­JJH) will still be upon them, their death will not be counted as being a part of the Adamic death (hades—JJH), but as being part of the Second death; because their failure to make progress will be the result of their own willfulness (by keeping the Adamic-death process in their being—JJH), and not the result of Adam’s transgression, nor of their own heredity to its weaknesses.”

It has been said by RGJ that if the goats of the Little Season still had the Adamic-­death process in them, they would be dying the Adamic death. Once the Kingdom is fully established, those who die will die the Second Death – even though they have the Adamic­-death process in them, and willfully refuse to have it striped out; and this same condi­tion will prevail with the goats in the Little Season. Those who die during the Media­torial reign, because they would not even outwardly submit to the Kingdom opportunities of purging themselves of the evils within themselves, will die the Second Death; not the Adamic death. The difference between the two classes of goats is that the goats who continue into the Little Season will have been smart enough to obey outwardly, thus liv­ing throughout the Mediatorial reign and to the end of the Little Season. And at the full end of the Little Season “the last enemy” will be destroyed. Our present assurance that God’s love and justice operate in fullest harmony gives us confidence that the same principles will continue to rule the universe forever. The “wrath” – the “curse” – will be lifted from all who come into harmony with God through Jesus the Savior; but all who do not avail themselves of this saving grace will be swallowed of the Second Death – the “wrath (the Adamic-death process) of God abideth on them.” (Acts 3:23; John 3:36; Rev. 22:3—Parousia Vol. 5, p. 439, par. 2) Thus, all who will survive the Little Season must enter it with perfect characters; no more opportunity for developing character dur­ing the Little Season.

The following from p. 111 Tabernacle Shadows, par. 1, states very clearly that Brother Russell understood the Adamic-death process, and taught it just as we have given it in the earlier pages of this article: “The cleansing of defilement through contact with the dead would seem to teach that this cleansing, effected by and through the Ancient Wor­thies, will specially apply to the world of mankind during the Millennial Age, while they are seeking to get rid of all the defilements of Adamic death – seeking to attain human perfection (ridding themselves of all the evils that harbor the Adamic-death process—JJH). All the blemishes of the fallen condition are so much of contact with death; all constitutional weaknesses and blemishes through heredity are contacts with death; and from all of these the ashes of the Red Heifer are to be used for the cleans­ing of all who will become the people of God. Like the ashes of the Red Heifer, laid up in a clean place, so the results of the painful experiences of the Ancient Worthies will be a store of blessings, instruction and help, by which they, when made subordinate ‘princes’ in the Kingdom, will assist in the restitution work. Each pardoned sinner, de­siring to be cleansed perfectly, must not only wash himself with water (truth), but must also have applied to him the instructions of these ‘princes’ – said instructions being typified by the sprinkled ashes of the heifer, representing the valuable lessons of faith and obedience learned through experience by this class—Ex. 12:22; Lev. 14:4,49; Psa. 51:7; Heb. 9:19.”

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

During this Age, whether in the Household of Faith or out of it, all are afflicted with the Adamic-dying process. Although forgiven from their sins, all the faithful follow­ers of Jesus still possess these evils – inherited or acquired. And, though they make resolute effort to rid themselves of these imperfections, they yet retain some of them although they all make some progress toward perfection if they are to be “more than con­querors.” They also inherited the Adamic death; but they “have passed from death unto life.” (1 John 3:14) If they continue faithful, they die the sacrificial death; if they are only measurably faithful, they die the constrained death; if they become to­tally unfaithful, they die the second death: they no longer die the Adamic death.

The following quotation is from Parousia Vol. 5, p. 330,331: “But while, as the Adamic death has been turned, by reason of God’s plan and ransom, from being a destruc­tion to a suspension of existence, called sleep, yet we find that the Bible very dis­tinctly asserts that after the revival or awakening from the death-sleep, it will de­pend upon each individual whether he shall go on unto perfection and life, under the guidance, government and tutelage of the glorious Christ, or whether he will willfully, deliberately and stubbornly choose the way of sin. If he choose the latter, he will get the punishment designated for father Adam: death, but no longer Adamic death, the penalty of Adam’s sin: this is styled the second death. This Second Death is nowhere spoken of as a sleep, nor is there the slightest intimation anywhere that there will be any awakening from it. On the contrary, it is designated everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord.’—2 Thes. 1:9.

“Of this redeemed and awakened class, that shall have its trial during the Millen­nial Age, the Bible declares, ‘The soul that sinneth it shall die.’ (Ezek.18:20) That this verse is not generally applicable now is evident from three considerations:

(1)        It would be meaningless, at the present time, when all die – saints and sinners.

(2)        It is expressed in the form of a second sentence, and based upon the individual action, and this could not be applicable now, because now we all die because of ‘one man’s disobedience,’ and the sentence of death which came upon him and indirectly affects all his race—Rom. 5:12.

(3) The context shows that this verse refers particularly to those who have gotten free from Adamic sin that prevails in general today. Its special applicability, therefore, must belong to the next Age, the Millennial Age. Note the connections, not forgetting that the Law Covenant of the Jewish Age was analogous to the covenant of the Millennial Age, except that the latter will have a better Mediator, able and willing to succor and to help all seeking to walk righteously, not imputing uninten­tional short-comings.”

And further from Parousia Vol. 5, p. 361: “‘The wicked shall be (re)turned into hell (sheol, oblivion) and all nations that forget God.’—Psa. 9:17. The Hebrew word shub in this text is properly translated ‘returned.’ This gives the thought of one re­covered from sheol, oblivion, and that some thus recovered will be returned to oblivion on account of wickedness and forgetfulness of God. The deliverance of mankind in gen­eral from sheol will occur during the Millennial Age, as a result of the ransom price finished at Calvary. However, those once awakened and brought to a knowledge of the Truth, who then are willfully perverse, will be returned again to oblivion, ‘the Second Death,’ from which there is to be no ransom and no restitution. That this passage is not applicable to the masses of mankind (the heathen) who have never known God, is very evident; from its own statement it refers to those who forget God after they have been brought to a clear knowledge of Him, and to corresponding responsibility.”

It should be emphasized here that the cause for the Second Death in the next age will be the Adamic-death process that the possessors refuse to eliminate in themselves. The evils of this curse are everywhere evident now; nor will they be eliminated while their possessors are in the tomb. “In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.” (Ecc. 11:3)

However, today the world of mankind is dying the Adamic death. God’s wrath is not only revealed against the grossest of sinners, but against all unrighteousness, even the slightest. Hence there is no escape for there is none righteous, no, not one (Ps. 49:7); and hence the infants as well as the gray-haired are subject to this ‘wrath,’ this ‘curse.’ This time of wrath that has now lasted six thousand years is to be brought to a close by the great Day of Vengeance, in which Justice prescribes that there shall be additional trouble upon mankind, because of the rejection of greater opportunities and privileges, and failure to obey the laws of righteousness, to the extent that these laws have been discerned by Christendom. Hence this Day of Vengeance and of special wrath, additional to what has prevailed previously, it is declared, will be “a Time of Trouble such as was not since there was a nation.” (Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21)

Further from Reprints 3433, col. 1, par. 5,6: “Rev. 20:12 reads, ‘And I saw the dead, the great and the small, stand before the throne, and the books were opened; and another book of life was opened, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works.’

“This is a brief description of the work of the Millennial Age. The whole world will be on trial before the throne – the Millennial throne – the throne of Christ. Our common version says, stood before God, but this is not in agreement with the reading of the oldest manuscripts, from which we have quoted above. The world will be standing be­fore the throne of Christ throughout the Millennial Age in the same sense that the Church has been standing on judgment during this Gospel Age. A picture of the world’s judgment is given in Matt. 25, where two classes that will be found amongst men are to be separated into sheep and goats, and the division between them is to be the work of the Millennial Age – to separate the true sheep, who will be accounted worthy of Divine favor everlastingly, from those of the goat nature, who, refusing to come into subjec­tion to the Lord’s will, shall be estimated unworthy of any favors beyond the Millen­nial Age, and will be destroyed with Satan, as described in Rev. 20:9,10.”

During this Age all are afflicted with the Adamic-dying process, although the footstep followers of Jesus, faithful to the end, are not dying the Adamic Death; they die the sacrificial death, even as did Jesus. However, Jesus was perfect in His humanity, whereas none of His footstep followers are perfect – they continue to have some of the Adamic-death process inherent within them. Nevertheless, they are reckoned perfect; Christ’s merit covers their imperfections. (Rom. 4:3,5 8, 11)

In the Kingdom, even as it is now, fully willful sins will not be forgiven; in other words, those who have sufficient light and ability to obey what that knowledge requires, will not be excused without some chastisement. But it requires perfect wis­dom to know when a person has such knowledge and ability, and refuses to obey. In this Age, as well as in the Kingdom, we are to wait until the Lord’s judgments are made man­ifest. The Lord is the heart-searcher and the manifester. (See Heb. 4:12 and Berean Comment)

GOD THE SAVIOR OF ALL MEN

1 Tim. 4:10 shows that God will save all men from the Adamic condemnation, but not eternally: “We trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men (from the Adamic death sentence – but not eternally; after this sentence is removed from each one, he is given an individual trial for life; and only those who prove worthy in their trial gain everlasting life), specially of those that believe (He is the Savior to the uttermost only of the faithful elect now and the faithful non-elect in the Kingdom).”

Titus 2:11-13 (A.R.V.): “For the grace (favor, love) of God hath appeared (in His gift of Jesus for man’s salvation, and in the Gospel message), bringing salvation to all men (this ransom grace is salutary for all men, saving all now or in the Millennium from the Adamic sentence, and also, as the bread of life – John 6:33-58 – offering eternal life to all who will partake of it on the Divinely-arranged conditions, and withholding it from all who will not), instructing us (especially God’s people), to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed hope (of seeing and being with and like our Lord) and appearing (epiphaneia, bright shining) of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”

It is not the bright shining of a literal light that is meant here, but rather the brightness of God’s and Christ’s characters, shining resplendent in perfect wisdom jus­tice, love and power, in connection with the entire 1000 years’ stay of our Lord in His Second Advent. This bright shining continues until the entire 1000 years’ stay of our Lord in His Second Advent. This bright shining continues until the entire earth is filled with God’s glory (Num. 14:21; Ps. 73:19; Is. 6:13). Antichrist is to be de­stroyed by this bright shining (epiphaneia) of our Lord’s Parousia or Second Presence (2 Thes. 2:8), which will bring more and more brightly to light the corrupt persons, principles and things of the papacy. This will result shortly in the masses arising against it and annihilating it in the revolution stage of the Great Tribulation. This Great Tribulation was begun by the World War (Phase 1) in 1914. God’s faithful people love the appearing (epiphaneia, bright shining) of our Lord (2 Tim. 4:8), for it will ef­fect not only the overthrow of Satan’s empire in the Great Tribulation, but also will fill the earth with the glory of God during the Millennium, in the eternal overthrow of all evil persons, principles and things and the eternal triumph of all good persons, principles and things.

A NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH

Another Millennial testimony, which incidentally identifies the Judgment Day with the Millennium, is found in 2 Pet. 3:6-13: “Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished (not the literal world – the earth – nor the human fam­ily perished, but the symbolic world, the order of affairs which then existed, was de­stroyed by the flood): but the heavens and the earth, which are now (‘this present evil world’—Gal. 1:4, the order of affairs now existing: its heavens being its religious systems and teachers – and its earth being its organized society), by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire (a symbol of destruction—Mal. 3:2,3; 4:1,3; Matt. 3:11,12; 1 Cor. 3:12-15; Rev. 17:16; all the symbolic earth will be devoured by the fire of God’s jealousy—Zeph. 3:8) against the day of judgment and perdition (destruc­tion) of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing (do not forget), that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (this identifies the Day of Judgment of v. 7 as a 1000-year day). The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness (God’s time seems slow to the natur­al man); but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord (the 1000-year Judgment Day) will come as a thief in the night (Comp. 1 Thes. 5:1-5); in the which the heavens (not the literal heavens, but Satan’s false religious systems—comp. Heb. 12:26,27) shall pass away with a great noise (uproar and confusion), and the elements shall melt with fervent heat (the various component elements of the present symbolic heavens and earth will disintegrate), the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up (Satan’s selfish, unjust and corrupt social arrangements shall be destroyed; but the literal earth is to remain, just as it remained after the flood – ‘the earth abideth for ever’ Eccl. 1:4).

“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God (the 1000-year Judgment Day), wherein the heavens being on fire (a sym­bol of destruction) shall be dissolved, and the elements (the political, financial, re­ligious, etc.) shall melt with fervent heat (of human passion and wrath). Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens (Jesus and His faithful followers, the Millennial religious ruling powers) and a new earth (human society organized on the basis of truth, righteousness and love, as against the erroneous, unjust and selfish ar­rangements of the ‘present evil earth’), wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

1 John 2:2 shows that Christ is the Satisfier of Divine Justice for Adamic sins, an behalf of the elect during the Gospel Age, and the non-elect during the Millennial Age: “He is the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins (the Church’s sins of Adamic source): and not for ours only (who now accept Christ as our Substitute or Redeemer), but also for the sins of the whole world (the non-elect’s sins of Adamic source, for which satisfac­tion is effected during the Millennium).”

THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS

Rev. 5:12,13: “Worthy is the Lamb, that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” Christ at the time of His ascension is set forth here, as He then became the Inheritor of all things (Heb. 1:2). God is the Owner of all the universes with all they contain, which makes Him very rich – wealthy to the utmost. All of the universes, solar systems, each one carrying along as their parts many planets, belong to God. Also, all the spirit beings present and future, and all other things that now are or yet will be, belong to God. These uni­verses in the Ages of Glory in their planets and in their suns will be perfected and their planets will be inhabited by perfect beings, which the wisdom of God will plan, and which Christ, as God’s Chief Agent, will bring into being unto perfection. God has made Christ His Heir; for the Lamb has been found worthy of inheriting all things, in­cluding these riches of God, as well as His power, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing.

By the end of the Millennium the Adamic death state (the imperfections of the humanity – the physical infirmities) will have been eliminated; and by the end of the Little Season the Adamic death process (the evil character of the goat class) will be eliminated from the earth when the last of the “goat” class is annihilated. The goats (the wicked human beings) are those who refused to have the Adamic death process plagued out of them during the Mediatorial reign. As said, the Adamic death process is the evils retained from the “curse.” These evils are all striped out from the sheep by the beginning of the Little Season – because they cooperated with the opportunities ­the instruction and good influences of the Kingdom. They will be able to stand the crucial test of the Little Season and gain eternal life; while the goat class will not be able to stand the tests of the Little Season, and will be annihilated – eter­nally cut off. The Adamic death process cannot be eliminated from the earth until the “goats” (all evil persons) are eliminated. When Satan (Ezek. 28:19; Heb. 2:14), the unrepentant fallen angels (Matt. 25:41) and the “goat” class – all the wicked (Ps. 145:20) – will be utterly, completely and eternally annihilated in the Second Death, symbolized by the lake of fire – “they shall be as though they had not been.” (Obad. 16)

Then “the righteous shall see it and rejoice; and all iniquity shall stop her mouth” (Ps. 107:42). Sin shall never rise again. God will be glorified forever and ever by perfect creatures, both in heaven and on earth. “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, 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) “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Rev. 21:4) “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him.” (Rev. 22:3)

Much of the foregoing is drawn from the writings of That Servant and the Epiphany Mes­senger – some of which is verbatim. We are grateful for their faithful ministry, but we give praise to God, the Author of the Plan of Salvation, who has revealed His Plan in His Word: “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” (Ps. 25:14)

“Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.” (Ps. 97:11,12)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace to you in the name of our Beloved Savior!

Thank you for the blessing of the latest messages. It is always a happy time for me when I get any word from you. I am enclosing a couple of clippings from our local newspaper. I have no idea who writes “Why do the heathen rage,” but there is an ad like this every Saturday – sometimes longer, sometimes shorter but always just as confused on content. I was amazed to hear on my car radio recently a message from, I think, Quiet Time in Redlands, California. He had chosen the topic, “Where are the Dead,” and I was amazed to hear him state flatly that the dead know not anything. I don’t remember much more of his thoughts, mostly because I was so surprised to hear him state that. (Note: We had been sending this brother tracts and articles on this and other subjects for some time—JJH)...............

In my search for help..... I am meeting so many people who believe in God as their Heavenly Father but are so ignorant about His plan. Do you have any informa­tion I can give out? Or is this not the time? You can see I am very confused about the time sequence, but, though I find people “searching for God,” they don’t seem to want to find Him in His Plan. Perhaps it is because I do not present it properly, but it seems there are interruptions or interest wanes when I try to talk about it. My heart aches for the people who should get so much comfort from the “knowledge of God,” but they appear to have closed ears. I’ll be most grateful for your thoughts and instructions on this.

May He continue to bless your efforts. Much love ------- (ARIZONA)

NO. 275: THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

No. 275

In Heb. 11:6 we are told that “without faith it is impossible to please God”; and this is further corroborated in 2 Pet. 1:5: “add to your faith” the additional primary graces. Knowledge is the next essential – as Jesus said, “Come and learn of me”; and He further informs us that “everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice,” the hearing of which adds to our store of knowledge. Not only so, but we must re­ceive the Truth in the love of it. Any who lose the Truth do so because of their fail­ure to love it.

The fully unfaithful lose all love “of the Truth” – depending on the various de­grees of their unfaithfulness. But all the measurably faithful use some of the Truth – that part that is acceptable to them and results in profit to them of one sort or another. The large majority of mankind receive little or none of it at all. St. Paul says it is “foolishness” to the natural man (1 Cor. 2:14) – “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not.” (2 Cor. 4:4) Said Jesus, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” (John 18:37) The truth about God’s grand plan of salvation did not put Jesus on the cross; it was the sharp biting criticism of the evils of the ‘clergy’ of His day that brought Him to His death.

The primary fundamentals of Christian character are vividly presented and elabo­rated in 2 Pet. 1:5-7, the which, if one lacks, “he is blind” (v. 9); but by the doing of which “you will never fall” (v. 10). It is not our intention here to offer analy­sis of the seven primary graces, other than to state that a sober consideration of such a character structure should be the constant striving of all who are determined “not to fall.” That knowledge (the “know-how”) is the primary requisite herein needs no elab­oration. It is not only the beginning, it is the constant companion during our earthly pilgrimage. At the consummation of his ministry St. Paul writes “for I know whom I have believed.” (2 Tim. 1:12) Following is the clear statement of the matter in Par­ousia Vol. 5, p. 238, par. 2:

“As we mature, ‘grow in grace,’ we will desire, seek and obtain, in addition to the milk of the word, the ‘strong meat’ which the Apostle declares is for those of ful­ler development. (1 Pet. 2:2; Heb. 5:13,14) The development in the ‘graces’ of the Spirit, faith, fortitude, knowledge, self-control, patience, piety, brotherly kindness, love, will bring us into closer fellowship with the Father and with Jesus, so that the Lord will be able and willing to communicate to us more and more clearly a knowledge of His gracious plans, as well as of His own gracious character.”

In giving us the seven higher primary graces, as Faith, Fortitude, Self-control, Patience, Piety, Brotherly love, Charity, The Epiphany Messenger differs slightly from the above; but in E-1:71, he distinctly tells us that knowledge is an ingredient of Wisdom: “The third element of God’s character is His graces. Usually we speak of the main attributes of God’s character as WISDOM, POWER, JUSTICE and LOVE. But, as St. Peter shows us in his famous addition problem, these are capable of being resolved into their parts as follows: Wisdom is a combination of faith, hope (which is the heart of fortitude) and knowledge. Power (will power as distinct from omnipotence, which is an attribute of being and not of character) is a combination of self-control and of patience. Justice is a combin­ation of piety (duty-love to God; in God’s case this goes out to good principles, not to any person, which, if it did, would imply that God has a superior – an impossibility) and Brotherly Love (duty love to the neighbor). St. Peter does not analyze love; he simply mentions it as charity. These seven graces we call higher primary graces, because they are graces that, acting through the religious affections as qualities, are the chief and dominating graces. These graces in God are holy; they act in a holy manner and attach themselves to holy objects only.”

We know that none of us can obtain “knowledge of God” without developing it through the Holy Spirit; that no one, no matter how brilliant – even as brilliant and cunning as Satan – can obtain such knowledge of God without God’s help. God does not help the wicked to secure “knowledge of God.” Nor does He help the Great Company while they are in the hands of Azazel. It would only injure them and others, while in that uncleansed condition, so they not only do not receive additional knowledge, but the knowledge they have already received becomes dim, obscure and warped – including many “strong delusions” (2 Thes. 2:11) – such as declaring that Cornelius was not repentant and believing, when Brother Russell said he was consecrated and converted – “an energy of delusion to their believing the falsehood.” (2 Thes. 2:11, Dia.) Here are some Berean Comments on this Scripture: “If we do not cultivate love for the Truth until it outweighs all other things, we will not be fit for the Kingdom.... That which from certain standpoints, has the appearance of truth.” Such as quoting Brother Russell’s mistake on the Levites, without quoting his later corrected statement.

In all such discussions it should be kept clearly in mind that none of these graces – except agape love – can be developed to perfection in ourselves or in others. During the Gospel Age the only grace required in perfection is agape love; therefore St. Paul admonishes, “Put on love, which is the bond (or seal) of perfectness.” (Col. 3:14; Heb. 6:1) It is the crowning top stone of character structure – just as the extreme tip of a pyramid is itself a perfect pyramid; and, if severed from the pyramid’s top would in itself still present a full and complete and perfect pyramid. This is also grandly portrayed in the personality of Jesus, who is “above all” (except the Father Himself), Lord over all, but Himself a perfect unit, even though embracing the whole saved contingent of the human family in a perfect structure under Him.

Although we believe there are but seven higher primary graces – as that is the number for Divine perfection – yet God’s attributes are: Wisdom, Justice, Power and Love. He promises the faithful that He will give them this – as much as they are able to receive. So Love (Charity) is what we call a perfect character, the end of all the development of the graces. Perfect love (agape) in the heart, and that crystallized, is all God re­quires of His saints. When we attain that and crystallize it, then we have actually “attained the mark” while yet in the flesh.. But God tells us that He will give us the spirit of “power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7). Here are His four great attributes: Power, Love, Sound Mind – a sound mind would include Justice and Wisdom; and He gives us these attributes because of our faithfulness in developing Faith, Fortitude, Knowledge, Self-control, Patience, Piety, Brotherly Kindness – which if we develop and practice, will give us that (Agape) Love desired to the extent of our capacity.

The Saints all have the capacity to develop that Perfect Love; otherwise, none of them would be “more than conquerors”; and the Great Company – after their cleansing ­– will also have to develop that Perfect Love if they gain eternal life, although theirs will be forced by their adverse experiences during their abandonment process; otherwise, they would go into the second death. The Epiphany Messenger tells us that some of the Youthful Worthies will be able to develop that Agape Love and they should do it if they are able. But no doubt some of them won’t be able to do that in this life, although they should do it as much as it is possible for them. However, they are not on trial for life – Character Perfection – even as the Ancient Worthies were not on trial for life, but on trial for their faith (their faithfulness in obedience to His Word and Providence). So some of the Youthful Worthies can and will be faithful who do not have the capacity to develop perfect (Agape) Love, although all of them should develop perfect Love to the extent of their ability. God does not give the unbegotten the crucial experiences that He gives the New Creatures who are on trial for life, hence perfect (Agape) Love is not crystallized in the Worthies. The faithful Youthful Wor­thies will develop (Agape) Love to the extent of their ability and be rewarded with a Better Resurrection and Kingdom Princeship (Psa. 45:16). God does not expect us to do anything we are unable to do, although He does expect us to be “faithful and obedient” in developing all the graces we are able to develop.

There is this in Parousia Vol. 5, p. 239: “Each should ask himself whether or not he has this witness of the Spirit, this testimony to his growth as a New Creature in Christ Jesus, and whether or not he is developing and maturing the kind of fruit here specified. Let us remember also that our growth in love and in all the Spirit’s fruits is dependent largely upon our growth in knowledge; and our growth in knowledge of Di­vine things is dependent also upon our growth in the Spirit’s fruits. Each step of knowledge brings a corresponding step of duty and obedience, and each step of duty and obedience taken will be followed by a further step in knowledge, for so, the Spirit wit­nesseth, shall be the experience of all who shall be taught of God in the school of Christ. If we have this witness of the Spirit of growth, both in grace and in knowl­edge, let us rejoice therein, and let us follow on in the same pathway until it shall bring us, under Divine guidance, to perfection, both in knowledge and in grace,”

However, no one will ever reach perfection in Wisdom, which has as its ingredient Knowledge, because God reserves such Wisdom and knowledge for Himself alone; even His only begotten Son will never achieve all knowledge. Nor will any of the Saints receive the Justice, Wisdom and Power that is inherent in God only – although they will receive sufficient of these three attributes to do the Father’s will. But in the attribute of Love, they will achieve that in its perfection for them; they will develop (receive) perfect (Agape) Love while in the flesh, because no one will be of the First (chief) Resurrection (to Divine nature) unless they have developed a perfect character (per­fect love). We are told that God will give “it” (this perfect character) a “body as it has pleased him.” (1 Cor. 15:38) Of course, we all know that the Saints have vary­ing degrees of knowledge, but each one has sufficient knowledge to develop in himself Perfect (Agape) Love: each one during the Harvest came into the Parousia Truth and re­ceived enough developing Truth to perfect himself in Love (the “end of the commandment”); however, some of the Saints needed no more knowledge than enough to develop their char­acters, as they were given further knowledge for the purpose of the work the Lord had for each of them. We cite Brother Russell as having more knowledge for the work the Lord gave him to do. Brother Johnson and others in the Epiphany were given additional Truth for the work the Lord gave them to do (which they would do, because they were in complete heart-harmony with the Lord’s plans and purposes for them).

In keeping with the foregoing, the expression is often heard, “He knows too much for his own good!” While this may sometimes be true, it was certainly not true of St. Paul, nor of the Star Members – nor of any of the Gospel-Age fully faithful. Brother Russell has well stated that we should esteem most highly those whose zeal for the Truth – “as the hart panteth after the water brook” – goads them constantly to the ac­quisition of more of that blessed Truth. It is a true observation that “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” Often do we read of novices crippling themselves and others by attempting to construct bombs and the like with their meagre knowledge. Thus, instead of knowing too much, they actually know too little. Quite often the Truth is injured also by those who know too little, yet insist upon appearing “wise.” The ideal, of course, is to possess the virtues and graces in perfect balance, something which only Jesus Himself was able to do. But, by a system of checks and balances, to be found in Holy Writ, all the fully faithful achieve enough of balance to gain the inheritance they seek. Thus, the Scriptures tell us, “Knowledge puffeth up (in one not properly balanced), but love buildeth up.” (1 Cor. 8:1) In similar vein, “the generous heart shall be made fat,” and “God loveth a cheerful giver”; but generosity carried to ex­treme, may make one a spendthrift or an “easy mark” for the world’s greed. Therefore, the admonition for “stewards to be found faithful.”

It needs no argument that our Heavenly Father is perfect in generosity – even to the ungrateful – and He has the wherewith to be generous – “the gold is mine, and the silver is mine; and the cattle on a thousand hills are mine.” (Psa. 50:10) Yet we find Him also perfect in economy – nothing wasted. Some years ago we were talking to a Government supervisor in one of the large national parks in the West. “When we first moved in here,” he said, “we thought we’d improve upon nature; so we made war on the mountain lions because they were eating the deer. Before long we had so many deer that great herds of them died by winter starvation; there wasn’t enough food to go round. We also cleaned up the fallen logs, only to learn there was no breeding ground for bugs, which deprived the birds of their food, and drove them from the park. Now the only thing we regulate here is Man; everything else keeps in perfect balance if we just leave things alone.” Yes, generosity needs economy to give it perfect balance.

And what shall we say of the virtue of courage! God’s army is no place for the cowardly; yet it is a proper observation that “Prudence is the better part of valor.” We once knew of a man who boasted he had never felt fear at any time in his entire life. Yet one night he heard a marauder at his back window, rushed right out the door with the light at his back, affording a perfect target for the gun in the burglar’s hand. His courage that night was actually a liability, as it resulted in his death. Just a little prudence would have prompted a different approach to his problem. God never requires His people to be “show-offs”; and we never need fear we are lacking in courage if we attempt a sound and prudent evaluation of any difficulty before rushing to grips with the problem.

But the worldly philosophy that “He who fights, and runs away, lives to fight an­other day,” has no standing here either. We are often admonished in the Bible to “fight the good fight”; but no place does it tell us ever to be “good runners.” The poet has well said, “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant only taste of death but once.”

Much more might be said, but we offer now the words of St. Peter: “These things (the graces enumerated) being in you and abounding, they will not permit you to be in­active (ever ready to “preach the word, in season and out of season”) nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus.” Here is a clear conclusion that growth in the other graces must of a certainty yield growth in knowledge; and each advance in knowledge in­creases and crystallizes all our other graces – if that knowledge is received in “the love of the Truth.” Knowledge is the first requirement to come into God’s Household; and it must continue prominent in our progress until we hear that final “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joys of thy Lord.”

“SANCTIFY THEM IN TRUTH”

“Sanctify them in truth; thy word is the truth.” (John 17:17, Dia.) These words of Jesus contained in His prayer the night before He was crucified stress God’s Word (the Bible) as the Truth. “I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” (Jer. 3:15) “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?... Precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” (Isa. 28:9) “I desired... the knowledge of God (the Truth) more than burnt offerings.” (Hos. 6:64—More than service not according to His Word – the service of those who have forsaken the “knowledge of God,” the Truth “once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3)

Clearly enough, knowledge is a fundamental requirement for any one to be a “good soldier” of Jesus Christ. We must know what a true Christian is, and how he arrived at that state. “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.” (1 Thes. 4:3) And further, 2 Thes. 2:13: “We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctifi­cation of the Spirit and belief of the Truth.” (The knowledge of God as found in the Bible.) The one who offers himself to God will not at first have a full knowledge of himself or of sin. He is only a babe at the beginning. But he is helped onward by the power of the revealed Word – the message of Truth.

Concerning the Apostle Paul, it can probably be truthfully said that there was only one like him in the Truth in his day – an “example of the believers”; yet of himself he said he could not live the way he wanted to live: to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Yet he could honestly say of himself, “I have fought a good fight; I have kept the faith” – even though he did things he would not have done had he been perfect physically and mentally. He had walked in the same narrow way as did Jesus – in the same general direction – and did it sufficiently well that he could say, “Hence­forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness” – “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for those kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Pet. 1:4,5) This illustrates very forcefully how important is the Word of Truth, the Bible, the good word of God that maketh wise unto salvation. This would apply whether we read the Bible or study what other capable teachers have written; in fact, it would be anything that increases our measure of the Holy Spirit.

THE METHOD OF SANCTIFICATION

In Heb. 10:10 the Apostle tells us that by God’s will “we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all.” We were not always set apart for God’s service, but were “children of wrath even as others.” It was the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, the sacrifice of His untainted life, which gives us the whereby we may be set apart as God’s favored people. It was His sacrifice that opened the way; it was His merit that made us acceptable to the Father. There are two parts to sanctification – we set ourselves apart, and if acceptable to God, He sets us apart.

When Jesus entered into a covenant with God, it was by offering of Himself in bap­tism at the River Jordan, the same being finished in His death on Calvary. “He hath poured out his soul unto death”; there was no other way He could have done it. “Almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no re­mission... Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands ... the figures of the true; but into heaven itself – to appear in the presence of God for us.” (Heb. 9:22, 24

CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH

Often we are criticized for attacking the teachings of others, but we say with St. Paul – “necessity is laid upon me” (1 Cor. 9:16) if we would be faithful to the Lard, the Truth and the brethren. That Servant was definitely a man of peace, but his entire life was very much involved in controversy. Jude 3 tells us of the “common” salvation (the salvation for Restitutionists), which was completely lost during the Dark Ages. That Servant restored it and made crystal clear the doctrine of the Two Salvations – the “great” salvation mentioned in Heb. 2:3 for the Faith Age, and the “common” salvation mentioned in Jude 3, for the Kingdom when the New Covenant is inaugu­rated.(Jer. 31:33-35) These salvations are separate and distinct – the elective salvation for the Faith Age, and the salvation for all Restitutionists for the Millennial Age.

However, since the death of That Servant there are two groups emanating from his Movement, who give him great lip service, and at the same time grossly pervert the Truth on the Two Salvations – the “common” salvation (Jude 3) and the “great” salvation (Hebrews 2:3). We refer to the Laymen’s Home Missionary Movement, with their Restitution class of Campers Consecrated; and to the Jehovah’s Witnesses with their Restitution class – the “great multitude,” formerly called Jonadabs. Both groups teach that these Resti­tutionists are now on trial for “faith and obedience,” while walking alongside with the Gospel-Age elect. Such perversions of the Truth on the “common” salvation and the “great” salvation cannot be accepted by those who “continue in His Word” by the faith­ful who follow St. Paul’s advice: “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” (2 Tim. 3:14)

When Jude tells us “ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once de­livered unto the saints,” he mentions one Truth we should earnestly contend for – the “common” salvation, which we believe is specially applicable to our day: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith (the Truth) which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3) We continue in the faith which was once delivered unto the saints on the Two Distinct Salvations. If Res­titutionists resolve, or consecrate, in this Faith Age to “seek righteousness, seek meekness” (Zeph. 2:3), they will be better prepared than the rest of the world to walk up the “Highway of Holiness.” (Isa. 35:8) However, those who make a consecration to “follow in His steps” during this Faith Age, and that consecration is accepted, if faith­ful they will be rewarded above Restitution. God is faithful that promised. God does not require Restitutionists to sacrifice – “take up the cross.”

The Apostle Paul declares (Acts 17:31) that “God hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained (The Christ, Head and Body); whereby he hath given assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” That ‘appointed day’ was future in the Apostle’s time, and it is still future, though now about to dawn. The Gospel of Christ (good tidings) is to the effect that he who bought the world with his own precious blood is to become the Judge of all men, the living and the dead. “All in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth” – and “they that hear shall live.” (John 5:28,29)

The above-mentioned groups are the only Truth groups – so far as we know – who are perverting the doctrine of restitution – the two Salvations – as given to us by That Ser­vant. Jude 3 stresses especially the “common salvation,” and is an open rebuke to those who now pervert it during “the brightness of his coming” 2 Thes. 2:8) – “the appearing (Epiphaneia) of his presence (Parousia).” (Diaglott) Note the following from E-3:107:

“The Christ cannot receive from the hands of Divine Justice the release of the in­puted merit for use on behalf of the world until all under the covering of that Imputed merit are by the High Priest taken out from thereunder.” Christ’s merit cannot extend to the Camp until all the Elect are completed.

“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the Truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31,32)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brother Hoefle: Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

I’ve been wanting to write you for some time. I’ve received your papers. First, Where did you get my name? Did I meet you at the Dawn Convention in Phoenix? And there are also a few questions... Now, I am not asking to be contentious, but I really want to know the Truth. I notice in your papers you agree with Brothers Russell and Johnson, but not with Bro. Jolly, the Dawns or JW’s. I don’t agree at all with the JW’s. Just what do you teach? I guess you have been telling me in the papers, but the thing that bothers me is – If we come out of the denominations, Where can we go to have fellowship with God’s people? The Truth groups with whom I have come in contact, all differ just the same as the nominal churches – each one believing they are in the Truth, and thinking the other groups are deceived.

First, let me tell you how I came into the Truth. My folks were Baptists, and they taught me there was a burning hell; and I lived in hell worrying about the whole world. I guess God knew it was time to bring me out of it. When my father died I went back over all the Scriptures and I began to see things in the Scriptures which showed me people were asleep in the grave. It’s quite a story, so anyway, when I went to my mother’s funeral at home I found a little booklet, “Where are the Dead” – and it was just what I was seeing; and I began to order Brother Russell’s books. Then I met a lady who had Brother Johnson’s books, and I ordered them. I have gone through all of them. Even before I read them I began to see different things the nominal churches preached were wrong - and here I found in these books just what God had been giving me. I know in one of your papers you said we could not get this just through our own mind. No, but I believe the Spirit of God is leading His people. How else could I begin to see our Savior’s Plan for the world? I began to see that all men would be made alive in Jesus.

There’s so much I can’t tell it all here. But the question now about the Truth groups. The Bible says, “Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing – and I will receive you... So which group can we go? So far as I know, there’s only the Dawn and JW’s here – and I don’t particularly care for either. So I stay at home and study by myself. But I do miss the fellowship of people. I think JW’s are wrong on a lot of things. Even though some one doesn’t see just as we do, Shouldn’t we have respect for one another? It seems only God can straighten this thing out.

My life was so dedicated to God as a young person, so much so that I wouldn’t go with a boy unless he was a Christian. Yet some of the Truth groups think that is stupid. I still cannot see how Light can have fellowship with Darkness. Will you please let me know just what the difference is in you and the other groups. Do you have a group of your own? After all, if we were not God’s people we would not understand the Truth when we heard it. I am looking for the real true group of God’s true people. I believe God has always led His people, and I believe He always will. Sincerely,

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

You have been sending me your Bulletins regularly. Up to date I have received five, and have read them all. I found them very good, although I have never heard the name, “Epiphany Bible Students” before.

Brother Hoefle, tell me, what is the difference in your teachings and the Dawn? I just don’t see it. We study Brother Russell’s six volumes, and I see you do too. So where does the division come in between the “Dawn” and “Epiphany”? Read 1 Cor.1:10, 12,13 and Gal. 3:26-29. I am sure Brother Russell wouldn’t have wanted divisions. Paul wanted them to join together in the same mind. Anyway, it’s very confusing, for the young in the Truth. Makes us wonder who is right.

Have you anymore articles on the JW’s? And also J. Rutherford and how he died... It would be very helpful for the young JW’s that don’t know the background of them. Also the booklet “Persecution of the JW’s in Africa.” Send me more literature if you can spare them. Thank you! Christian love,

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Dear Brother Hoefle:

This is to acknowledge your personal correspondence. Personal correspondence in today’s computer age is extremely rare and I thank you very much.

Let me begin by stating unequivocally that I am not a Jehovah’s Witness – nor have I ever been; neither have I attended any of their meetings. However, I have been vic­timized by their door-to-door solicitation, as has been practically every one. I could never bring myself to worship the Almighty under the false substitute name Jehovah. Even they admit, as do most scholars, that the word infiltrated the Scriptures in the sixteenth century, and is of Catholic origin. I worship the “I Am” of Ex. 3:14-15 whose name alone is “Yahweh.” The true Tetragrammaton, or the four letters YHWH were substituted by superstitious Jewish scribes for the words Adonai and Elohim and falsely translated into English as Lord and God. The etymology of these two words is most re­vealing. Both clearly trace back to ancient Baal worship. The same also holds true for the word Church. People refuse to heed the admonition to “come out of her my people that you be not partaker of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:4; Jer. 51:6,45)

I thought the book you sent me “Life-Death-Hereafter” was excellent. It’s hard to believe that so much truth could be crammed into such a little space. I would like very much to receive the book “The Divine Plan of the Ages” and the additional five volumes. Is there any connection between Epiphany Bible Students and Dawn Bible Stu­dents out of East Rutherford, N. J.? I have seen “The Divine Plan of the Ages” advertised in some of their literature. Is it the same book as the one you offer? They are asking 75¢ for it and $5 for the complete set. Are they of Jehovah’s Witness ab­straction? I wrote a letter to them some time ago concerning their organization and its goals and purpose – but never received a reply.

In your article “God’s Great Sabbath Day” No. 6, I am not sure if I understand your main point. Is it your belief that the seventh day Sabbath is merely a type that points toward the millennial kingdom, and is not to be observed by the true body of worshipers today? I do not believe the Scriptures indicate this to be the case at all. While it is true that the Sabbath is a type, I believe it is equally true that the Sab­bath was and is a sign between the Almighty Yahweh and His true worshipers throughout their generations forever (Ex. 31:12-18; Eze. 20:2,20) and also Heb. 4). The Sabbath is not for Jews only. I do not believe the term Jew applies to all twelve Tribes but to Judah only. In the book of Isaiah 56:1-8 it is clearly revealed that the Sabbath is for both the Israelite and the stranger (foreigner), and that both would be brought to His Holy Mountain (Zion). He further states that He will not only gather the outcasts of Israel but others also. He commands us to remember “the” Sabbath day to keep “it” holy – not “a” Sabbath day. Truly the Sabbath was made for man.

In closing let me make it clear that this letter is not a personal attack or crit­icism of you, even though we may have differences of opinion. I have thoroughly en­joyed many of your articles, and would like very much for our correspondence to continue

In Yahshua the Messiah’s Name ------- (VIRGINIA)

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Dear Sir:

Please send me the free book, The Divine Plan of the Ages, which you offered to send me free in your letter dated July 16, 1977. Thank you!

Sincerely, ------- (VIRGINIA)

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Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace be multiplied!

Your good letter of Feb. 6 received, and as always glad to hear from you – but sorry to hear of the illness in your home. I hope by the time you receive this all will be feeling much better.

I shall watch Italy, as you suggest. It surely looks like the time is ripe for Armageddon to begin. I am deeply interested in the news – both over the radio and the TV – and it is just wonderful! How quickly are we informed of everything worldwide... I send you all my warm Christian love, with the assurance of my prayers.

Your brother by His grace, ------- (NEW JERSEY)

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

Dear Brother Hoefle: Grace and peace!

This is just a short note to let you know that we have survived the worst snow storm and blizzard in the old timers Michigan history. We had 24 inches of snow fall here in two or three days...

We did not get our paper for four days. They did not publish it – got our first copy last Monday. We didn’t get any mail either until Tuesday, and he did not came yesterday either.

I wish to thank you for sending me the Jan.-Feb.-March and April papers first-­class... Sure enjoyed all the papers...

With much Christian love and greetings to you all, I remain

Your brother in Him ------- (MICHIGAN)

NO. 274: THE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1977 PRESENT TRUTH

No. 274

On pp. 87-95 of the above paper there is “profusion of words” by RGJ to jus­tify his error on campers Consecrated – to justify his “advancing truth” (?) that sets aside the Truths we have received from the Star Members. “Moreover, his desire to shine as the inventor of ‘new views’ continually leads him to propound errors against which the faithful are duty-bound to contend in the interests of the Lord, the Truth and the brethren (Jude 3); and thus he is the cause of the most strife among God’s people. Blessed are they who contend against him earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints and now being corrupted by him.” (E-6:13, par. 1)

That Servant gave us the Truths on all the elective and non-elective classes; and the Epiphany Messenger gave us more light when he elaborated on these classes es­tablished by That Servant. Brother Johnson never saw a new class, although he gave us much advancing light on the Great Company, Youthful Worthies and the quasi-elect. But he never taught consecration in the Camp – nor did That Servant – because Christ’s merit didn’t extend to the Camp during the Gospel Age – and won’t be extended for Res­titutionists “until Restitution begins.” This is the Truth “once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3)

According to RGJ, the Youthful Worthies were all won by 1954; but, according to That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger, Youthful Worthies can be won between the Ages – “until Restitution begins.” Any time these two would-be Pastors and Teachers (RGJ and JWK) concoct a new doctrine, they must set aside – or pervert – the faithful teach­ings we have received from the last two Messengers, the true Pastors and Teachers. As Brother Johnson said of Rutherford regarding his “new light,” we now say of the RGJ-­JWK twosome: “It is not advancing Truth, but rather additional ‘mud splashes.’”

In all the Epiphany Messenger’s books and numerous pages of other writings, at no time did he ever attempt to foist a new doctrine upon the brethren; but now we have a self-admitted crown-loser (a member of antitypical Saul – Great Company leaders up to Armageddon – E-14:5), who considers himself superior to the Epiphany Messenger! He can see a new class in addition to the classes taught by both Star Members. Brother Johnson never saw such a class – never thought about inventing a new class. But JFR did!

On p. 88, par. 9, there is this: ‘Wherever and whenever God’s loyal people pre­sented the Truth and its Spirit against Satan’s domain, he mustered his forces to op­pose them and bring tribulation upon them. In each conflict God gave His faithful people the victory over their enemies.” Is RGJ now telling us that God has given him victory over his disputants since 1954?

In par. 14 RGJ says that “prospective Great Company members have been overcomers eventually.” Here is what the Epiphany Messenger says about that in E-5:229: “We can see from the fact that only 144,000 are counted victors over the Beast and his Image (Rev. 15:2; 20:4), tho, as we know, the Truth section of the Great Company opposed the Beast and his Image, but because they are not more than overcomers of certain characteristics of the Beast and his Image, God does not count them overcomers of these, however much they verbally preach and zealously work against them. (Rev. 19:1-3) Hence it is because the Truth groups of the Great Company have practiced Sectarianism and Cler­icalism as among the main forms that their Revolutionism, manifesting their Leviteship, have assumed, their battling against Nominal Church Sectarianism is not accounted by God as overcoming these prince errors. Hence the type very properly contains no representa­tion of their activity against Sectarianism and Clericalism. On the other hand, from the type we infer that the Youthful Worthies overcome in their own characters the spirit of Sectarianism and Clericalism, and are thus privileged to have their verbal battling against the prince errors of antitypical Midian accounted as their capturing and execut­ing them.”

However, all “prospective Great Company members” of this Epiphany have not been overcomers – some of them were ejected from the Household of Faith because they refused to have their fleshly minds destroyed (See 1 Cor. 5:5 and Berean Comments). But those who remained in the Household were overcomers because they repented of their sins and “washed their robes” in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev. 7:14) But as a Class they are not given the honor of overcoming Sectarianism and Clericalism that the faithful Youthful Worthies receive. This is due to the fact that they have been among the chief sinners in God’s Household in Sectarianism and Clericalism. All during the Gospel Age they have perverted the Star Members’ teachings and made sects for themselves as the chief Clericalists – Pastors and Teachers. And the Epiphany has produced more of this, as so many of the Great Company leaders have sectarianized the Truth left them by the Lord’s faithful mouthpieces – the Star Members.

FURTHER TESTIMONY AGAINST RGJ

“Another aspect of his (Brother Russell’s) teachings as to certain Epiphany truths and relations that proves that he is that Servant, is the fact that his teachings can­not in the Epiphany be repudiated or be supplanted by other teachings without manifest­ing the perpetrators of such things as Great Company members (uncleansed Great Company members—JJH). This, of course, proves that he is in a most particular sense, repre­sented as a mouthpiece, and that, therefore, to repudiate his teachings or to put others in their place is equivalent to repudiating God’s teachings, or to put others in their place. Many of those who once held his teachings and who regarded him as That Servant, have presumed to repudiate his teachings, or to put others in their place; but this has always resulted in God’s repudiating them as Little Flock members and manifesting them as Great Company members (or uncleansed Great Company members—JJH). Why should this be only in the case of his (Brother Russell’s) teachings and not in the case of those of others before the Epiphany? Can it be explained on any other ground than that he was God’s special mouthpiece and that, therefore, his teachings are God’s teachings, and that, therefore, to rebel against them is to rebel against God (Psa. 107:10,11)? This is the only ground on which such a course on God’s part could be explained, and, therefore, we present it as an Epiphany-Truth proof that our Pastor was That Servant.” (E-9:352)

TRUTH NOT YET DUE

On p. 90 (e) of this paper RGJ says “many Scriptures regarding the Youthful Wor­thies were not opened up through God’s special servants for them until they came forth as a separate class in the Epiphany, with special need for this Truth as due.” Here RGJ is trying to make a case for himself by saying That Servant did not see many Truths regarding – ­the Youthful Worthies – just as Brother Johnson did not see much of the Truth regarding Zelophehad’s five daughters because that Truth was not due in Brother Johnson’s time.

This is just a statement of sophistry – antitypical witchcraft (especially decep­tive false teachings). RGJ certainly knows as well as anybody that the Truth people as a group believed there would be such a class between the Ages before Restitution begins. JFR believed it in the beginning, after That Servant’s demise, but called them Modern Worthies; and there was much discussion about them then – until JFR decreed that there was no such class. And many of his supporters swallowed that – just because he said so. But, regardless of what name we apply to them, there can be no disputing the fact that Brother Russell taught such a class years before the time arrived for his opinion found sound Scriptural support in this Epiphany period.

In E-11:715 there is this statement: “The priesthood individually stood firm in its faith that there was such a class (then known as Modern Worthies—JJH), which it set forth expositorily, probatively and refutatively against attacks. Encouraged, the Youthful Worthies proved themselves to be strongly founded, not only on Scriptural prin­ciples, but also on many Scriptural passages. These Scriptural passages are found in the Old and New Testaments, e.g., the Gershonites (Num. 1; 3; 4), the five daughters of Zelophehal (Num. 27:1-11), Ruth (Ruth 1-4). These are a veritable fortress in proof of the existence of this class (the Youthful Worthies—JJH) from various standpoints. These considerations demonstrate that they are a Divinely-provided class; and as such they found favor with our Lord, because of his Biblical knowledge as to them.”

It will be noted in the paragraph above it is stated that the priesthood indivi­dually stood firm in its faith (meaning Brother Johnson and some others). Now RGJ is telling us that “the priesthood” was standing on sinking sand in their understand­ing of Zelophehad’s daughters – that it remained for an uncleansed Levite, steeped in error of many sorts, to show us where the priesthood was wrong in its understanding of this topic.

HANDLING THE WORD OF GOD DECEITFULLY

In 2 Cor. 4:2 St. Paul states that we are not of those that “handle the word of God deceitfully”; but it seems this statement has never registered with RGJ, because he never hesitates to “handle the word of God deceitfully” whenever it serves his pur­pose. We refer now specifically to his quotation from E-10:114: “After 1954 no Youth­ful Worthies will be won,” which he quotes several times in the paper we are now re­viewing. Whenever any one picks a word, or clause, or sentence from its setting – and which is a perversion or twist from the remainder of the statement – it is simply open fraud; and is so considered by the laws of our land.

The analysis here pertains to Rev. 22:10,11. As we have said in other articles on this subject, this is a composite text; and all of it will be fulfilled when any part of it is fulfilled. We now quote some more from that same p. 114: “1954 is the date that the last member of the Great Company will get his first enlightenment that will bring him into the Truth by Passover, 1956.... after 1954 no more persons will enter the tentatively-justified state..... Certainly, when we come to a time when no more consecrations are possible for Gospel-Age purposes, it would be useless to exhort the tentatively justified to consecrate and sinners to repent, for the tentatively justi­fied and sinners could arise no higher from their standings before God under such con­dition; hence only at such a time could the first and second exhortations of v. 11 be given.”

Following are the first and second exhortations of Rev. 22:11 – with bracketed comments by the Epiphany Messenger; “He that is unjust (the tentatively justified, who are not actually justified, not just) let him be unjust still (remain tentatively justified, and not consecrate); and he that is filthy (the impenitent sinners, who in no sense are clean) let him be filthy still (remain in his then condition).”

All of this directly disputes what RGJ is now trying to have his readers believe; and his statements, when viewed in the light of these positive conclusions by the Epi­phany Messenger are none other than “handling the word of God deceitfully.”

Rev. 22:10,11 is an epitome of the finished picture – and RGJ should know that ­but he either does not know it, or is willfully perverting the writings of the Star Member. And, as one very capable brother once said to us: If he is doing the latter, he will go into the second death. However, we have never said this privately or publicly.

The Epiphany is the Little Season for the Gospel Age, just as the Little Season is the “finished picture” for the Millennial Age. Even though some in the Little Season of the Gospel Age will have received their eternal reward, some of the Youthful Worthies will have finished their course before the end of this Little Season; but in the fin­ished picture of the Millennial Age Little Season all will have their fixed punishment or reward. During the Epiphany quite a few of the faith classes will have finished their course; but it is only in the finished picture that Rev. 22:10,11 will apply, at which time all classes will be fixed, even though some of the faith classes may still be with us. But those who remain will not fall – just as was true of the Saints in 1914. Those who remained during the Epiphany could have fallen, but they did not do so.

Not so with the Great Company: their destiny as a class will not be completed un­til the end of the Epiphany in the finished picture. At that time none of the Restitu­tionists will be able to make a consecration that will be accepted; they will have to wait until the New Covenant is inaugurated. They will be in the same position as was Cornelius before the door was opened to the Gentiles. Of course, as Brother Russell said of Cornelius, he was consecrated, but his consecration was held in reserve until “due time” – when the door was opened to the Gentiles. And so it will be with those in the Camp: they will not be recognized until the Christ accepts such consecrators under the New Covenant.

We believe the interpretation of Rev. 22:10,11 is correct; the only thing wrong with page 114 of Vol. 10 is the date of 1954; and that is the one thing RGJ contends is correct – except, of course, his Camp is not yet in the “finished picture.” As Brother Johnson has so aptly stated, when these crown-losers fall into the hands of Azazel, they talk all sorts of nonsense. And here is another sample of it.

There is nothing – just nothing – that distinguishes 1954 from 1953 or 1955; RGJ cannot point to one thing that supports his contentions about that year – except Bro. Johnson’s mistaken conclu­sions about the date on p. 114 of Vol. 10; but he can see it if it is not there. Re the “finished” picture that he now teaches respecting the Court, but “unfinished” for the Camp, the only statement he can truthfully make is that the picture for the Holy is complete – completely empty, no more entries there. When there are no more entries into the Court, it will be finished from that standpoint, but the living Youthful Worthies and Great Company will still be in the Court – just as the living members of the Great Company remained in the Holy until they were ejected therefrom.

The Epiphany Tabernacle is still with us, and will continue so as long as we have the Epiphany period with us. JWK contends that the Epiphany as a special period of the Gospel Age is concerned is no longer with us; but he has never definitely declared what Tabernacle is now with us – if there is any at all with us. But we are still in the Gospel Age; therefore, Rev. 22:10,11 has a Gospel-Age application only. However, it is a composite text; and all of it will be fulfilled at one time – when the Gospel Age Tabernacle passes out of existence. The Millennial Tabernacle will then come into existence – for Millennial-Age purposes.

In par. 38 RGJ says the Queen of Sheba class will be given “an eternal inheritance” in the Kingdom – if faithful. The same statement can be made now for the lowest heathen – if they are faithful in the Kingdom reign. Then he proceeds to stress that such Sheba members will “have the highest standing among the faithful restitutionists.” The Scriptures clearly teach that all faithful Restitutionists will become kings at the end of the Little Season, the same being clearly taught in the writings of both Messengers. If they become kings, just what “higher standing” can any one have if he is a king?

The following is from E-4:332: “It is reasonable and Scriptural for the Youthful Worthies, as well as for the Ancient Worthies, that they will receive ultimately a higher reward than they could have on earth. As the Ancient, so the Youthful Worthies would be everlastingly degraded instead of being everlastingly rewarded for their Mil­lennial service and suffering for the world, and their post-Millennial service for the faithful world, and for their post-Millennial suffering for righteousness at the hands of the Second Death class, if they would remain on the earth forever; for since all human beings found worthy of everlasting life will henceforth be equal (Matt. 25:34; Rev. 21:24), it would follow that the Youthful, as well as the Ancient Worthies, from being the Millennial superiors, would be degraded to being the eternal equals of the world of mankind, if as human beings they remained eternal on this earth. Thus God would not only not give them any reward for their Millennial and post-Millennial ser­vice and suffering, but would post-Millennially give them no more than He will give to those who would not serve Him, but did serve Satan, sin, error and death, during the period that these were in the ascendancy and domination among men .... Therefore, we should not expect that Youthful and Ancient Worthies will remain on the earth amid hu­man conditions and associations, i.e., remain human.”

We now emphasize some of the above paragraph: “All human beings found worthy of everlasting life will henceforth be equal (Matt. 25:34; Rev. 21:34).” This is not only the teaching of the Epiphany Messenger but also of That Servant. Now a self admitted crown-loser sets this fundamental Truth aside for his error that his Campers Consecrated will be superior Restitutionists. The Messengers and the Apostle Paul taught that the New Covenant blessings would be “to the Jew first,” but they never taught that the Jews would have a superior standing over other Restitutionists, as all Restitutionists will have to become Jews to get the Kingdom blessings – and all will be equal who receive eternal life. However, the Jews do have the honor as a nation – as all will become Jews, not Gentiles, and not Campers Consecrated. It is a New Covenant for the Jews to replace the Old (Law) Covenant – so naturally those who receive the blessings under the New Covenant will have to become proselyte Jews, just as Gentiles had to do to receive the blessings under the Law Covenant. So the orthodox Jews in Je­rusalem will be the very first to receive the Kingdom blessings. When they cry unto the Lord “he saveth them out of their distresses.” (Psa. 107:19)

In par. 38, p. 92, we find this statement: “Thus the fuller answer to the perti­nent inquiries and petitions began to be given, showing that the Consecrated Epiphany Campers will have a special eternal inheritance in the earthly phase of the Kingdom.” This is confusion worse confounded! Not even the Worthies will receive a special “eternal” inheritance when they receive the “better resurrection” at the beginning of the Kingdom reign; they will be “princes in all the earth,” so they will be the earthly phase of the Kingdom. However, this does not mean that their inheritance will be eternal on earth, or in heaven. Their trial for life will be in the Kingdom, and more particu­larly in the Little Season. All the faithful Worthies will receive their “eternal” in­heritance in the Little Season. But, if any of them would become unfaithful, and cause turmoil, they would almost certainly receive the same fate as “the sinner being an hun­dred years old – shall be accursed.” (Isa. 65:20) The Scriptures are silent on this, but it seems reasonable to expect for the unfaithful. But the Scriptures are clear on all the Restitutionists – any of the quasi-elect, Consecrated Campers and the rest of the worldlings will have their trial for life in the Kingdom, and if unfaithful will be “accursed” either in the Mediatorial reign or in the Little Season. This seems to us to be an elementary deduction. So no one can Scripturally offer any Campers Consecrated an “eternal” inheritance – life eternal – for their faithfulness in this Epiphany period. But we can tell any worldling, whether one of the Consecrated Campers or a heathen, that he will have his “eternal” inheritance – life eternal – if faithful and obedient under the New Covenant.

JEWS OR CONSECRATED CAMPERS – WHICH?

“The days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.” (Jer. 31:31) If God’s Word means anything to us at all, it means that the New Covenant will come through the Jews – just as the Old (Law) Covenant came through the Jews. As all of our readers would surely know, the Jews under the Law Covenant were found in the twelve tribes of that nation. Likewise, spiritual Israel of this Gospel Age also is comprised of twelve tribes (Rev. 7:4-8), although the vast majority of those twelve tribes came into this world as Gentiles; but they were considered spiritual Israelites once they became members of the Body of Christ – the 144,000 mentioned in v. 4.

However, when that Law Covenant was given to fleshly Israel, the only way any Gentile could receive any of its blessings was to become a proselyte Jew – have him­self circumcised, adopt the Law and thenceforth live as Jews. The same rule has ap­plied during this Gospel Age with the spiritual Israelites; and the same rule will apply in the Millennial Age: all restitutionists will have to become proselyte Jews ­have to become Jews if they are to receive the New Covenant blessings, as the New Cov­enant is made for the Jews and with the Jews. Are Campers Consecrated Spiritual Is­raelites, or are they proselyte (natural) Jews, the Jews to whom the promise is made ­“to the Jew first”? Both Messengers stressed the fact that the Kingdom blessings will be “to the Jew first.”

“The power of salvation... to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Rom. 1:16) Both Messengers agreed with St. Paul, and taught accordingly; Jeremiah 31 also agrees with the Apostle Paul – but RGJ now emphatically disagrees with all of them. As Brother Johnson has so aptly stated, When these people go wrong on any cardinal point, they are forced to cast away one Truth after another in a vain attempt to support their first error. And this present situation offers tragic proof of that statement.

In Isa. 2:3 we are told “Out of Zion (the glorified Christ Company) shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (the Worthies).” As of now, we believe it is safe assumption that RGJ does not have one Consecrated Camper in Jerusalem; and we would say also that it is equally proper to say there won’t be one there when the Worthies begin to send out the faithful orthodox Jews as missionaries. “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” (Isa. 2:5)

Almost always in the Old Testament when Jacob is addressed, it refers to fleshly Israel; and it certainly does so in this text. If RGJ is right about his Campers be­ing first in the Kingdom, naturally, they will have to be there and “cry unto the Lord,” – because it is self-evident that those who “cry unto the Lord in their distresses, and he saveth them out of their distresses ... He sent his word, and healed them and delivered them from their destruction.” (Psa. 107:19,20)

If Campers Consecrated are to be first and chief, they would self-evidently have to be in Jerusalem, which would mean the Consecrated Campers “crying unto the Lord,” and would make Brother Johnson’s interpretation another error, according to RGJ – ­another error that RGJ is now correcting. Of course, if the Consecrated Campers – or any other Restitutionists receive the New Covenant blessings, they will have to become Jews in the full sense of the word, and will also become missionaries to minister to others. They, too, will be superior to those who have not become Jews up to that time. According to the words of Jesus in Matt. 25:31-46, all who gain “eternal life” will be required to become missionaries – minister to their fellow Restitutionists. The Sheep then all become equals – Kings of the earth. To the sheep He says, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”, and to the goats, “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Matt. 25:34, 36) It is the faithfulness during the Kingdom reign that will give the Restitutionists “their special eternal inheritance” – and not their faithfulness to righteousness during the Gospel Age – although the worldlings who practice righteous living during this Age will be better prepared to walk up the High­way of Holiness. However, their efforts in this Age do not insure them their “special eternal inheritance,” because that can be won only in the Kingdom by obedience to the Kingdom arrange­ments. Some who have lived righteously during this Gospel Age may turn and do unrighteously.

This thought is well expressed in Ez. 18:21-25: “But if the wicked shall turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live and he shall not die (v. 21). But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth ac­cording to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live?... in his sins that he hath sinned, in them shall he die (v.22).” “Once in grace” is not always in grace, as some have thought. During the Gospel Age the Great Company got weary of doing the Lord’s will and was ejected from the Holy; the Second-Deathers got weary of doing the Lord’s will altogether and were ejected from the Household of Faith – per­ished as one of the ungodly. (Psa. 1:4,5) And it is quite possible that the Restitu­tionists who have practiced righteous living during this Age and for awhile in the next Age to “turn away from righteousness,” as many have done in this Gospel Age when as New Creatures they have been on trial for life. Their destiny was at stake during this Age. But that is not true of the Worthies, as they are not on trial for life, or for their “eternal inheritance”; nor do any of the quasi-elect, Campers Consecrated, and other worldlings receive their “eternal inheritance” as a reward for their activities in this life. All Restitutionists receive their “eternal inheritance” when fully faithful in the Kingdom under the New Covenant.

WHICH SHOULD BE GREATEST

When Jesus was here “a dispute arose among them (the Apostles), which of them would be greatest.” (Luke 9:46, Dia.) A much more violent “dispute” occurred after Brother Russell’s death in 1916-17. Shortly after Brother Johnson’s death the same struggle for power occurred between R. G. Jolly and J. W. Krewson, and is still contin­uing. We are not interested in the “new light” presented by either of them; nor are we interested in their fight for preeminence as star member, or as Pastor and Teacher. But we are interested in presenting such Truth as may expose their errors – errors that tend to bewilder and befog some of our brethren. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are very insistent that their devotees study their errors – just as RGJ and JWK are – and they “are always learning, and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:7, Dia.) Some of these people have never really been “rooted and grounded” in Parou­sia Truth – much less in Epiphany Truth; and this conclusion is not made as any pointed criticism of them. We realize that many of them do not have the capacity, and others with the capacity have not had the opportunity yet to become informed. Both power-grasp­ers – RGJ and JWK – have made vicious effort to belittle our Pilgrim appointment. JWK actually accused us of never having such an appointment from Brother Johnson. However, if this would be all there is to our differences, we would not belittle ourselves by at­tempting to answer them; but both of them have made vigorous attempt to forbid their readers from reading what we write; and the Jehovah’s Witnesses give us the same treat­ment – something we never do with our readers toward any of these three cults. We have stated in private correspondence, and openly in our papers, that our readers are most welcome to read their papers if they have the time and the inclination.

Brother Johnson wrote us a letter shortly before he died, saying “I do many things for you, my dear Brother (regarding some special Truth he shared with us) that I do not do for others.” And we can well understand that now more firmly than we did before his demise in 1950. There are now many things that are very clear to us, regarding his special tutoring, etc., “words not lawful for a man to utter.” (2 Cor. 12:4) Nor do we intend to publish oral statements; the written expressions of both Brother Rus­sell and Brother Johnson are fully sufficient for our purposes – to refute the errors of such people. The perverters (Azazel means perverter) have much learning (?) with which their readers may confuse themselves; but our advice to all the Lord’s people is to study the Parousia and Epiphany Truth, and make these truths their own. We are warned that the great majority will not endure sound doctrine in “this evil day” – and we find this condition in all corners now – not only in Big Babylon, but also in the Truth groups. However, we do what we can to enlighten and strengthen those who have an ear to hear.

APING THE WITNESSES

As many of our readers know, the Witnesses study only what emanates from head­quarters; and the questions are all set out, to be sure no one gets any different ideas. In this Present Truth under review RGJ has done the same thing – just to be sure the error sinks in. Study, Study – Study error – “ever learning, and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7). And generally speaking, when such sectarians embrace error, they show more zeal for the error than they did for the Truth.

Both Messengers were well informed regarding the quasi-elect – represented by the clean animals in the ark – “the truly repentant and believing, but not consecrated Jews and Gentiles.” (E-10:209) We are personally acquainted with quite a few such people, who are not ambitious for anything more than Restitution, and we give them what we believe to be the best Scriptural encouragement for righteous living: “Seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s an­ger.” (Zeph. 2:3—See Berean Comments) But RGJ is telling these people they should make “a covenant by sacrifice,” to supersede the Jews in Restitution; but the Apostle Paul and both Messengers clearly contradict his error. God’s promise “to the Jew first” is unconditional: Only Jews or proselyte Gentiles – circumcised as Jews – ­could come into the Body of Christ until the “week” was up – the seven years beginning at Jordan.

And it will be the same in the Kingdom reign – “to the Jew first.” “He is faith­ful that promised.” (Heb. 10:23) The difference in the Kingdom will be that all Gen­tiles will have to become proselyte Jews to receive the Kingdom blessings, receive eternal life if faithful. No door at all will be opened for Gentiles as such. When the door was opened to the Gentiles, Cornelius was the first Gentile to come into the “Body” – and he did not have to become a proselyte Jew, nor did any other Gentile have to become a proselyte Jew after that to come into the Body of Christ. But all nations will have to become proselyte Jews in the Kingdom – the Kingdom is Israelitish. The two Messengers and the Apostle Paul all state it exactly that way. “When we ask our­selves what blessings are that the New Covenant will Millennially confer upon Israel­ites and Israelite-made Gentiles, we find them summed up in Christ’s perfect human body and life.” (E-6:709) And they will all be known as Israelites, and not by any name that RGJ has manufactured for Restitutionists in this Epiphany!

In the Jewish Age all were promised earthly prosperity if they would keep the Law – “that thy days may be long upon the earth.” But all the faithful will be able to do under the New Covenant what no fallen human being could do under the Law Covenant. In a lame attempt to bolster up his error, RGJ says Brother Russell made a mistake when he taught that the Gershonite Levites typified the world of mankind in the King­dom; but why does he not tell us That Wise and Faithful Servant corrected that mis­take after Brother Johnson called it to his attention? Note Reprints 5023 (May 1, 1912) col. 1, first question: “In the type the entire Tribe of Levi was cut off from having any possession in the land... God thus typified the fact that the antitypi­cal Levites would not have an earthly inheritance, but rather the spiritual or heaven­ly inheritance.” Can it be that RGJ is again resorting to “the trickery of men, cun­ning craftiness in systematic deception” (Eph. 4:14, Dia.), or is he just ignorant of this Truth?

As our Lord told His believers – “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (Jn. 8:31,32) And we know that “Every word of God is pure; he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” (Prov. 30:5)

Sincerely your brother,

John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

To Epiphany Bible Students:

I will thank you very much for sending me your printings. But you have a wrong ­spelled address, and I am giving you the right spelling as follows: -------

By His Grace, ------- (SWEDEN)

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Gentlemen:

I would appreciate it if you would send all your tracts that you have listed.

Thank you very much ------- (VIRGINIA)