NO. 402: THE THREE WORLDS - CONDITIONS AND PEOPLES - (Part Two)

No. 402

In our first installment of the above subject we completed discussion of “The World That Was”; and began discussion of “This Present Evil World” in its early years. We gave limited comment on the origin of various heathen religions – with Nimrod as the Sun God and Semiramus as the Moon Goddess. While much more could have been said about the heathen religions, we would merely state here that other promi­nent individuals were subsequently deified after their death, having their abode in the various stars, the same giving rise to Star Worship. although more could be writ­ten about this latter subject, we feel sufficient detail has been presented to give a lucid picture of the overall conditions that prevailed then. Thus, we now proceed with analysis of:

THE PATRIARCHAL AGE

It should be kept in mind that all the foregoing idolatry had a very small begin­ning, with a mere handful of people involved. However, at the fall of Jerusalem in the Fall of 607 B.C., when the Jews were carried captive into Babylon, the worship of deified mortals had engulfed almost the entire human race, except the Jews; and the instances given forgoing prove conclusively that it had also corrupted many of them.

But at no time in history was this scourge embraced by all men. We may reason­ably conclude that it had not touched Noah, or his son Shem. A little further along, we come to Abraham, who appeared on the scene not quite 400 years after the flood; and he was 175 years old when he died. He is identified as the first of “the fathers”; and he, with his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, cover the span of history known as the Patriarchal Age. At the death of Jacob (whose name had been changed to Israel—­Gen. 32:28) his twelve sons became the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel, at which time began the Jewish Age, of which more later. In Eze. 10:10 there is discussion of “a wheel in the midst of a wheel,” and we believe this has reference to the various Ages – Patriarchal, Jewish and Gospel Ages – that appear in “this present evil world.” (Gal. 1:4)

It should be borne in mind that prior to the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt there had been no written revelation from God. The means of communication between God and man prior to the Exodus had been through angels talking to individuals, or through dreams or visions that were sent to them. As stated, in the narrow sense, the Patriarchal Age was the time of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; but in the broad sense that Age began at the end of the flood, partly because at that time God made a special covenant with Noah and his descendants never again to destroy the earth (the social order—Gen. 9:11) with a flood. However, specifically speaking, the Patriarchal Age began with the Covenant made with Abraham. (Gen. 12:1-5) But because of the retroactive operation of the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant, they were anticipatorially applied to Noah, and even to Enoch and Abel. (Heb. 11:4-7, 39,40) Because of this retroactive effect, we are somewhat warranted in beginning the Patriarchal Age with the end of the flood.

The word ‘patriarchs’ means ‘first  fathers’;  and  it  is because  Noah,  Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were the first fathers of Israel in this period,  that  we  call  it  the Patriarchal Age. Apart from the covenant with Noah, God did not deal during this pe­riod on covenant basis with every human being. As explained forgoing, Nimrod and many others were permitted to “enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,” God winking at their ignorance. (Acts 17:23,30; Rom. 1:21-25,28) Specifically, during that time He dealt with Abraham and his family, with Isaac and his family, and with Jacob and his family. During that Age God chose those with whom He would deal – just as He has been doing in this present Gospel Age – “Them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) The others of mankind He has allowed to go their own way – a law unto them­selves; but this does not mean that the natural laws have not been operative toward those not called. Those who have sown to evil have often reaped the natural rewards of evil – “As a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” From this we must draw the log­ical conclusion that it has not been God’s will to save the world in the Patriarchal Age, the Jewish Age or the Gospel Age, or He would have done so – “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isa. 46:10)

Let us note that the Patriarchal Age endured for a period of 659 years – from the end of the flood to the death of Jacob, the last of the patriarchs. This conclusion is made because at the death of Jacob God ceased to deal exclusively with any one indivi­dual; but chose to deal with an entire nation – the twelve tribes of Israel.  This is clearly stated in Gen. 49:28, where Jacob’s twelve sons and their families are for the first time called “the twelve tribes of Israel.” Thus it was that the Patriarchal Age ended and the Jewish Age began, after which time the Jews alone were dealt with on cov­enant basis. “Children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” (Amos 3:1,2)

THE JEWISH AGE

The Jewish Age began in the Spring of 1813 B.C., and continued thereafter for a period of 1845 years – until the death of Jesus, when He pronounced upon them the fate­ful sentence: “Your house is left unto you desolate... Ye shall not see Me henceforth till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Matt. 23:38,39) During this 1845 years God made no effort to convert the Gentile world; but His deal­ings during the Jewish Age were much the same as they had been during the Patriarchal Age – of an elective character.  Many times during the 1845 years did the Jews forsake the true God, followed the idolatrous practices of the heathens, and often committed acts of extreme depravity. Yet they continued “beloved for the fathers’ sakes.” (Rom. 11:28) In other words, they often rode on the coattails of the patriarchs.

It is well to consider here that all during the Patriarchal Age, and for about 200 years of the Jewish Age there was no organized religious ritual, no written revelation from God. This came for the first time through Moses at Sinai, during which time most of the Pentateuch was recorded, and making the foundation for “the oracles of God” which continued to come through that nation until the prophecy of Malachi appeared to form the last book of the Old Testament. Prior to Sinai whatever of religion was practiced by the Jews was based largely upon tradition, with either the father or the eldest son of the family acting as the household priest, which readily reminds us of the great in­fluence for good or evil that could come from such an arrangement. But this was all changed when Aaron, brother of Moses, was selected by God as Israel’s first High Priest; and the ceremonies incidental to the Tabernacle were initiated. After that time addi­tional revelations came through the various prophets, which were written out, eventually producing the 39 books of the Old Testament, with Malachi being the last one.

Of course, we must bear in mind that the revelations contained in the book of Gen­esis are all recordings of past events, many of which had occurred in “the world that was”; with the remainder coming during the Patriarchal and Jewish Ages prior to Sinai. It was Moses who reduced them to writing. Some of the Old Testament revelations came by direct speech (through an angel from God, etc.), others by visions, tableaux and dreams, some by immediate inspiration, some by typical acts and institutions, and some by covenant arrangements.  Putting these into writing was commenced by Moses at Sinai in 1615 B.C., and completed by Malachi about 400 B.C. John the Baptist was the last of the prophets (Matt. 11:13), although he did not contribute any Old Testament writings.

Large parts of the Old Testament were typical of future events, many of which have already been fulfilled, with some being fulfilled in our present time, and others still future. Outstanding among such is the Law Covenant given through Moses, which offers great enlightenment concerning the New Covenant that will soon be inaugurated. “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt.” (Jer. 31:31-32)

The books written by Moses – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and  most  of  Deuteronomy – were committed to the care of the Jewish priesthood; as were also subsequent additions until the last by Malachi.  Such reverence was attached  to  those  writings that the priests in charge would have given their lives in defense of them. Parts of these writings were usually read in the synagogues on the Sabbath, or other special oc­casions; and Jesus often quoted or read parts of certain Old Testament writings. One notable instance is recorded in Luke 4:16-21. It should be stressed here also that all of the Old Testament writers were Jews – as were also all of the New Testament writers, if we make allowance that the Gospel of Luke was dictated by St. Paul. And because of all this St. Paul asks the question: “What advantage then hath the Jew?... Much every way; chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” (Rom. 3:1,2)

However, there were many times when the custodians of the Holy Writ became quite careless in their duty, putting the writings off in some obscure corner of the Temple until they were forgotten and barely being preserved at all. Such an instance is re­corded in 2 Chron. 34:14-33. Indeed, after the death of Joshua such carelessness was often manifest until their return from the 70-years, captivity in Babylon – after which they were closely regarded and respected.

As stated earlier, the fact was stressed that only two of the cardinal doctrines of the Bible were revealed in “the world that was,” these two being the Creation and the Fall of man. The third one to come into promi­nence was the Law given at Sinai, which would give the Jews life if they would keep that Law. And to this they all answered, “All the words which the Lord hath said will we do.” (Ex. 24:3) But that Law only made glaringly apparent their inability to live according to the perfect requirements of their God. St. Paul makes this quite clear in Rom. 7:7-9: “I had not known sin but by the law... I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.”

And, while the Old Testament Scriptures did testify of Jesus (John 5:39), much of what they testified was very vaguely comprehended; and it was not until Jesus Himself “brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10) that the remain­ing seven cardinal doctrines became clearly understood. Those seven are the Ransom, Justification, Sanctification, the High Calling, the Resurrection, Restitution and the Second Death.  Six of these seven have been rather well understood by a limited few, and all have been operative during this Gospel Age, Restitution being the only exception. Of this we shall offer some comment when we consider “the world to come.”

Jesus not only “brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel,” but He also proved his own human perfection by keeping that Law perfectly, which even the best of the Jews Moses, Daniel, Samuel, John the Baptist, and the other well-intentioned prophets had not been able to do. Jesus emphasized this point in Matt. 5:17, 18: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and  earth  pass  away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

And, while the best of the Jews – such as mentioned above – could not keep the Law, it did accomplish something for them, as they endeavored to keep it. It gave them a standing far superior to their fellows, and developed in them the good quali­ties which will give them “a better resurrection” (Heb. 11:35) when “the books are opened, and the judgment is set.” This is recorded in quite some detail by St. Paul in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews.

Also, in lesser degree, a small segment of the Jews made earnest effort to keep the Law. St. Paul was one of these, he says of himself, “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touch­ing the law, a Pharisee (who rigidly attempted to keep the law, many of them mistakenly believing that they did so)... touching the righteousness which is of the law, blameless.” (Phil. 3:5,6) Jesus attracted to Himself a small number of such Jews – by His own personal magnetism and His strict adherence to that law which they had come to love. Jesus spoke of such as “the Harvest” of the Jewish Age; and counseled the Apostles and others to join Him in reaping them. “Look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest... I sent you to reap that whereon you bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors.” (John 4:35-38)

Although the law and the Jewish Age did produce a “harvest” of “Israelites indeed,” it also produced the chaff: “He will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable.” (Luke 3:17) although their house was left to them desolate at Jesus’ death, they were given an additional 36½ years of amnesty before they were required to meet their promise: “His blood be on us, and on our children.” (Matt. 27:25) In the year 70 A.D. the Roman Emperor Titus leveled Jerusalem after a long and vicious siege, at which time “the chaff” was destroyed in savage manner. When the work was fully accomplished, there was a circle of crosses around Jerusalem, with a dead Jew hanging on each one of them. It is one of the outstanding atrocities of all history. There ended the Jewish Age; there ended the Jewish rituals estab­lished by Moses and Aaron at Sinai; there began what is commonly known as “the dis­persion,” which is the foundation for the expression “The Wandering Jew.”

So thoroughly was the chaff burned at that time that the Temple was demolished and the Tribe of Levi became lost in the confusion. That loss did indeed “desolate” the Jewish religion because they can no longer have a High Priest – who must come from the Tribe of Levi; but they do not now know which Jews are of that tribe. Therefore, their present Atonement Day services, their Passover services, etc., are mere empty formalisms. When the Jewish Age ended, it ended in a way which none of them foresaw, the full import of which is today understood by only a very few in Christendom. Vi­cious persecution has followed them from city to city, from nation to nation; and it may truly be described as one of the outstanding marvels of the Age that the Jewish race still exists at all. Their tenacity in this matter offers living proof of Moses’ charge against them: “Thou art a stiffnecked (stubborn) people.” (Deu. 9:6)

As amelioration to the foregoing, we offer the conclusion that it will not be always so with them. Already we see them back in the land which God promised the “fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Deu. 9:5); and we offer also the consolation of St. Paul: “Blindness is happened in part (not an unending scourge) to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom. 11:25)

An item of special interest here is that all the four universal empires described in the metal-man image of Dan. 2:36-45 had their origin in universal reign during the Jewish Age. The first of these was Babylon, which conquered the Jerusalem Jews in the Fall of 607 B.C.; and the Prophet describes it in this manner: ‘‘Thou, 0 king (Nebu­chadnezzar) art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the fields and the fowls of the heaven hath He given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.” (Dan. 2:37,38)

Followed then the Medes and the Persians as earth’s universal sovereignty. Media is first mentioned in history about 850 B.C., but did not attain noticeable prominence until about 625 B.C., at which time Cyaxares united the many Iranian-speaking Median tribes. The Medes became subject to the Persians in 550 B.C., under Cyrus the Great. “After thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee.” (Dan. 2:39)

Came next the Grecian Empire (“another third kingdom, which shall bear rule over all the earth”—Dan. 2:39). Alexander the Great occupied Media in 330 B.C.; but his rule was short-lived; and the empire fell pretty much apart shortly after his death.

“The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron” (Dan. 2:40). The reference is to the “iron rule” of Rome – the fourth and most extensive of the universal dominions. It had a very small beginning in the 8th century B.C. on the Tiber River in Italy; and lasted until the fifth century A.D. It became mistress of all Italy about the begin­ning of the third century B.C. During the years 264-133 B.C. it crushed its chief rival Carthage, and subjugated Macedonia, Greece and Spain. In 30 B.C. Octavian (Ju­lius Caesar’s adopted son) defeated Mark Anthony at Actium – at which date the Roman Empire was founded. Octavian, more popularly known as Augustus Caesar, reigned from 27 B.C. to 14 A.D. It was during his reign that Jesus was born. The empire reached about its greatest extent under Trajan, who reigned from 98 to 117 A.D.

From the dates given forgoing, it is evident that all four of the universal empires came to the pinnacle of their glory in the Jewish Age; and three of them be­gan their decline in the Jewish Age. The first – the Babylonian kingdom of Nebuchad­nezzar – experienced complete desolation before the Jewish Age ended.  “Because of the wrath of the Lord, Babylon shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished...” (Jer. 50:13). The only one of the four that did not begin its decline in the Jewish Age was the Roman Empire.

And in closing this dissertation on the Jewish Age we offer this interesting inci­dent: Some years ago we were rather well acquainted with a Jewish magistrate who was quite well versed in Jewish customs, history and religious ritual. On a certain occa­sion he was invited to address a Christian Sunday School Class, at which time he said something like this: “When I was invited to address you I was somewhat jittery and reluctant to appear before such an august assembly of Christians; but, when I began to recall that my ancestors were kings and priests, and worshipers of the one true God for about four thousand years, while your ancestors were worshipers of idols ­some having descended from Nimrod and Semiramus – I decided I had no cause for apol­ogy; and I began to view this situation with a courage I did not at first possess. Since the Mosaic Law Covenant given to Israel through Moses, the Jews have been the only nation in covenant relationship with the true God; all the surrounding nations were Gentiles who worshipped idols, and indulged in heathen rituals. Therefore, I concluded that any Jew who tries to be faithful to the Law Covenant which was given at Mount Sinai has reason to be proud of his historical background; and I certainly make no apology for mine.”

THE GOSPEL AGE

The Gospel or Christian Age is the last “wheel within the wheel” of “this present evil world” – the third and most important of the Ages that comprise it. The word gospel means good news or glad tidings; and it is stated in Matt. 4:23, and  in other Scriptures, that “Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel (glad tidings) of the kingdom.” While it is true that there were more or less of good tidings in the two previous Ages, it is preeminently true of the Gospel Age. In the first seventy years of this Christian Age the entire New Testament was written – in contrast to the many hundreds of years (more than a thous­and years) which were required to produce the Old Testament. While Jesus began this Gospel Age at Jordan in the strict sense, yet in its broader sense it did not begin until Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was then poured out on those 500 people who were waiting in the upper room, as Jesus had told them to do. (Acts 1:13) 2:1-4; 1 Cor. 15:6). This occurred in 33 A.D., and overlapped the Jewish Age until Jerusalem was taken by Titus in the year 70 A.D. And in this our day overlappings of the Gospel Age into the Millennial Age have been occurring since 1874 – just 1845 years after those that occurred at the beginning of this Age. From this standpoint the duration of the Gospel Age may be definitely stated as 1845 years, with lappings into the Millennial Age – just as was true at the end of the Jewish Age and the beginning of the Gospel Age.

As previously stated, the Patriarchal and the Jewish Ages had their own distinctive purposes; and the same may be said of the Christian Age. Also, the Jewish and Gospel Ages are of equal length (1845 years); thus, they are parallel dispensations, with the Jewish Age providing many events that were typical of things in this Age – some of them exactly 1845 years apart. The first purpose of this Age is very similar to the first purpose of the Jewish Age. To the Jews were committed “the oracles of God”; and in this Age the Christians have been made the custodian of God’s oracles. (1 Cor. 4:1,2; John 17:8, 14; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 3:16) Christians have not only closely guarded the contents of the Old and New Testaments, but they have also translated them into many different languages. So well have the Christians cared for these Scriptures that not one book, or an essential part of any one book, has been lost.

The second purpose of this Age relates very closely to the first one – giving addi­tional revelations to those contained in the Old Testament. This was begun by John the Baptist, was given very great impetus by the preaching of Jesus, and completed by the Apostles – resulting in 27 additional books being added to the Bible in what is commonly styled the New Testament. The revelation of these 27 books came through various means: by direct speech, by visions, tableaux and dreams, some by immediate inspiration, sym­bolic acts, etc.  These things occurred at different times, places and circumstances, the last being The Apocalypse, or Revelation, presumably written by St. John about 100 A.D. while a prisoner on the Isle of Patmos. (Rev. 1:9) The central feature of the New Testament is Christ and His Church, but containing much prophecy of future events, clarifications and elaborations of Old Testament Scriptures, with a complete code of ethics for the Christian life, detailed information on the resurrection of the dead, as well as considerable enlightenment on “the angels that sinned.”

The third purpose of the Christian Age was to introduce the Ransom – “a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (I Tim. 2:6) The word ransom in this text is from the Greek antilutron, and means a corresponding price, an exact equivalent. The Jewish Age had produced the Mosaic Law, which made glaringly manifest that man could not save himself. The word Jesus means savior; and the angel that appeared to Jo­seph had told him, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21) This testimony was heralded primarily by Jesus; then by the Apostles and other capable men of their time; and since their time by other able men all during the Age, so that it is now more or less common knowledge, although in a more or less confused and uncertain manner by the vast majority.

The declaration of this knowledge had as its foundation the “gospel of the King­dom,” the same kingdom for which Jesus told all to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Along with this message His followers have “re­proved the world for sin, for righteousness, and judgment to come” (John 16:8-11) ­“preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47), thence to Judea and Samaria, unto the ends of the earth. The evidence is quite clear that this has been accomplished; and that the failure of the Law to save mankind estab­lishes the foundation for hope of salvation through Jesus. “What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh... condemned sin in the flesh; That the righteousness of the law might be ful­filled in us (the Apostles and those who accepted their teachings after them), who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.” (Rom. 8:3,4) This “righteousness” has been imputed to all believers who had a true faith in Jesus as Savior. This “just­ification by faith” has given believers all during this Age “peace with God” (Rom.5:1,2).

The acquisition of faith justification has been by call; not by command – “the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) And those who continued faithful in this justification were accepted into God’s family as sons, “joint heirs with Christ” to administer the future kingdom on earth “in due time.” However, Jesus said this group would be very few in number – “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Much empha­sis should be placed upon the fact that one of the purposes of this Christian Age has been to call certain ones to do certain things, for which they would then be justified in anticipating certain rewards for the faithful doing of those things. A few hundred years back it was the general belief in Christendom that those who did not respond to the call would spend eternity in torment in the lake of fire. But it must be conceded that even in Christendom many had not had opportunity to hear that call; and of those who did hear it, the great majority had a very nebulous idea of its real meaning. Then we add to that the vast heathen world, the majority of whom never had the opportunity even to hear it at all. On one occasion the Apostle Peter had told the Jewish rulers that “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved except the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 4:10-12).  Thus billions of heathen who had never heard that name would be consigned to eternal torment – according to the preva­lent belief in Christendom in the Dark Ages.

“Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.” (Psa. 70:4)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint No. 245, November 1975

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Sirs:

Greetings! I am writing to request any information such as pamphlets, brochures and books that state your beliefs of your religion. Any information received will be very helpful to enable me to gain knowledge in knowing about your beliefs. I would certainly greatly appreciate any help you could give me in finding more about your religion.

Thank you. ------- (NORTH DAKOTA)

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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I am writing you in hopes that I might get some information about your organization. If you can, please send me any materials which you think might best help me. If you could, I would appreciate a list of material which I might purchase should I desire to learn more.

I thank you in advance for your quick response to my inquiry, as it is an important issue for me as it should be for most people who are concerned about their spiritual well‑being.

Thank you, ------- (CANADA)

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Dear Brethren:

I have just received your January‑February issue. Please send me any current issues you may have and do keep me on your list.

Your news articles are very interesting. In fact, I was unaware of your publication until now. I, too, feel there is great need to watch current events, especially those which may have some effect on our understanding of endtime prophecy, I edit a work somewhat similar to yours which we have named "Watch and Pray."

Again thank you for the subscription.            In His service, ------- (TENNESSEE)

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Gentlemen:

I am interested in any of the following:

1) Original editions or reprints of works of Charles Taze Russell, including, but not limited to the 'Studies in the Bible series,' also known under the name 'Millennial Dawn.'

2) Original editions or reprints of the WATCHTOWER magazine including, but not limited to the years 1880‑1920.

3) Any other publications, magazines or books, past or present pertaining to the movements started by C. T. Russell.

Please let me know the availability and cost of the above items. I appreciate your help and am looking forward to hearing from you. ……. (CALIFORNIA)

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Epiphany Bible Student Association:

Thank you for your letter. I would like to be added to your mailing list. Also, a couple of questions: First, do you have the volumes of the Epiphany Studies in the Scriptures? If so, at what price?

About the book "About Charles Taze Russell," by David Horowitz? Do you stock it? What is the price?

Thank you, ------- (MARYLAND)

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Dear Brethren: Grace and peace!

We enjoyed the letter published in the April 1989 paper about the experience someone had with Jehovah's Witnesses. We had a similar experience with some Witnesses recently.

Our house has self‑evidently been marked by the JWs, as none of them have called on us for some time. However, last Saturday morning some one knocked on our door. My husband said it must be Jehovah's Witnesses, as they knock doors and do not ring door bells. When we went to the door there were two high school‑aged girls who wanted to sell us a booklet for 30¢. My husband told them we would be happy to buy their booklet if they would accept one of our articles for free and promise to read it.

They said they could not read anything that did not have Scriptural references and showed us their booklet that had such references. We then showed them our paper that had Scriptural references also. One of the young ladies said she would have to contact someone with "more experience" to see whether they were allowed to accept our paper. But the other girl didn't want to leave.

Hoping to be able to witness Truth to them, we told them we agreed with the JWs on the state of the dead, the wages of sin is death and the trinity" Also, that we believed in searching the Scriptures, and in Jehovah and His Son, Jesus Christ. One of them then asked if we were Jehovah's Witnesses. When we told her we were not as we could not accept quite a few things the Witnesses teach, she became very nervous and wanted to leave. The other Witness seemed interested in what we were saying, so I asked her for her name and address. The nervous one told her not to do that. So I gave her our name, address and phone number, and asked her to call us.

It is doubtful that we will hear from her once this is related to the "more experienced." It is apparent that these two young ladies had been instructed exactly as what to say – and any deviation from that made them unsettled and nervous.

The JWs send these young people out to "witness" and they do not know what they are supposed to believe, nor what they themselves believe. They think they are "working their way into the Kingdom," even though they don't know anything about God's great Plan of Salvation for all mankind – not just a Salvation for Jehovah's Witnesses. We are reminded of Job 38:2: "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?"

The JWs boast that Pastor Russell is their founder, but he isn't the founder of Jehovah's Witnesses and their errors but only the founder of their organization. Pastor Russell instructed all his colporteurs and others who distributed his literature, that they should read and understand anything they offered others. We should be in harmony with St. Peter's instruction in 1 Peter 3:15: "And be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."

Even the "more experienced" Witnesses when faced with those who have the Truth, turn away before hearing the reason of the hope that is within them. It is evident that the Witnesses do not have the "truth that makes you free," as the doctrines they teach are "errors that bind and imprison them."

Our Lord tells us: "If you 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)

God bless and guide you as you seek to serve Him in sincerity and in Truth.

Warm Christian love, ------- (FLORIDA)

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Dear Friend,

Thank you so very much for your letters and information that you have sent to me. It is a big help! Thank you for the two books, PASTOR CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL, An Early American Christian Zionist. I do have someone to give the second book to who will appreciate it.

I don't have any questions right now. I just want to take my time and study the information that you have sent me. I just wanted to let you know that I have received everything, and to say

Thank You. Sincerely, ------- (OHIO) [An ex‑JW]

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NO. 401: THE THREE WORLDS – CONDITIONS AND PEOPLES – Part One

No. 401

The request has come to us to offer an analysis of the three worlds mentioned in the Bible: (1) the world that was; (2) the world that now is; (3) the world to come – with their fundamental differences, similarities, and the time features in­volved in each one. These are very briefly epitomized in the third chapter of St. Peter’s second letter. In verse 6 he tells us that “the world that then was (before the flood), being overflowed with water, perished”; then continues in verse 7: “the heavens and the earth which are now” (the world that now is) are “reserved unto fire against the day of judgment.” Continuing in verse 13, “We look for new heavens and a new earth (the world to come), wherein dwelleth righteousness.” It is our inten­tion to correlate various statements in the Old and New Testaments – “here a little, and there a little” (Isa. 28:10) – concerning these three worlds, and depict their true Scriptural meaning.

However, before we proceed we would stress the fact that the Bible is written in two languages – literal and figurative – and this must be appreciated if we would avoid extreme confusion. For instance, the word earth in the Bible has two meanings: (1) the planet on which we live, and (2) the social order of human existence. To il­lustrate, in Gen. 9:11 we are told “there shall not be any more a flood to destroy the earth.” Surely, the planet on which we live was not destroyed by the flood, but the social arrangement in vogue then was completely destroyed by the flood. The same contention may be made for the word heaven, which has three different and distinct meanings: (1) God’s abode, which presumably is the Pleiades, the center of gravity of the Universe (see Job 38:31); (2) the atmosphere about this earth, into which Elijah was carried by the fiery chariot (see 2 Kings 2:9-12); (3) the present religious order (see 2 Pet. 3:7).

While the Old Testament of the Bible offers copious information about the above ­along with much detail about the world that was, and the world that now is, it remains for the New Testament to provide the information that enables us to accomplish our purpose. Therefore, we would initiate this treatise with the New Testament informa­tion, as we interweave Old Testament details into our conclusions.

In the New Testament the word “world” is translated from four different Greek words: 1 – Aion, meaning Age or Dispensation; 2 – Ge, land or earth; 3 – Kosmos, Arrangement or Social order; 4 – Oikoumene, the habitable earth or land. That these four words are not synonymous is self-evident; and the translation of all of them into the English word world simply reveals the inaccuracy with which the translators of the King James version of the Bible did their work. This is one great cause why so much error has arisen over the centuries, and the confusion that is now so preva­lent.

Although some of the above words may be used interchangeably, it would always be better to give the strictly correct meaning in each case. For example, in Matt. 24:3 the Disciples asked Jesus, “What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and the end of the world (aion)?” A more correct rendering would be, “What shall be the sign of Thy pres­ence, and the consummation of the Age?” In this particular text the end of the world and the end of the Age will occur at the same time; but to give them the same meaning simply leads to unnecessary confusion. In this, the second world, in which we now live, there have been three Ages – the Patriarchal, Jewish, and the Gospel Age. It so happens that the end of this Gospel Age will also be the end of this world; and, while the Gospel Age is fully included in this world, this world is not fully included in this Gospel Age.

The expression is often heard – “The end of the world”; and the vast majority in Christendom have come to conclude that this means the destruction of the planet earth on which we live. However, when reading Matt. 24:3 correctly, as given above, it will become readily apparent that the Disciples had no such thought in mind when they asked Jesus their question. The Greek Kosmos (the order of affairs) is the root of such English words as cosmos, cosmogony, cosmopolitan, etc. Cities such as New York and London are considered cosmopolitan districts because they contain a representation of almost all races and nations as their residents. Therefore, we believe it will provide profitable reading to offer an analysis of the three worlds in relation to the conditions and peoples that are described in the Bible.

“THE WORLD THAT WAS”

In 2 Peter 2:5 we are told that God “spared not the old world (kosmos), but saved Noah... a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world” (kosmos). And continuing, 2 Pet. 3:6 tells us, “The world (kosmos) that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.” All of us know that this planet earth was not destroyed by the great flood; and it is in order to state here that the language of the Bible is often intricate and confusing if we do not read it critically. Some of it is literal, and some of it is figurative, or symbolic, or typical. As stated on p. 1, when Gen. 9:11 says “neither shall there be any more a flood to destroy the earth,” it does not mean the literal earth on which we live, because it is still here. The “earth” that was destroyed by the flood was the kosmos, or order of affairs; and, since Solomon in­forms us in Ecc. 1:4 that “the earth abideth forever,” we accept for certain that the destruction of this present world will not bring about the destruction of this planet upon which we live.

Nor will the dissolution of the present order of affairs bring about the destruc­tion of all the people in this world – just as the destruction of “the world that was” did not destroy all the people then – although it did destroy all of them except Noah and his three sons and their wives, eight persons in all. To the great majority in Chris­tendom the “end of the world” implies the destruction of all the people upon the planet, as well as the destruction of the planet itself; but Isa. 45:18 tells us, “God Himself formed the earth, and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.”

The Bible clearly reveals that eventually there will be many more people on this earth than there are here now; although the Bible is equally emphatic that in the years just ahead of us there will be many less people here than we have now. “Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind (the Time of Trouble) shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not he lamented, neither gathered, nor buried.” (Jer. 25:32,33)

Some Striking Peculiarities – “Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.” (Gen. 5:5) Much visionary reasoning has been produced to alter the meaning of the word ‘years’ as it is found in the fifth chapter of Genesis; but none of it has any foundation in fact. Here is what one commentator has to say about it: “The immense duration of life assigned to the antediluvian patriarchs has always been the occasion of difficulty. Attempts have been made to explain away the figures. (a) It has been suggested that the names of those patriarchs represent dynasties. But the mention of the firstborn and of other children obviously refers to personal history. Nor does the transference of these enormous figures to the duration of dynasties great­ly diminish the improbability of their literal historicity. (b) It has been suggested that the Hebrew word for “Year’ (shanah) is used in this chapter to denote a shorter period of time. But this arbitrary solution is devoid of any evidence in its favor. There is no reason not to interpret the statements of the antediluvian patriarchs quite literally.”

By totaling the various figures in the fifth chapter of Genesis, then adding the 600 years that Noah lived before the flood (Gen. 7:6), we come to the grand total of 1,656 years, which provides the number of years for “The World That Was.” And this is certainly a very, very short period of time if we compare it with some of the halluci­natory deductions of would-be pundits concerning the first man upon this earth – some of them talking in many millions of years back concerning this important fact.

According to Bible revelation, Methuselah was the oldest of all the patriarchs, being 969 years old when he died. Adam was 687 years old when Methuselah was born; and Methuselah was 369 years old when Noah was born. Thus, the two of them were con­temporary for 600 years, which would give them plenty of time to become well acquainted. Also, from this fact it becomes apparent that we need only the record of Methuselah’s life to span the date of creation of Adam to the flood – or one generation in a manner of speaking.

Then again, Noah and his family had the unique experience of living in two worlds ­“The World That Was” and “This Present Evil World” (Gal. 1:4). Noah himself lived for six hundred years in “The World That Was,” and three hundred and fifty years in “This Present Evil World” (Gal. 1:4) - “all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years” (Gen. 9:29). And the experience that was unique to Noah and his family of living in two worlds will also be repeated here in the end of “This Present Evil World” when it ends, and the next world begins. In Eph. 1:21 St. Paul tells us that Christ is above “every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” From this it is apparent that the Bible clearly discusses, and de­scribes in some detail, three worlds. In Heb. 6:5 St. Paul speaks of “the powers of the world to come.

It is of interest to note here, too, that Noah died just two years before Abraham was born. Thus Noah was in position to give all the details about the creation, the flood, and conditions after the flood; and it is probable (although we cannot state it as a fact) that he related those things to Terah, Abraham’s father, the latter then passing them on to Abraham after Noah’s death. Terah lived 75 years after Abraham’s birth, which means that the last 73 years of his life were contemporaneous with Noah.

“World That Was” Without Rain – It is worthy of note that “The Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth... but there went up a mist from the earth, and wa­tered the whole face of the ground.” (Gen. 2:5,6) Therefore, when Noah began to build an ark as protection against a coming flood, it is little wonder his neighbors con­sidered it quite a joke: “They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in mar­riage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark.” (Matt. 24:38) And without rain there would be no humidity, no fermentation, which accounted in part for the long lives of those who lived before the flood. It also accounts for Noah becoming drunk after the flood (Gen. 9:20-24), because he had not yet learned what the changed climatic con­ditions had produced. Thus, those who attempt to make sport of Noah, calling him an old drunk, do so through their ignorance of all the facts in the case. It is far fetched to believe that Noah, “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5), would become stupefied with alcohol. “Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” (Gen. 6:9)

The Angels That Sinned – “God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell.” (2 Pet. 2:4) Who were these “angels that sinned”? The answer is to be found in Gen. 6:2-4: “The sons of God (angels) saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and took them wives of all which they chose.... There were giants in the earth in those days... when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” The word “giants” in this text is from the Hebrew Nephilim, and means “fallen ones.” Being a cross between human beings and angels, they were a hybrid production, which is contrary to all the laws of nature. When God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle... and beasts of the earth after his kind” (Gen. 1:24), this was not just a statement of happenstance. When any species of ani­mals is crossed with another species, it produces a mule. In everyday English a mule is understood to be a cross between a horse and a donkey – which produces a mule; but a mule may apply to any animal that cannot reproduce itself. Female mules never have colts; and this law is so firmly entrenched that even a dove and a pigeon cannot bring forth a young one that can reproduce itself. And, if left to themselves out in nature, such birds will not attempt to mate; they do it only under stress, or through the manipu­lation of man.

Those Nephilim hybrids are the origin of the legendary demigods that permeate the Greek and Roman mythology; they were presumed to be half man and half God, and the mere mention of their name often caused shivers in the human family. The word Nephilim oc­curs but three times in the Old Testament – once in Gen. 6:4 and twice in Numbers 13:33. When the ten spies brought back their evil report about Canaan, they said, “There we saw the giants (Nephilim) and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” This statement terrorized the Israelites, “and the people wept that night.” (Num. 14:1) When we consider that it was only 427 years from the death of No­ah to the birth of Moses, it means just a few generations separated them. Thus, we can well appreciate that the legend of those “giants” was quite fresh in the minds of the Jewish people. The report that “the earth was filled with violence” (Gen. 6:11) because of them was relatively recent news to the Jews; and they wanted no part of an encounter with them.

It is written of Noah that “he was a just man and perfect in his generations” (Gen. 6:9); but this does not justify the conclusion that he and his were the only people that had not been corrupted with hybrid contact. It would seem to be reasonable that there were others than Noah that were not hybrid stock, but they had fallen to the evil ways of the “giants,” thus were destroyed in the flood, along with all the Nephilim. The angels themselves, who had produced the Nephilim, dematerialized when the flood broke upon the earth; but they were not permitted to go back to Heaven. Rather, they were “cast down to hell” (2 Pet. 2:4). The Greek word for “hell” in this text is “tar­taroo,” which simply means the atmosphere about this earth. Thus, they were forced to accept the abode of their own choosing; and they are to be identified as the demons so frequently mentioned in the New Testament which infested certain human beings.

These “devils” are mentioned many times in the New Testament, a few of the more prominent citations being Matt. 9:32,33; 17:14-18; Mark 6:13; 7:29,30; Luke 4:41; 8:2; 8:26-33. The devils (the angels that sinned) were not destroyed in the flood, although the hybrid giants (the Nephilim) were; but the Jews were not aware of this, and they were so undone at the mere mention of them that they ran for forty years from some­thing that did not then exist.

A very short while after ejection from the Garden of Eden, crime began to make its appearance among men, the first major crime mentioned in the Bible being murder. Cain slew his brother because of envy. (Gen. 4:1-8) But, though evil deeds and evil men made quick appearance, it is well to keep in mind that there were those who resisted such, and made diligent effort to return to the favor of the Lord. Says St. Paul in Hebrews 11:4,5: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he be­ing dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death.... before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” However, as it is in this present world, so it was then: Those that pleased God were greatly in the mi­nority.

From the creation to the birth of Jesus was 4128 years; and the “world that was” perished 1656 years after it began, which means that its end came in 2472 years B.C. Adding the present date of 1975 to that we find that “this present evil world” has al­ready continued for 4447 years – of which more later. However, it is well to note that of the ten cardinal truths contained in the Bible only two are described in the Genesis record as appearing in the “world that was.” These two are the Creation and the Fall of man. The third cardinal truth is the Law of Moses, which did not make its appearance until the Jews had left Egypt, of which more later.

“THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD” (Gal. 1:4)

As stated above, “this present evil world” (dispensation) began 4447 years ago, at which time there were but eight people to start it; whereas, just two people began “the world that was.” These eight people were Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives. Shem is presumed to have been the eldest, his descendants being known as Shemites, or Semites. From his line eventually came Abraham, who was the father of the Jewish or Semitic race. They are thought to have settled in Asia Minor and Western Asia, although today Palestine (or Canaan land) is properly considered as their ancient place of abode. More on this as we consider the Patriarchal Age. In Gen. 9:26 we are told, “Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.”

The second son of Noah was Japheth, whose sons are given in Gen. 10:2 as Gomer, Ma­gog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Mesh and Tiras. From these it is presumed came the original settlers of Europe; who are today recognized as the Caucasian, or white race. Most of them have been aggressive and warlike, probably possessing the best and the worst of hu­man characteristics.

The third son of Noah was Ham, whose sons were Cush, Mizraim, Phut and Canaan. (Gen. 10:6) Because of his indecent conduct toward his father, Noah pronounced a curse upon him and his descendants: “Cursed be Canaan (son of Ham, thus grandson of Noah); a ser­vant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.” (Gen. 9:25) This section of Noah’s offspring is thought to have migrated into Africa, and became the ancestors of the pres­ent Ethiopian, or black races. In Num. 12:1 we are told that “Miriam and Aaron (brother and sister of Moses) spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had mar­ried.” The marginal reading for Ethiopian is Cushite. Her name was Zipporah, daughter of Jethro, a priest of Midian. The skin of the Midianites was not full black, but rath­er light nut brown. However, the Biblical meaning of Cush is black.

The progress of evil in “this present evil world” is worthy of some attention here. The Law of Moses tells us that the sins of the fathers shall be visited upon the chil­dren unto the third and fourth generation; and this seems to have been pointedly true in the case of Cush and his sons, who seem to have carried with them through the flood some of the evils of the Nephilim (giants) who had “filled the earth with violence.” (Gen. 6: 11-13) In Gen. 10:8,9 it is recorded that “Cush begat Nimrod – he became a hero in the earth: he became a hero of hunting before Yahveh – and for this cause it is said, Like Nimrod, a hero of hunting before Yahveh.” (Rotherham translation) There is much hidden meaning in this text, because it does not mean that Nimrod was a pious follower of the true God, but just the reverse: He had set himself up in place of God; and his wicked acts are interwoven in most of the heathen religions.

“The beginning of Nimrod’s kingdom was Babel” (Gen. 10:10) in the land of Shinar ..out of that land.. he went forth and builded Nineveh.” Here was the beginning of all the false heathen religions, with their incestuous feasts and idol worship. By the time Moses appeared some 800 years later these evils had made wide and devastating prog­ress; and the Jews were most emphatically commanded to have nothing whatever to do with them – a commandment which they repeatedly broke, as will be discussed later. However, we offer one case in point at this time: “Then all the men who knew their wives had burned incense unto other gods... answered Jeremiah, saying, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the Queen of Heaven... as we have done... in the cities of Judah and Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven... We have wanted all things.” (Jer. 44:15-18)

Another instance similar to the foregoing had occurred some hundreds of years be­fore, as given in Judges 2:12,13: “They forsook the Lord God of their fathers... and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger... They served Baal and Ashter­oth.” The worship of Baal was accompanied with lascivious rites (1 Kgs. 14:23,24), the sacrifice of children in the fire by parents to the God Moloch (Jer. 32:35), etc.

Baal worshipers were sun worshipers; and all of the prominent ancient nations had some form of sun worship in their religion. The question properly arises, Whence came this “strong delusion”? When Moses wrote Genesis, Nimrod had been dead for some hundreds of years, but there still existed the popular saying, “Even as Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the Lord.” (Gen. 10:9) His might lay in his hunting prowess, prompted by the conditions of his day. We recall that only eight people came through the flood, but many kinds of animals came forth from the ark, which multiplied much faster than did the people; and the more ferocious among them would readily strike terror into human hearts. Thus, any one who would offer protection to his fellows would be consid­ered quite a hero, which in itself would not be too wrong if that hero were a righteous man.

However, such was not the case with Nimrod. Shortly after the flood, the human race became divided into two camps – one toward evil, and one inclined toward righteous­ness. It would seem that Nimrod was the leader of the evil group; whereas, Shem was the leader of the righteous group. (Gen. 9:26) This conclusion is pieced together from the writings of various historians and other literate writers. As instance, Josephus, the great Jewish historian, makes this comment: “The multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod, and to esteem it a piece of cowardice to submit to God.”

In Gen. 10:11 it is recorded that Nimrod built the City of Ninevah. This statement enables us to couple Nimrod with the king Ninus of classical writings. The literal meaning of Ninevah is “The habitation of Ninus”; and the historian Apollodorous makes positive statement that ‘Ninus is Nimrod.’ From the gleanings of ancient writings it seems certain that Nimrod married his own mother Semiramis; therefore, he was his own father and his own son in a manner of speaking. This is a close duplication of the idea current in Christendom that Jesus is also His own Father and His own Son.

That the descendants of Nimrod were denounced in the Bible is evident from Micah 5:6: “They shall waste the land of Syria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.” Also, from one of the famous sculp­tures of ancient Babylon Ninus and Semiramus are represented as actively engaged in the pursuits of the chase, the “quiver-bearing Semiramus” being a fit companion for the “mighty hunter before the Lord.” It seems certain also that Nimrod trained leopards to aid him in his pursuit of other animals; and it is interesting to note that the leop­ard skin was prominent in the religious rituals of other pagan nations. For instance, in Egypt the high priest wore a leopard’s skin when officiating on all important occa­sions, which was intended to commemorate some outstanding event in connection with the God Osiris. Much of the clothing of heathen gods and priests was intended to convey some meaning to those who were educated to understand them. And Nimrod and Osiris are just two different names for the same person. The writer Bunsen says Osiris was at once the husband and son of his mother; and Osiris was just another name for Nimrod or Ninus.

The name Nimrod means literally “The subduer of the leopard,” being derived from nimr (a leopard) and rad (to subdue). In ancient times ouch significance was to be found in names; most of the names in the Bible carry meanings intended to convey some characteristic of the persons who received them, or the work such persons would do. The name Cush (father of Nimrod) means black. Ham also was black, being the father of all the black races. Josephus says “Cush was he from whom came the Ethiopians.” Some translations of Jer. 13:23 state it thusly: “Can the Cushite change his skin, or the leopard his spots?”

Semiramus is said to have been a very beautiful but very depraved woman; and it is to her that much of the extravagant and licentious character of the heathen reli­gions has been ascribed. The special religious festivals of the Romans, the Greeks, the Assyrians, etc., were simply occasions to “eat, drink and be merry”; and the wine and sexual extremes to be found in all of them. In Canaan, for instance, male and female prostitutes were available in the religious temples; and the price for that service was cast into a coffer at the door of the temple as the visitor departed. The names varied in different countries; but the modus operandi was almost identical wher­ever it can be traced. In Egypt it was Osis and Osiris; with the Sidonians, Phoeni­cians and Canaanites it was Baal and Astarte, or Ashtoreth; in South Arabic it was Athtar and Athtart; in the Amarna letters it was Ashtartu. In Rome it was Venus, who is closely identified with the Greek Aphrodite, from which latter name is derived our English word aphrodisiac. Solomon is strictly condemned for his involvement with such characters: “Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians, and af­ter Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.” (1 Kgs. 11:5)

The dissolute segment of the human race, under the leadership of Nimrod and Semi­ramus, carried their debauchery to such extremes that the respectable element of so­ciety condemned Nimrod to death, cut his body into fourteen pieces, and distributed the pieces to various sections of the country as a warning to others who might be sim­ilarly inclined. However, Semiramus would not meekly accede to this action. She was not only beautiful and depraved, but she was also very ambitious and resourceful. Tra­dition has it that she invented the torture stake, which was a pointed stick often used in the execution of criminals by thrusting through the chest or driven longitudinally through the back or privy parts of the body and coming out of the mouth.

Being acutely aware of the mood of those who had executed her husband Nimrod, she knew she dared not openly carry on where he had left off. Thus, she contacted such of his adherents as were amenable; and had them meet in secret. At these conclaves they were given binding oaths of silence; were then anointed with “magical ointments” and given exciting drinks, which introduced into their bodily systems such drugs as tended to arouse their imaginations – to prepare them for the visions and revelations that were about to be made to them. One writer puts it this way: “Strange and amaz­ing objects presented themselves. Sometimes the place in which they were seemed to shake around them; sometimes it appeared bright and resplendent with light and radiant fire, and then again covered with black darkness; sometimes thunder and lightning, or fearful noises and bellowings, or terrible apparitions astonished the trembling specta­tors.” Then finally the great hidden god was revealed to them to calm them and to call forth their admiration and blind affections.

In this way Nimrod became the “father of the gods,” known as the first of the “deified mortals.” As such he was worshipped under the titles of Kronos and Saturn, the latter being the god of Mysteries, the name itself signifying “the Hidden one.” He was revealed to the initiated, but hidden to all others. In Greece and Rome Nim­rod carried the name of Bacchus or Dionysus; and in Rome the bacchanalian feasts were notorious for their frenzied singing, dancing and revelry – often with extreme sex orgies added. Leopards were used to draw the car of Bacchus; and he himself was rep­resented as clothed in a leopard’s skin, as were also his priests. Herodotus, the father of history, says Osiris and Bacchus are one and the same; their rites also were almost identical.

Not being content with the legerdemain described above, Semiramus eventually not only had the executed Nimrod raised as an invisible spirit being, but he had taken up his abode in the sun, whence he is now said to be overruling in the affairs of men. Zoroaster was the sun god, the champion of goodness and light; and his worship was the state religion of Persia before they embraced Mohammedanism.

So flourishing had this mysticism become under the instigation of Semiramus, that, when she event­ually died, the myth was circulated by her devotees that she too was now an invisible spirit being, living in the moon – whence she ruled the world by night, just as Nimrod ruled it by day. It will be noted that the contour of a woman’s face is to some very clearly visible in the moon, when the moon is nearly full. In Isa. 47:13 the Prophet offers sharp criticism of such idiocy: “Let them take their stand, I pray thee, that they may save thee – the dividers of the heavens, the gazers at the stars, they who make known by new moons, somewhat of the things which shall come upon thee. Lo! they have become as straw – a fire hath burned them up, They shall not deliver their own soul from the grasp of the flame.” (Rotherham)

As the sun is the Lord of the day, so Semiramus is styled “the Queen of Heaven”; and this teaching had made considerable impression upon the Jews shortly before they were carried away into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar for their seventy years’ captivity ­“until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths; for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten years.” (2 Chron. 36:21) In Jer. 44:17,18, 19, 25, Semiramus is directly described as “The Queen of Heaven,” to whom the Jews “burned incense, and poured out drink offerings.”

The Chaldean name for Nimrod, the son of Semiramus, was Zero-ashta – from zero’ “the seed, “ and ashta, “the woman.” However, the word Ashta also means “the fire”; therefore, Nimrod becomes Zeroastes, or Zoroaster, the name of the head of the fire worshipers. The voice of antiquity is clear and distinct that the first and great Zoroaster was an Assyrian or Chaldean, the founder of the idolatrous system of Babylon; therefore, Nimrod. Nimrod was the first Babylonian king; hence the title Molech pri­marily applies to him, because Molech means ‘king.’ This makes clear why the Scrip­tures indicate Molech (or Moloch) to be the terrible god of fire, the earthly represent­ative of Baal, the sun-god.

That this idolatry was already firmly established in the nations of Canaan when the Jews were leaving Egypt is clearly set forth in Deut. 12:31: “Even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.” And in Deut. 18:10 the Jews were emphatically commanded: “There shall not be found among you any one that mak­eth his son or his daughter to pass through the fire.” But Jer. 32:35 (written some 900 years later) tells us that the Jews had fully forgotten this commandment: “They built the high places of Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind that they should do this abomination.”

This is Part One of a series of installments of The Three Worlds, which we trust will prove profitable to our readers to better acquaint them with the sins, evils and corruption of “the world that was” and this “present evil world” (Gal. 1:4), as well as enable us to appreciate the “world to come” wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Pet. 3:13)

“O come, let us sing unto the Lord: Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.... For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.” (Psa. 95:1,7)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint No. 243, September 1975)

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LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Mrs. Hoefle: Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ from Jerusalem!

Just received your publication No. 398, “To The Jew First,” and read every word with great interest. The article did a fantastic job in exposing Anglo‑Israelism and the Jehovah’s Witnesses in their stand against the true Jews in Israel. This issue will certainly be filed for further reference.

We know the days are short before His coming as we look at the situation here in Israel. The enemies of Israel are being called “men of peace,” while Israel is being portrayed as the “man of war.” The Prophet Zechariah tells us of the day “all nations will come against Jerusalem and Judah,” and this day is surely around the corner. Once again, it appears the Church who has persecuted the Jews and failed in their work throughout the last 2,000 years, is ready to do it again, as they Join the world system against Israel. Just watch and you will see it happen.

We appreciate your support and prayers for our ministry work here. Truly the Laborers are few, so we must all stand together to accomplish His Will.

Shalom in His Name from Jerusalem, ------- (JERUSALEM)

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NO. 400: “HATED OF HIS BRETHREN”

No. 400

 (Genesis 37:5‑28)

The Bible story of Joseph is one of the most interesting known to literature in any age and in any language. The portion which is here discussed might easily be termed a tragedy. It illustrates human nature good and bad, and in its various types and incidents furnishes valuable lessons, prominent among which is the oft‑repeated one referred to in James 3:16 – that envy is one of the principal roots of human depravity – selfishness – and that from this root have sprung some of the most injurious influences and experiences known to man – “every evil work.”

As we study the present article let us have this thought in mind, and apply each to himself the moral. If in our fallen condition envy can produce such terrible fruitage, how much on guard against it every true follower of the Lord should be. How each should realize that to permit the growth of even the smallest shoot of this root in his daily life might lead on to most disastrous consequences to him as a New Creature. Realizing this, each should be on guard for the extermination of this weed from the garden of his own heart. One writer has even said, “There is but one man who can believe himself free from envy, and it is he who has never examined his own heart.” Undoubtedly this evil root of selfishness is to be found in every imperfect son and daughter of Adam, whether it is flourishing under favorable conditions or dormant for lack of them, or from the overmastering power of grace. Only the heart that is aflame with love for God supreme and for his neighbor as himself is in a condition so sterile as respects envy that the latter has no opportunity for development.

With an abatement of our love for God and man comes a corresponding increase of favorable influence for the development of this root of envy and its concomitants of anger hatred, strife and every evil work – yea, murder – all of which the Apostle tells us are works of the flesh and of the devil, and hence to be shunned by all those who now and by and by would have the Master’s approval. Whatever may have been the natural tendency of our flesh, the new nature begotten of the holy Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of love, is expected by the Father to dominate and render sterile to envy all whom he recognizes as children of God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”

At the time of our study Joseph was about seventeen years old, next to the youngest of Jacob’s twelve sons, and his father’s favorite. He was the son of the gentle Rachel, the specially loved wife of Jacob. Evidently he partook in large measure of his mother’s gentleness as well as of his father’s courage and faith, as all of his subsequent history shows. His elder brothers were of coarser type, so that all the circumstances and conditions justified Jacob in having a preference for Joseph, in considering him his specially beloved son. His father procured for him what in the common version is called a coat of many colors, and in the revised version a coat of extremes. It is presumed that the extremes were not of colors but of lengths – that the coat was long and had long sleeves, thus differing from the ordinary coats of the working people and corresponding to the style worn by the aristocratic. It is suggested, however, that the coat may have been of many colors, because upon some of the ancient monuments of Egypt such long coats are pictured as having been made of material of bright colors joined together in a kind of patchwork; thus it is possible that both translation are correct.

In any case the coat was a distinct one, and, in conjunction with Jacob’s acknowledged preference for Joseph, it helped to fix the jealousy and bitterness of his brethren, who in it saw the suggestion that in their father’s opinion Joseph would eventually be a ruler amongst his brethren – his father’s successor as the chief of the household, the tribe. We need not here stop to criticize the part of the father in manifesting so pronounced a favoritism. We can, however, realize that Joseph had such peculiarities as justified favoritism and special love. In this, as well as in many other respects, the Scriptures clearly indicate that Joseph was primarily a type of Jesus. The latter was the heavenly Father’s beloved Son, and He similarly was rejected by His brethren, He similarly was sold for silver, He similarly was delivered, we are told, for envy. (Matt. 27:18; Mark 15:10) More than this, Joseph typified the entire body of Christ, especially the star‑members, every member of which is to some extent represented in his experiences – to every member of which our Lord’s words apply, “The Father Himself loveth you.” (John 16:27) This is glory beyond thought.

Certain dreams which Joseph had and which evidently were in some manner inspired by the Lord, and prophetic, tended to further embitter his brethren, serving to fertilize the root of bitterness and envy which was in their hearts. One of these dreams represented a wheat‑field in which were twelve sheaves, one of which arose and stood upright while the others fell before it, as though doing homage. Joseph without evil thought, apparently, told the dream to his brethren, and they, lacking faith in the Lord and submission to the Divine will, were angered by the very suggestion that their younger brother should ever be their superior – “And they hated him the more for his dreams and for his words.” The words referred to Joseph’s report of misconduct on the part of some of his brethren. Righteousness, justice, seems to have been an integral part of Joseph’s natural character, and his report of his brethren was not a slander but merely what he considered to be proper, that his father should know the manner in which his business was conducted. (v. 2)

Another of Joseph’s dreams enkindled the anger of his brethren, and even drew a protest from his father, as though Joseph’s ambitions were the groundwork of his dreams. Nevertheless, Jacob pondered these things in his heart, and doubtless wondered how great his favorite boy might some day be. This second dream pictured the sun, the moon and the stars bowing to one star, and was interpreted to mean that the whole family would some day acknowledge Joseph as their superior. How preposterous this must have seemed to them all, including Joseph. Poor boy! His subsequent lessons in life doubtless taught him to be more secretive, not to tell every dream and hope, not to cast his pearls to those who could not appreciate them, but who would be angered thereby. How necessary to us all is the lesson of wisdom along the lines of secretiveness. Our Lord illustrates this, saying, “I have many things to tell you, but ye cannot bear them now.” There is a time to tell and a time to refrain – we all need to watch and to pray, “Set a guard, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” (Ps. 141:3)

With the Scriptural record of inspired dreams before us it would be folly to denounce them and to declare them unworthy of any consideration. We remember the other miraculous dreams that Joseph interpreted, also Jacob’s, Peter’s, Paul’s, etc. On the other hand we need to guard ourselves lest dreams should be given undue importance. We are to remember that there was an appropriate necessity for dreams in the olden times which does not exist at the present time; because the Gospel Church is expected to walk by faith and not by sight – is expected to listen to the voice behind them saying, “This is the way,” rather than to expect a miracle or a dream to indicate the path of righteousness. The path beyond us is shown by the Divine Word, and we are to cultivate the ears of our hearts that we may have the proper direction. In harmony with this the Scriptures say, “He that hath a dream let him tell a dream, but he that hath my Word let him speak my Word.” (Jer. 23:28) Here the Lord indicates that a dream might be told if we have nothing better to tell – nothing more direct, nothing more authoritative; but that the Lord’s Word, His revelation, His inspired testimony is to be put far above all dreams of our own and of others. If a dream, therefore, corroborates some plain statement of the Word of God it may be used and appreciated in the same sense that we use and appreciate a type – not to teach a doctrine or duty, but to illustrate and call attention to the statements [of God’s inspired Words].

Joseph’s faithfulness in reporting facts led Jacob to make him a kind of overseer, and it was probably in this capacity that he was again sent to his brethren to Shechem, a three day’s journey – to carry to them some home delicacies and to bring word again to Jacob of the general conditions prevailing, the prosperity of the flocks, condition of the pasturage, etc. Not finding his brethren at Shechem Joseph followed directions to Dothan, manifesting in the whole procedure a considerable degree of courage and self reliance, sleeping outdoors at night as was the custom of the time and braving the dangers of the way. This shows us, too, that Jacob’s love for his favorite son did not lead him to spoil him entirely, and that the boy himself was recognized as one who could be trusted in a general way to care for himself. Many parents today are less wise, and fail to cultivate courage, determination, etc., in the children they favor – sometimes shielding them from difficulties in a manner which proves ultimately very prejudicial to their interests. The brethren as shepherds were accustomed to keeping a sharp look‑out for wild beasts likely to injure the flock, and discerned their brother at a distance. Forthwith the circumstances and conditions tended to a rapid germination of their root of envy and bitterness, and in a few moments had sprouted and brought forth in their hearts the spirit of murder. Nine of the ten at once agreed to kill their brother. The only one to object, and he covertly, was Reuben, who knew too well the bitterness of his brethren to venture to oppose them, and as a counter‑suggestion he urged that they do not murder him but put him into one of the dry cisterns of those parts, intending in his heart to return subsequently and secretly deliver his brother.

In these brethren we see illustrated the heart of the natural man, which might at one moment fight for justice and shortly thereafter violate every principle of justice. Was it not these same men who now, in violation of all brotherly love, were planning their brother’s murder, who only a short time before had avenged the dishonor of their sister by slaying the population of a whole village – in what they considered a righteous indignation against sin? The transforming influence of the Holy Spirit is necessary to correct these violent extremes of the fallen flesh; hence the Scriptures tell us that those who are begotten again of the Holy Spirit alone have the “spirit of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7) Truly in the natural man pride is an important factor, and often leads to murders and lynchings, ostensibly in the defense of righteousness – really in the gratification of an element of selfishness. It was then similarly pride, one of the roots of selfishness, that led to that wholesale murdering; and it was envy, another root of selfishness, which now led them to attempt to murder their brother.

Reuben’s plea was effective. Joseph was put into a pit and the brethren sat down to eat bread, doubtless consuming some of the very delicacies that Joseph had brought to them from home, while the poor boy’s cries and entreaties and appeals rang in their ears. They were stony‑hearted, unmerciful, as well as unjust: and indeed the natural heart is usually unmerciful. Mercy is often extended through shame or fear or policy amongst worldly people, but mercy in itself is an element of love which, although it originally belonged to human nature, has very generally been lost, and is principally in evidence amongst those who have been begotten again in heart likeness to their Lord. Our text does not mention the cries and entreaties and pleadings of the imprisoned Joseph, but another Scripture does when later these same brethren were forced by the famine in Canaan to go to Egypt to buy wheat.

Their brother Joseph was governor there, and he, affecting to consider them spies, put them in jail three days. It was while they were there that their minds were more or less awakened to the wrong doings of previous years, and they said to another, “We are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.” Reuben’s reply to them was, “Spake I not unto you saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? Therefore, behold, also his blood is required.” Apparently Reuben departed from that vicinity after Joseph was imprisoned, intending to return later for his deliverance, but upon his return he found that his brethren had sold him to a company of merchantmen who had taken him as a slave into Egypt. (The Epiphany Messenger, The Present Truth, January 1, 1947, pp. 6, 7)

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QUESTIONS OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: Is it important that we believe in Tentative Justification? Some Bible Students believe in Tentative Justification, and some do not.

ANSWER: We believe that Tentative Justification is very important and is a fundamental doctrine. In Rom. 12:1, the unconsecrated are called brethren: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God [having received Tentative Justification], that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, your reasonable service.” The truly “repentant and believing” receive Tentative Justification. Brother Hoefle wrote a paper on Justification which is very informative. We quote excerpts from this article as follows:

JUSTIFICATION IN THIS AGE AND THE NEXT

The primary power of God’s real people is THE TRUTH, and their secondary power is God’s Arrangement for the proper use of that Truth. Thus, the counsel to “give attendance to doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:13) is sound advice for every time of the Age. And we believe it is the proper observation that a clear and comprehensive understanding of the doctrine of JUSTIFICATION will enable us to “continue in the faith” – never to stray away from the general Truth structure.

There are two kinds of Justification taught in the Bible – Justification by Faith and Justification by Works. Inasmuch as our present Bible is specifically designed for those of God’s people who “live by faith,” it is only proper that Justification by Faith should receive preponderance of favor for the past, present and future – until Justification by Works gains the ascendancy during our Lord’s Mediatorial Kingdom.

Since the time that “Christ brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10), Justification by Faith has had two component divisions – a Tentative Justification, and a Vitalized Justification. And it is herein that much controversy has arisen among God’s people, some claiming there is no such thing as “Tentative Justification”; others claiming it not only operates now but will continue to operate even during the period of Justification by Works. It is our opinion that those who deny completely a Tentative Justification for this Faith Age are thus forced to abandon large sections of that Truth which made them clean. It forced JFR to discard completely Tabernacle Shadows of the Better Sacrifices, so that Jehovah’s Witnesses no longer include that book in their course of study. And it is difficult to determine just what interpretation those people now give to Jesus’ words: “I say to you, Till Heaven and earth pass away, one iota or one tip of a letter shall by no means pass from the Law, till all be accomplished [fulfilled].” (Matt. 5:18, Dia.) Clearly enough, Jesus was thus telling us that the entire Law arrangement – of which the Tabernacle with its ceremonies was the central feature – was typical, and that all those types must continue until the antitypes appeared to fulfill them – fill them full to a completion.

In a flimsy attempt to justify his rejection of Tentative Justification, JFR made the false claim that Brother Russell rejected the teaching of Tentative Justification before he died; but this claim is directly disputed in the foreword of Vol. 6, Oct. 1, 1916. There Brother Russell sets forth Tentative Justification and Vitalized Justification as separate and distinct, as he also does in the 1909 Watch Tower, p. 360; the 1910 WT, pp. 12, 13, 93 and 246; the 1911, p. 394; the 1912, p. 152; the 1913, pp. 92‑94; the 1914, p. 67; the 1915, pp. 103, 104 and pp. 292, 293; the 1916, p. 281.

These citations leave no doubt about Brother Russell’s conviction about the teaching of Tentative Justification. Many others have joined JFR in the denial of Tentative Justification; and, since this teaching is a fundamental part of the Old and New Testaments, we are justified in concluding that those who once accepted it before October, 1916, but now deny it, must come under the classification of 2 Thes. 2:10, 11, Dia.: “They admitted not the love of the Truth... And on this account God will send to them an energy of delusion.” In our Lord’s announcement of the sentence upon the “unprofitable servant” (the Great Company) of Matt. 25:30, Jesus stated that he would be “cast into outer darkness” – the “darkness” meaning in this text, as it also does in 1 Thes. 5:5,6 and other Scriptures, “giving over to error.” (See especially the Berean Comment on 2 Thes. 2:11.)

Jesus had told the Disciples in John 15:3: “Now are ye clean through the words which I have spoken unto you”; and the conclusion must automatically follow that those who reject “the words” which once made them clean would then self‑evidently become unclean they become afflicted with antitypical leprosy – “he shall be defiled; he is ‘unclean”’ (Lev. 13:46). And this uncleanness will remain with that Class until the full end of the Gospel‑Age – “until the even” (Lev. 14:46). The cleansing will be accomplished with such in “the great tribulation” of Rev. 7:14, at which time they shall experience “the weeping and gnashing of teeth” of Matt. 25:30. And until this cleansing is accomplished, we may reasonably expect such unclean ones to cast out (refuse to fellowship) God’s fully faithful people who resist such rebellion (revolutionism). Let us keep in mind that it is always THE TRUTH that produces the separation between the Fully Faithful and the Measurably Faithful. Thus, the “hail” (the hard convincing Truth) sweeps away “the refuge of lies,” revealing those who have received the Truth in the love of it, and those who receive the punishment of “outer darkness” – ERROR and REVOLUTIONISM – LEPROUS UNCLEANNESS. Thus, we should “think it not strange” as we see this separating influence operate to a completion – “until the even.”

BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES

While we have great respect for the teachings of Brother Russell, yet we believe that a doctrine so weighty as Tentative versus Vitalized Justification should also be taught in the Bible, and that we should be able to produce a clear “thus saith the Lord” to substantiate our position – and not by one text only, but by at least two or three witnesses. And it is the failure to consider all that is written on various doctrines that has produced the great falling away since Apostolic times. Therefore, if we find our thoughts disputed by even a single text, we may be sure of three things: Either the text is spurious; we have a faulty translation; or we ourselves have the wrong interpretation. “It is impossible for God to lie” (Heb. 6:18); and, since the Bible is the inspired word of God, it likewise cannot lie – cannot contradict itself.

The first “witness” we shall consider in proof is 1 Cor. 7:14, Dia.: “The unbelieving husband is sanctified in the believing wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother; otherwise, indeed your children were impure, but now they are holy.” The word “holy” in the text is from the Greek word “hagios,” which means set apart, separate, holy. It is the same word that is translated “saints” more than sixty times. Clearly enough, a newborn infant could not possibly be a saint, but they receive a reckoned saintly standing because of their saintly parentage; and, since their parents are in the antitypical Tabernacle Court, their children would self‑evidently have to be there with them until such time as those children reach an age of accountability and can determine for themselves whether or not they wish to retain their Faith Justification and continue in the saintly footsteps of their parents.

Sometime ago a booklet came into our possession, in which the writer is very positive that there can be no Tentative Justification, because, says he, justification must be an instantaneous work. This brother also claims – as did JFR – that Brother Russell changed his mind on Tentative Justification. This contention is simply a ruse in a shabby attempt to gain support for his error – an error that will be clearly exposed and refuted in full, as our further comments herein will demonstrate.

Surely no one with the faintest understanding of Faith Justification would claim that the justification of infants is vitalized! Therefore, 1 Cor. 7:14 indisputably proves a Tentative Justification; and it is well to note in final summation that we are also clearly faced with two kinds of Tentative Justification – one acquired by the intelligent desire and cooperation of the recipient, and the other by infants acquired through no will or cooperation of their own. Also, it is that justification described in Rom. 5:1,2, Dia.: “Having been justified, therefore, by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom also we have been introduced into this favor in which we stand.” This Tentative Justification – standing – is our “introduction” to God, which gives us “peace with God,” but does not give us the “peace of God” until we offer ourselves in accordance with Rom. 12:1 – to do the will of God, which, if accepted, then gives to us “the peace of God which passeth [human] understanding.” Only after that do we actually possess a “living” (zeal‑inspiring) faith.

As our second “witness” we consider Romans 4, starting with verse 3 (Dia.): “What says the Scripture? Abraham believed [had faith in] God, and it was accounted [reckoned] to him for righteousness.” Here again, it is clearly stated Abraham’s Faith Justification did not actually make him right; it merely accounted, or reckoned, him righteous. Thus, v. 7 – “Happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered” – no longer held against them because of their Faith Justification. Certainly no one who was ever in Present Truth would contend that Abraham and David had justification similar to the justification held by those of this Gospel‑Age who had come into the Body of Christ – vitalizedly, through a real imputation of Christ’s merit.

But note now particularly vs. 10 and 11: “How then was it accounted [to Abraham]? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the symbol of circumcision, as a seal of the righteousness of that faith which he had while in uncircumcision; in order that he might be the father of all uncircumcised believers; that the righteousness may be accounted [reckoned] to them.”

All who were ever schooled in Present Truth are well aware that ancient circumcision was a type of the Gospel‑Age consecration, the physical circumcision typing that figurative circumcision of the heart that is made when one offers his heart and will to God in consecration. But St. Paul clearly states that Abraham’s righteousness was accounted, reckoned, to him before circumcision – that he might be the father of all who believe – all who experience a Faith Justification before they present themselves to God in consecration – before they experience the antitypical circumcision of the heart. St. Paul was truly a great logician, and his reasoning is so clear and direct in this fourth chapter, that it seems unbelievable that any who were once in Present Truth could cast it aside and then attempt to besmirch Brother Russell by saying he had also cast aside these compelling Scriptures.

Following his clear exposition of a tentative reckoning, St. Paul then proceeds to say in Rom. 5:1,2 that this Faith Justification arranges our “introduction” to God – not an intimate close family relationship, but merely an introduction, which will enable us to gain intimacy of soul with our Heavenly Father if we follow his appeal in Rom. 12:1 to “present your bodies a living sacrifice” – in consecration, which we are now in position to do as a result of our tentative, reckoned, Faith Justification – to “transform yourselves by the renovation of your mind.” (12:2, Dia.)

As our third “witness” we offer what we consider the most compelling proof for Tentative Justification, the same being the Atonement Day type of the wilderness Tabernacle as given in Lev. 16. The pattern given to Moses in the mount was emphatic that all animals used in that service must be “without blemish” (Lev. 1:3) – no visible flaws of any kind. But we now ask, did those animals have their physical perfection as a result of their presentation to Aaron in sacrifice, or were they offered up that day because they were previously found to be perfect? The answer need no elaboration: They were already “without blemish” when they were selected from among the children of Israel, and were brought into the Court, before they were tied at the door of the Tabernacle – their being tied there representing the consecration and presentation of those who were about to enter the Holy “in newness of life” through an instantaneous vitalization of that reckoned perfection which was already theirs before consecration. And it is this tentative faith justification, this reckoned perfection, that is our “introduction to God” (Rom. 5:2) – enabling us to enter into the Holy – into Divine sanctum – in vitalized justification – a condition exclusive to this Gospel Faith Age and exclusive to those only who are “begotten to newness of life” through direct imputation of the merit of Jesus.

Reverting to earlier statements in the above paragraph, we also point out that every antitype is pronouncedly greater than its type. Thus, Jesus as the antitype of the Atonement‑Day bullock was infinitely greater than was the type, requiring only the one sacrifice of Himself to cleanse from all sin forever all those who come to the Father by Him. And the members of His Body were also far greater than their Atonement‑Day type as represented in the Lord’s goat. Therefore, if those animals in the type must be “without blemish” (typically perfect) before presentation at the door of the Tabernacle, how much more must this be true of their Gospel‑Age antitypes? God cannot look upon sin with any degree of allowance, thus could never enter into a “covenant by sacrifice” with fallen beings unless the sin barrier were first removed. Therefore, it should be self evident that He must first provide a way – an “introduction” – for fallen man to come to Him; and this He has accomplished by arranging for a tentative, a reckoned perfection a Tentative Justification by Faith.

NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY ME

No fallen human being could arrange for this “introduction” to God by his own skill or merit; it must come through an intercessor, through one who could give him a reckoned perfection – and this He arranged through Jesus – “that He might be just, and yet be the justifier of him who believeth on Jesus.” (Rom. 3:26) And here again the Tabernacle type gives clear confirmation of this by the linen curtain which surrounded the Tabernacle structure and its surrounding plot of ground. The Divine Presence was portrayed by the Shekinah Light and shone forth from between the Cherubim in the Most Holy of the Tabernacle; and none could ever reach that presence except through Jesus – by first coming through the Gate into the Court, and inside the linen curtain, there to be reckoned perfect, righteous (“the fine Linen is the righteousness of saints”– Rev. 19:8), to provide proper “introduction” to God at the first veil, and for progress through life’s pilgrimage through the Holy to the Most Holy, where “we shall be ever with the Lord.”

Some may ask how such arrangement could be true of Abraham, who lived before the typical Tabernacle was erected at Sinai. We answer: It was reckoned to him, and to all with “the faith of Abraham” from Abel to John the Baptist. “Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it, and was glad.” (John 8:56) And, while none of the Ancients ever had more than a tentative, a reckoned justification, all that they did have came to them through a reckoned standing inside that linen curtain – which gave them a righteousness they could never attain of themselves. “Mine own righteousness is as filthy rags.” (Isa. 64:6)

“The Youthful Worthies, from the standpoint of having ‘the faith of Abraham,’ (Gal. 3:7, 9) are, of course, like him, of the Household of Faith. They are, however, somewhat different from the Tentatively Justified who do not now consecrate. The latter during the Epiphany cease altogether to be in the Household of Faith, having used the Grace of God in vain [for Gospel‑Age purposes].” (E‑4‑406)

After That Servant’s death JFR denied the doctrine of Tentative Justification altogether because it stood in the way of his “new light.” The Epiphany Messenger clearly refuted his “new light,” and established the doctrine of Tentative Justification in the Scriptures so unmistakably that no Epiphany‑enlightened brethren need be deceived now. In Epiphany Volume 4, p. 342, Brother Johnson says that “those faithful consecrators from 1881 until Restitution sets in, for whom there are no crowns available, and hence no Spirit‑begetting for Gospel‑Age purposes possible, will be the Millennial Associates of the Ancient Worthies in reward and service.”

And in conclusion let us consider that advancing Truth does not set aside the Truth already established, as some deceivers seem to think; all advancing Truth must be based upon the Truth already established from the Good Word of God. (Excerpts from No. 255, September, 1976)

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION: – A TV Evangelist said that he would be happy to see God when he dies and goes to heaven, although he was afraid to face God. He said, ‘It is proper for us to be afraid of God,’ and quoted Psa. 111:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Is it proper to be afraid of God?

ANSWER: – No, it is not proper for us to be afraid of God. We should have supreme reverence for God and be fearful of displeasing Him by intentional wrongdoing. Fear in the Bible has two meanings – one meaning reverence and one meaning fearful, being afraid. The Evangelist does not “rightly divide the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15) Had he consulted a Concordance for the meaning of ‘fear’ in the text he quoted, he could have given the correct interpretation of ‘fear.’

“God is love.” (1 John 4:8) “There is no fear [dread] in love; but perfect love casteth out fear [slavish fearfulness]; because fear has torment. He that has fear is not made perfect in love [for God].” (1 John 4:18) “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death [during this “evil world”– Gal. 1:4], I will fear no evil: For thou art with me; thy rod [corrections] and thy staff [God’s promises] they comfort me.” (Psa. 23:4) “God is a spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we Christ.” (2 Cor. 2:17) God does not frighten people into serving him as many have taught. All who love Him must have fear (filial reverence) for Him. He is a God of Love, Justice, Wisdom and Power, and plenteous in mercy. “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” (Psa. 86:15)

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Emily,

Thank you for your kind personal letter to me. I have received the material sent to me. The nearest Bible Students are in Wilmington, Delaware.

I will be happy to receive your tracts. Thank you. With my best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year in God’s service. ------- (MARYLAND)

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Dear Emily Hoefle,

Thank you for your letter and for the papers and the book about “An Early American Christian Zionist.” This is very helpful. If you would send me THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES, I would appreciate it.

I was with the Witnesses for a time, but am not now. I have learned much about the past history of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many things I had not heard before, and I would like to verify the information that I am getting by the Witness, Inc. It is by an ex‑Jehovah’s Witness. Some of this information is about Charles Taze Russell, and I am interested in the Truth of these matters. I don’t want to take some one’s word without verifying it. ...

You are giving me a side of C. T. Russell that I never knew. ... Years ago the only date I ever heard of was 1914, and that was because I was getting information from Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their explanation was that 1914 was significant because they now understood it to be the time Jesus started His Kingdom rulership over the earth.

Any information you can give me will be much appreciated. Thank you. ------- (OHIO)

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Dear Sirs:

I would like to request any information that you could supply me with in regard to your religious movement. I am interested in your movement and would appreciate this very much -------        (CANADA)

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Dear Sirs:

I would appreciate it if you would please add me to your mailing list. A copy of one of your publications was given to me. Thank you very much.

Sincerely, ------- (COLORADO)

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NO. 399: THE GOSPEL AGE TRUMPETS

No. 399

My dear Brethren: Grace and peace through our Beloved Master!

 “If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” (1 Cor. 14:8) This query by St. Paul is undoubtedly prompted by the record of the two silver trumpets which the Lord told Moses to make (See Numbers 10) and which typify the Old and New Testament Bible messages. That these would be typical is evidenced by the fact that they had to do with the Law and the Tabernacle arrangements and the march of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan. They were to be blown “for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.” That these trumpets served more than one purpose is clearly stated in v. 5 – “blow an alarm,” and in v. 10 – “in your day of rejoicing and in your appointed seasons.”

While the main purpose of this article is the feature of v. 5, we first offer some comment on the second feature – the “appointed seasons.” Chief of these was the sounding of the Jubilee Trumpet every fiftieth year, which was to proclaim a special year of rest for man and land; and to set at liberty such of the Israelites whose improvidence had forced them into a state of slavery with their brethren. This Jubilee trumpet year was typical of the great year of Jubilee, the great thousand‑year day, the reign of the Christ which is to free mankind from the slavery of sin and death now more than six thousand years gone. This is described in Revelation 10 and 11 as the “seventh trumpet,” whose sounding began in 1874 and will continue throughout the entire thousand‑year day during which Satan, who “has the power of death” (Heb. 2:14), is to be bound that he may deceive the nations no more. Thus, we ourselves are now living during the sounding of this trumpet.

In Num. 10:8 it is stated that “the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets”; and it is worthy of note that in each of the seven epochs of the Gospel‑Age Church it was the priests ‑ the leaders in the Church, the Star Members – who began to blow the trumpets. In the first epoch (the church of Ephesus) it was the Lord and the Apostles, and they were quickly joined by the lesser lights in the Church as they embarked on their march toward the Heavenly Canaan. And this same condition prevailed with each Star Member during the Age. When Luther began to trumpet “Justification by faith” (early in the Philadelphia ‑ sixth ‑ epoch), he was soon joined by many capable brethren. This was pointedly true also after 1874 (when the Laodicean period began), when the seventh trumpet began to sound. That Servant soon attracted to him quite an assembly of able men and women ‑ some of them skilled in Hebrew and in Greek and other branches of secular learning. This situation is clearly emphasized in Joshua 3:6: “Joshua spoke unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people.” This typified the final march of the Church into the Heavenly Canaan during the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

And, since we are so directly concerned with the seventh trumpet’s sounding, it is well that we consider a few of its more important messages. Among the first of these is that given in Rev. 10:6: “There should be time no longer.” This statement has been accepted literally by the great bulk of Christendom, even to using the hymn, “When my work on earth is ended, and time shall be no more.” Just a little reflection must impress us that time must continue so long as there is any intelligence remaining to note and be influenced by time; and, since Jehovah Himself is without beginning or ending, so also time itself must be. Therefore, the hymn is a self‑evident inanity.

That Evil Servant also offered a perversion of this text almost equally ludicrous when his “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” and his 1925 deadline were time‑proven error. To divert attention from his colossal blunder on that date he proposed the interpretation that, since so many mistakes had been made on time interpretations, therefore, no more consideration should be given the subject. This also caused him to cast aside the Pyramid with its many time‑feature truths.

To answer this revolting perversion we direct attention to the proper translation of the text from the Diaglott: “The time shall be no longer delayed” ‑ that is, the long‑awaited “manifestation of the sons of God,” for which the slave‑burdened human race has been waiting with groanings and travailings, would begin to be made manifest by their proceeding to establish the Mediatorial Kingdom in power and great glory for the “blessing of all the families of the earth.” And among the first blasts of the Seventh Trumpet was That Servant’s declaration that the Millennial morning had most certainly appeared to eliminate the rule of sin and death, and he began to sound the seventh trumpet with great clarity and energy.

Although the seventh trumpet began to sound in 1874, it will continue until the complete separation of the sheep and the goats has been accomplished at the end of the Little Season. This will probably extend then over more than 1040 years. Over such a long period of time it should be evident that the message of “Present Truth” will not be the same at all times. Immediately after 1874 the cry went forth “Behold the Bridegroom,” which not only began the Gospel‑Age Harvest message and work, but also thundered forth the message that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. This was accompanied by “voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.” (Rev. 8:5) These identical words are repeated in Rev. 11:19 and 16:18, with the last text adding the words, “there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.” Some of these things have been in evidence now for a hundred years, with other parts still to occur – some in the immediate future, and some many years beyond this time.

Another of the initial features of the Seventh Trumpet is given in Rev. 10:7, “The mystery of God should be finished” – that “mystery which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25) that the Christ is not an individual, but a composite company (See Berean Comments). It was this text that furnished the name for Volume Seven, “The Finished Mystery,” and which caused the sorest of trials upon God’s people in 1917‑1918. That book, which was made a test of fellowship by the Society then, has since become “expurgatus,” with the present‑day Society adherents forbidden to read it. Those of us who became involved in that grievous trial should have learned well the lesson that we should approach with much trepidation and minutes” scrutiny any new publication by crown lost leaders; but, sad to relate, so very few profited by the experience. At that period were there not only “great voices in Heaven, but the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged.” (Rev. 11:15‑18)

THE CALL TO BATTLE

But, not only did the seventh trumpet announce “your day of rejoicing,” it also gave out the call for all spiritual Israel to gird themselves for the battle of this Great Day, and to wholeheartedly respond to the Harvest message of Present Truth, to proclaim the controversial messages of the Harvest time – the Truth against Error. “And if ye go to war in your land [the sphere of the Truth and its spirit]... ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” (Num. 10:9) Here, then, is the promise of victory to all those who wholeheartedly respond to the Trumpet’s call – “saved from your enemies” – the same being sin, error, selfishness and worldliness.

And the rules of the conflict are the same for all – “Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger [the Youthful Worthies], as for one of your own country [the Church of the Firstborn].” (Lev. 24:22) Typical of the conflict in the beginning of this Millennial Day is the record of Gideon and his fully faithful band of three hundred (Judges 7:15‑23), wherein the Truth people went forth to do battle with the antitypical Midianites (present‑day errorists). And in that type it was Gideon blowing his trumpet (v. 18) that signaled the others to blow with their trumpets, which brought consternation and complete demoralization to the Camp of Midian. The blowing of the trumpet was the call to Battle.

While the sounding of the Old Testament trumpets called Israel to actual physical combat, the New Testament trumpets have been a call to spiritual combat – by the “sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God.” (Eph. 6:17) And the same Apostle tells us that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal [not intended to do bodily harm], but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” (2 Cor. 10:4) But this change in Gospel‑Age technique is in no sense to be interpreted as teaching a calm complacency, an indolent satisfaction with any belief we are inclined to accept. Complaints occasionally come to us about our controversial writings, so we consider it in order here to quote what That Servant had to say on the subject in Reprint 735:

“So error of every kind wants to be let alone. The Scribes and Pharisees and devils of Jesus’ day, all wanted to be let alone; but Jesus and the Apostles would not let them alone. They exposed them, and declared it to be part of their mission to bear witness to the truth and let the light shine which reproved the darkness of error. Every member of the body of Christ should be controlled by the same spirit of opposition to error from love of truth and of those who are made to stumble by the errors.”

Also our Lord warns us – “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26) And That Servant warns in Reprint 2163: “Beware when all men speak well of you, and when multitudes are ready to line up with your work and your methods.”

However, we rest assured in the following: “Those who have been teaching errors will soon be ashamed (Isa. 66:5), while the fire of this day will only manifest the truth to all. No power, no tongue, no pen, can successfully contradict the truth, the great Divine Plan of the Ages. It is strong before its enemies and before all who make assaults upon it, and ere long the folly of its foes shall be made known to the whole world. ‘There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”‘ (Reprint 5916, July 1916)

Also the following from Reprint 4826, col. 2 of the June 1, 1911 Watch Tower on controversy is noteworthy:

“When Christianity dispenses wholly with controversy it will be like a sleeping man – harmless and helpless; it will be a sad spectacle.

“We were entertained at the house of a friend in New Hampshire, where Henry Ward Beecher was spending a day or two. It was his birthday and he was jubilant.

“He conducted prayers, and his utterances were equal to any of his published prayers in beauty, simplicity, and comprehensiveness.

“Immediately after he arose, he called the writer to him and pointed to a large picture hanging on the wall, representing a huge mastiff sound asleep with a piece of meat placed before him, and a lap‑dog quietly drawing it away. Said Mr. Beecher, pointing to the sleeping mastiff, ‘That is Orthodoxy,’ and to the little dog, ‘That is Heterodoxy.’

“So it is and ever will be. Controversy was the life of Paul’s works – polite controversy, brotherly controversy; but strong in exposing error and building up the truth. The Epistles are full of controversy. Moreover, many of Christ’s sayings were strictly controversial.

“It is more than a fine art to combine in one sermon the forcible overthrow of an error and a heartfelt appeal; but it is possible to attain unto it.”

It is most pertinent to this discussion to note that Truth has always been more generous with its opponents than has error when contradicting the Truth. As instance, That Servant was preached into eternal torment by the errorists of his day; whereas, he himself not only held a generous view of their ignorance: they will eventually come to a knowledge of the Truth, he said, and thus have full opportunity for salvation ‑ except in the case of those who sinned against the Holy Spirit.

The same may be said for the Epiphany Messenger. Great numbers of his opponents in the Society and other groups had him in the Second Death – which was giving him the same fate as did the hell‑fire preachers of the Parousia time. However, he himself repeatedly said there were many saints in the Society, although some of them honestly believed he was in the Second Death. And he was also generous with others who were not saints, contending that many of the others would eventually come to a knowledge of the Truth.

And the same comparison may be made of the Jehovah’s Witnesses today – being even more extreme in their conclusions: All who do not accept their errors will certainly go into the Second Death, even though they do not gainsay their errors. Such a doctrine was counted extremely ridiculous by their founder, Pastor Russell; and the same may be said for the Epiphany Messenger. Some of the Witnesses have openly told us that we are “a dead man” – beyond hope of recovery – although we are always courteous and cordial in our conversations with them.

And what shall we say of Jesus and the Apostles? Of those leaders who were thirsting for His blood Jesus said: “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven.” (Matt. 26:64) Clearly enough, He was granting them further opportunity for reformation and salvation.

AS “GOOD SOLDIERS”

And be it remembered that it was only after very minute instructions that Gideon and his three hundred proceeded to that battle against the Midianites – typical of the fact that the fully faithful in the end of this Age would also be thoroughly instructed in the cause, the method, and the art of the battle of the Great Day – “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,” but are the “sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God.” Thus is stressed the necessity for knowing the Truth and imbibing fully of its spirit and emphasized in the Manna comment for December 20, “Only the studious find the narrow way to the Divine approval and acceptance.”

It is well that we bear in mind that our Lord, “the Captain of our Salvation,” never sends forth His soldiers without sufficient instruction to gain for them complete victory, so long as they are faithful. None are ever asked to do more than they are able to do. We recall an instance that was told to us very early in the Epiphany, wherein it was related how Brother Russell on a certain occasion was assigning some symposium topics to various brethren. One of them, receiving a subject which was difficult and new to him, began to make excuse, whereupon Brother Russell asked if he were going to whimper and whine his way out of the battle, or if he would be a “good soldier.” The brother accepted without further protest and gave an excellent account of himself for the service. Apropos to this incident are the March 28 Manna comments: “The true soldier does not debate his cause. He is rightly supposed to have settled upon its justice and righteousness before he enlisted to serve it.” Therefore, we may properly conclude that we must first learn the rules, then resolve to obey them in every circumstance, whereupon we shall certainly be able to “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2 Tim. 2:3)

Nor does “hardness” come in a day, a week, or a year; it is the result of “patient continuance in well doing – perseverance in good works” (Rom. 2:7, Dia.) – just as the successful boxer must do miles of “road work” in training for a bout, skipping rope, etc., to develop hardness and stamina in his legs, back and arms if he would eventually prevail. And by similar comparison must we engage in persistent study of the Truth if we would be “weaned from the milk” (Isa. 28:9) and become “skillful in the word of righteousness” (Heb. 5:13), if we would see victory as “good soldiers.” And it is by the victories of such good soldiers who “endure hardness” that the Truth progresses. Most of us have been witness to this, retrospectively or actively, all during the Parousia Epiphany days. It is the controversies with error that have advanced the fully faithful in Grace, knowledge and privilege of service – even as those same controversies have scattered and discomfited the errorists, so well typified in Gideon’s victory over Midian. It is during controversy that the Truth comes out ‑ much the same as necessity is the mother of invention.

A “BAD SPIRIT”

And all during the Gospel Age, but particularly now at its close, when the errorists have been so badly routed that they become speechless, they have then embraced the battle cry of last resort ‑ Those who wield the Truth against them have a “bad spirit.” To this day the foremost argument of the Roman Catholics against Martin Luther is that he showed a “bad spirit,” because he stunned them with the unanswerable truth against their many errors. It needs no argument that dear Brother Luther did not assail his opponents with “kid gloves”; in fact, his wording was at times so rough and uncouth that some of the present‑day good friends have questioned his saintly standing – have found it difficult to understand how any one using the language Luther did could be of the Elect Church. Regardless of his “bad spirit,” it seems clear enough that he had the Lord’s approval, because the times then prevailing required such a person as Luther to make his message effective with the people of that day.

And in 1917 the same retort of “bad spirit” was hurled at those that differed with “The Channel.” When H. J. Shearn, of England, was described as the most cunning hypocrite ever, that trickster gave answer, “You see, brethren, the ‘spirit’ that he shows.” Others of the discomfited Levites embraced the same weapon, as their errors were smitten hip and thigh, and they were sent into demoralized retreat, yelling “bad spirit” back over their shoulders as they ran. In answer to a letter we sent That Evil Servant, he said among other things, “Paul S. L. Johnson is vilifying me.” Yes, JFR was really being vilified – by the Truth, poor fellow!

Be it emphasized that the errorists have always been good runners, instead of “good soldiers” – just as the Midianites ran over each other that night in the valley of Moreh in their effort to separate themselves in haste from the small handful of men who were blowing their trumpets in no uncertain sound. Moreh means “teacher,” in allusion to the fact that so many errorists set themselves up as pastors and teachers in defiance of God’s faithful mouthpieces. Instance the case of Arius when he boldly faced the overwhelming odds at the Council of Nice – “the Midianites like grasshoppers for multitude.” (Judges 7:12) And against that horde came one old man, supported by but two others, to do battle as “good soldiers” against about 380 opponents. Arius, then almost 75 years old, was banished from the Roman Empire, a sentence sufficient to crush even a young vigorous man; yet this “good soldier,” who blew the trumpet message that “THERE IS BUT ONE GOD,” accepted that trying edict, not as a runner, but as the good soldier that he was; went to North Africa, and there organized a virile group of Christians in the remaining eleven years of his life. And what did they call themselves? Why, Arians, of course! Having responded to the trumpet’s call, Arius was a good soldier to the last. Some of the present‑day encyclopedias say that he was a man of clear intellect.

Thus, it does not surprise us that we ourselves have had similar experience since 1950 – especially in recent years. At times, since 1955, some whose errors we oppose, have been profuse with their accusations of “bad spirit,” even as they confuse and contradict each other – in like manner as did the Midianites at Moreh. Note the similarity here with Mark 14:56: “Many bare false witness against Him, but their witness agreed not together.” But in all of this our accusers have been excellent “whisperers” about the “bad spirit” of JJH.

The feature of response to the trumpet’s sound throughout this Gospel Age may be stressed in the good fight against sins of teaching and practice in entrenched strongholds of error. The fight against sin, selfishness and worldliness, individually considered, has been more of the head and the heart within the “good soldiers” themselves; but the conflict with errors of teaching and practice is the phase of battle that has made voluminous record in the pages of history. It was Jesus’ faithful “witness to the Truth” against Jewish priestcraft that cost Him His life. (John 18:37, see Berean Comment) It was exposure of errors by the faithful against the papal system that brought upon them the excruciating persecutions, indescribable for their heinous cruelty, and which spilled “the blood of the prophets and of saints.” (Rev. 18:24) It was That Servant’s attacks against the Midianite strongholds of eternal torment and inherent human immortality that brought upon him the venom and slander of Christendom – so much so that when one brother once said to him, “Brother, you are the most loved man on earth,” to which he replied, “Yes, and the most hated!” The same may be said for Brother Johnson. When he discomfited the crown‑lost errorists, and put them to complete silence, they then proceeded to whisper, “He hath a Devil – He is Satanized – He is an insane usurper.” And, since “The disciple is not above his Lord,” need it concern any of us if we receive the same treatment, we who are counted among His disciples? All thus abused have the strong assurance of our Lord’s interceding prayer on our behalf, “Rise up, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee” (Num. 10:35) – let the errorists do the running, as the faithful “good soldiers” do the pursuing with the Truth at their disposal, as their shield and buckler.

“GIVING ALL DILIGENCE”

When St. Peter appeals to the Fully Faithful to “give all diligence” (2 Peter 1:5), he also offers the appealing assurance that those who do as he counsels “shall never fall” ‑ even though we have need of reminder, though we know these things and “be established in the PRESENT TRUTH.” It is also the counsel of the worldly sage that “Diligence is the mother of good fortune” – to which may be added the words of Solomon, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings.” (Prov. 22:29) And the chief striving of every “good soldier” who answers the trumpet’s call should be diligence to “put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil [the especially deceptive false teachings of the errorists, the antitypical Midianites].” (Eph. 6:11) And to all who give such diligence in response to the trumpet’s call, to all such the promise is sure, “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling [no sifting error can possibly contaminate our abode].” (Psa. 91:10)

(Reprint No. 254, August 1976)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Friends,

I wish herewith to express my very great thanks for the papers you are sending me constantly – with a knowledge quite in line with the Divine Plan of the Ages.

I enclose a check to cover some of the postage costs.

Sincerely your brother, ------- (SWEDEN)

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Dear Sister Hoefle: Greetings in our Saviour’s Name!

Thank you for your letter. Brother E. Martin who conducted the activities of the Institute until his death June last year did have a copy of the book on Brother Russell and Zionism a year or two back and passed it around among the brethren in this country. However, I don’t know its present whereabouts and a further copy will be welcome.

I don’t recall ever seeing the Bulletins of Brother David Horowitz and these could be rather interesting. I would be glad to receive a copy which could be passed around as appropriate. I can make copies here (assuming it is the usual bulletin form), likewise with your own monthly paper.

The Berean Bible Institute was set up about the same time as the Pastoral Bible Institute in the U.S. and the Bible Fellowship Union in England, and with similar objectives. It collaborates with these and the Dawn Bible Students in the U.S. It is independent of, but supported by brethren and Bible classes in this country.

The various Bible classes in Australia choose to take their studies direct from the Scriptures, though appreciating as you do the Volumes and other helpful literature available. The Melbourne Bible Class which my wife and I attend is presently studying ACTS in our morning service and the gospel of JOHN in the afternoon. The latter in particular is a rich study.

Thank you again for your letter and good wishes, which are heartily reciprocated. May the Lord bless us each and every one as we seek by His grace to remain faithful to His call – “not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.”

With warm Christian love, Your brother in Him, ------- (AUSTRALIA)

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Dear Sister,

I needed your cheery letter, as I have been feeling “down” for months now. You wrote that you missed hearing from me. Others were neglected too. I did not send out any Christmas cards – only a few at the start of the season. I felt bogged down with things that needed to be done and lacked the ability to accomplish more than to take care of myself – prepare and eat what was needed.

I knew Elva’s husband, Casimir. He was a “live wire” re Israel. Your mention of Brother Kenneth Rawson going to Poland was the only thing I had read in it at the time. Please remember me to David and Nan if they do visit you in March. Do you think they would like the King James version of the Bible on cassette tapes?

Felt sort of “wooden” for months, but am feeling better now, with the Lord’s help. Yes, may we “keep up the good fight of faith,” and not let Satan beat our courage down. The Lord be near you to “bless, guide and comfort you,” also.

Thanks again for your letter.   Christian love, ------- (CONNECTICUT)

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My dear Sister Hoefle: Greetings in our dear Redeemer’s Name!

We were very happy to receive the January‑February paper news letter with the announcement of the Memorial date for this year.

My chief reason for writing now is to kindly request that Sister Bastien’s son be listed to receive the newsletters. I was of the opinion that he was receiving them, but in conversation with him I realized that he does not receive them. He symbolized his consecration by baptism a few years ago, but was never regular at meetings. However, he has been trying now to attend general meeting on first Sundays.

He has a problem with his sight, but he tries. He is a school principal at a Primary school. He says that his children read for him. I shall be grateful if you will send him the January‑February edition.

I have not had the opportunity to visit Sister Rajnauth yet for the New Year, but I shall do so as soon as possible. In the Ecclesia the friends are reasonably well. Sister Jacobson has not been in the best of health but attends the meetings whenever possible. Sister Erelda Walcott is not experiencing the best of health, and seems always plagued with domestic problems.

At home we are reasonably in fair health. Vinessa has her pains with arthritis and circulatory problems in her legs, but she is coping. As for me, I am quite fair and coping with all my problems health‑wise and other‑wise, but am greatly assisted by trusting implicitly in the Lord. I can always find a reading from the ‘Daily Manna’ or Pastor Russell’s writings that strengthens and encourages me. We can truly say that we are blessed by having the Truth!

We all remember you in our prayers and thank the Lord for your service. With our Christian love and best wishes for a fruitful year.

Yours, ------- (TRINIDAD)

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Dear Sir (s),

Greetings! I have heard that your organization helps others and has the answers for the people of this world. Through interacting briefly with other people and by studying a little I came in contact with your address.

I am looking at different groups. I have chosen your group because it has particular interest for me. Can you help me by sending information from your group?

In closing, I appreciate your response to this letter in advance. Thank you!

Sincerely, ------- (CANADA)

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Dear Friend,

You are such a faithful and patient correspondent ‑ and friend! The mail today brought me/us your lovely letter of the 5th: It was such a pleasure to have it and to learn from it that you are as lively and devoted as ever and that you refuse to let “old age catch up with you”! God bless you! More power to you!

And I wish to assure you that I did read the Jan‑Feb. bulletin you enclosed, every word of it: Once again, it is a superb publication, very well edited and of arresting interest. I for one learned a lot from it. One example: On p. 6 you reprint the call for the recovery of Jewish manuscripts from the Vatican’s hold. The very fact of the existence of such a traveling exhibit was unknown to me; I am obligated to you for keeping me up‑to‑date!

I am happy to report that it is now definite that there will be a German translation of my book. [FAITH AND FULFILMENT] It’ll be somewhat abridged, but in substance will remain intact. (E.g., the chapter on the Mormons I have instructed to eliminate) The book is scheduled to be out either late this year, or in the spring of ‘90. (I think it’ll do the Germans good to read it. ...)

On the other hand, there is still nothing new re an American P/B re‑issue. But by temperament – and faith – I never give up!

We are well, Dina and self, as is the family. Thank you for inquiring! And I wish the same for you! Keep well and take care! And I am so grateful to you for your encouragement re the current situation here arounds: The Bible verses you quote are, indeed, pertinent. I wish you’d be able to read and know them in the original: They are a real shot in the arm!

With cordial regards and every good wish, Michael ------- (ISRAEL)

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Dear Friend,

Again it is my privilege to congratulate you and for putting out that splen­did Jan/Feb. 1989 issue, #396, of your EBSA paper. You are courageous in unveiling untruth and revealing the TRUTH as it was or is.

The teachings of the THEOSOPHICAL Soc., whose original members were gifted with the power of “Inner vision” postulate the idea that man, as a species, first appeared on planet earth about 18 million years ago. The Rosicrucian teachings claim that the consciousness of man evolved through many stages of “unfoldment” from the primitive state to the present “sophisticated” state.

The portion on “THE JEWS” is intelligent and fair and, I do believe, much closer to the truth. As far back as my recollection can stretch, it has been said that the Vatican has many books and original MSS that were confiscated from the Jews, and that they do not want the world to know about.

About 30 years ago, I knew a very intelligent, sincere man, Dr. Harold Davis Emerson, a former bishop of the R.C. Church, who told me that while he was a bishop, he had access to the secret archives of the Church. As a Latin student, he said, he once spent three months searching through those forbidden books and papers, and could not find a single acceptable evidence of the actual physical existence of so‑called Jeshua, the highly vaunted “Christ.” When he began asking questions of his Church superiors, he was excommunicated. The Rosicrucians, however, postulate a “Mystical Christ” and have woven a beautiful tapestry of mystical interpretations around the central idea.

Some time ago I read somewhere that when the Jewish people were again settling in the region of Palestine, an internationally prominent Jewish leader approached the then Pope to ask his “blessing” on the idea of a Jewish homeland in that area. The Pope’s reply was, “Sure, let them all go there, and we will have many priests to receive them and baptize them to Catholicism.”

However, the first purpose of this letter was to ask you to send me your papers No. 390 and 391 – “IN THE BEGINNING.” To help you cover your actual expense, you will find a check enclosed.

Thank you, profoundly, and again, congratulations on the wonderful work you are doing.

As ever, ------- – (NEW YORK)

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NO. 398: TO THE JEW FIRST

No. 398

My dear Brethren: Grace and peace through our Beloved Master!

In Rom. 2:10 St. Paul makes this statement: “Glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.” Since we entered the tribulation period in 1914 the Jews have been the object of much and varied con­troversy; and we may logically expect more of it before lasting peace is established in the earth.

This uproar has not only been by way of armed conflict, but the lit­erary conflict has kept pace with it. And, as should be expected, much of the liter­ature has been badly tainted with error – an epidemic of it; so it seems timely to offer an analysis of some of these contentions.

Anglo-Israelism: The Theories of this organization have received rather wide ac­ceptance in some parts of society, the kernel of the teaching being briefly this: The real Jews are not those claiming to be such, but the real ones are actually the Brit­ish nation. They tell us that the name is from two Hebrew words – Brith and Ish ­the meaning of which is Chosen Man, which is a fitting description of the British peo­ple. And, as may be expected, they produce Scripture to ‘prove’ their point:

“Whereas thou has been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee (this was especially true after the Reformation uprising shook off the papal yoke, and England became one of the chief targets of Roman opposition), I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou also shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings (Up to 1914 it could be properly stated that England’s sun never sets. Its far-flung empire was a special source of pride to the English people; they were a dominating force throughout the world.); and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty one of Jacob. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver (the revenue from places such as India, South Africa, etc., was exceptionally great), and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors (revenue collectors) righteousness.” (Isa. 60: 15–17) Rotherham’s translation of verse 16 is even more emphatic: “Thou shalt derive sweet nourishment from the nations, Yea on the bounty of kings thou shalt be sustained.”

Additional ‘proof’ is produced from Isa. 61:6: “Ye shall be named the priests of the Lord: men shall call you the ministers of our God: Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.” It needs no argument that the general import of these Scriptures did seem pertinent to England up to 1914; London was the financial center of the world. Most of the financing of the nations was done through English banks; none dared offend them lest their credit be cut off.

Be it noted that the Anglo-Israelites do not claim that the English represent the whole twelve tribes of Israel, but merely the ten “lost” tribes – that part called Is­rael after the revolt separated the ten tribes from the two tribes of Judah and Benja­min when Solomon died. Jeroboam was the first king of the ten tribes, and he pro­ceeded immediately to corrupt their religion; and he and succeeding kings proceeded to deprave the ten tribes much more than was true in the two tribes. Therefore, the Lord finally sent Shalmaneser, King of Assyria, to wage war against them; and he com­pletely defeated them in 739 B. C., at which time most of the ten tribes were carried away into Assyrian captivity. (2 Kgs. 18:9–11) To replace the captives  the Assyrian King sent a horde of heathen Babylonians, who corrupted the Jews that remained and introduced their heathenish religion in the land. This conglomerate multitude became known as Samaritans; and were much detested by the two tribes.

By the time the two tribes were carried off captive to Babylon (133 years later) the ten tribes had become widely scattered – so much so that history does not give a clear account of what became of them. Thus, they became “lost”; and the contention is that they finally settled in what is now England, that the English people presently are the true descendants of those ten lost tribes; and are in fact the real Jews. The word Jews occurs for the first time in the Bible in 2 Kgs. 16:6. It is a distortion of the word Judah, which eventually was pronounced Joods, then Jews. Thus the two tribes are Jews, not Israelites; and, say some, Jesus made this clear distinction to the Apos­tles in Matt. 10:5: “Go not in the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samar­itans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” From this Scripture they contend Jesus was telling His disciples to find the ten “lost” tribes (lost sheep of Israel).

Just a superficial examination of this last text should convince any unbiased mind that Jesus did not mean anything like what this cult now tries to read into it, because not one of the Apostles ever went to England; and some of them certainly would have done so had Jesus told them to do it. In fact, about the first authentic date in his­tory for England is established at 55 BC, at which time Julius Caesar invaded the Is­land; and that was just 85 years before Jesus began His ministry. Furthermore, the undisputed records tell us that the first conversion to Christianity in England was in Kent in 597 AD by St. Augustine. That was about 500 years after the last of the Apostles died. Therefore, any one who would try to use Matt. 10:5 to prove Anglo-Is­raelism must be in desperate straits for something to say concerning the error.

Here is a quotation from one authority on the subject: “Jew – One belonging to the tribe or to the Kingdom of Judah. Then the meaning was extended, and the word was applied to any one of the Hebrew race who returned from the Captivity (in 536 BC – ­JJH); and finally it comprehended all persons of that race throughout the world (Matt. 2:2).” Matt. 2:2 says Jesus was “King of the Jews” – not King of the Israelites. And Rom. 2:10 says “to the Jew first” – not to the Israelite first. Thus, if we would make any discrimination at all between the ten tribes and the two tribes, we would be forced to conclude that it is the Israelites who are not Jews. But it is well estab­lished that parts of all twelve tribes returned from the Captivity in 536 BC, although the larger number were from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

OTHER VAGARIES

Another publication attacks the Jews from a different angle: “Any student of the Scripture knows that Jesus Christ was not a Jew. He is a Galilean and an Israelite. The apostates which crucified our Lord and perpetuate the hate for our Lord were identi­fied by Jesus when He said: “If ye were the children of Abraham, ye would do the works of Abraham, but ye are of your father the Devil, a liar from the foundation of the earth.” Taking figurative statements of the Bible and attempting to apply them liter­ally has wrought no end of confusion throughout Christendom during the entire Gospel Age. Certainly, those people who were bantering Jesus did not actually have the Devil as their father; they were human beings the same as the rest of us, except with different characters. Rev. 5:5 specifically says Jesus is “The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David”; and Heb. 7:14, Dia. is even more to the point: “It is very plain that our Lord has sprung from Judah.” Thus, when they say “any student of the Scripture knows that Jesus Christ was not a Jew,” it is clear enough that they study only such Scriptures as can be applied to their own ideas. Any Scripture that contradicts them is blithely ignored – as though it did not exist.

These same people also declare that Jesus Himself was an outstanding Jew hater; so we offer another pertinent Scripture that directly contradicts that thought: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that you may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven.... If you love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?” (Matt. 5:43–45) And further in 1 Cor. 2:8: “Had they (the Jews) known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.”

Yet more: This same group contends that the Jews are the Antichrist. Clearly enough, they do not understand the meaning of this word, which actually means “in place of Christ,” rather than “against Christ.” Once the real meaning of the word is understood, we then have no difficulty in connecting it with St. Paul’s words in 2 Thes. 2:3,4: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God... so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

Of course, St. Paul wrote the foregoing many years after Jesus had been crucified, so it could not possibly refer to the Jews. He does say that this great Apostasy (this mystery of iniquity) “doth already work,” yet its real force would not be felt un­til some future time. This same publication leans heavily upon Martin Luther in sup­port of their anti–Jewish contentions; yet here is what Martin Luther himself said con­cerning Antichrist: “The faith and the Church are at stake. I rejoice to suffer in so noble a cause. I am not worthy of so holy a trial. I feel much freer now that I am certain the pope is Antichrist... I hope none but the papists will stain their hands in my blood. Antichrist reigns... All the articles of John Huss were condemned by Anti­christ and his apostles in the synagogue of Satan... On the left Christ is washing the disciples’ feet. On the right Antichrist, the pope, is having his toes kissed by mon­archs.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses – This organization also adds its loud voice toward castiga­tion of the Jews, because the Jews generally will have no part of their teachings. They do not advocate violence against the Jews, or revile them politically, but they do pre­dict extreme violence for them in the approaching Armageddon – at which time they fore­cast the extermination of all people – including the Jews specifically – that have not joined their organization by the time the holocaust arrives.

In this the Witnesses mimic the Antichrist, who also contends the Roman Catholic Church is the one true church; and during their counterfeit reign from 799 to 1799 they were very vociferous that there could be no salvation outside their church. And we may ob­serve here that those who make such claims go more and more into error – “outer dark­ness.” This is well typified in the attempted construction of the Tower of Babel. Men said, “Let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto Heaven” (Gen. 11:4). They would have insurance against another flood (in spite of the promise that “the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh” – Gen. 9:15); they would build Bab-EL (Gateway to God). As retribution for this affront, the Lord confused their tongues; they could no longer understand each other.

Thus, the effort became known as Babyl, meaning confusion – the same being typical of the efforts of the Roman Church, and presently in our day of the Witnesses, to build a “Gateway to God”; that is, WE are the one true church – no salvation outside of us – no other access to God. And just as the Roman Church lost all important Biblical truths as presented by St. Peter, so the Witnesses have also lost the great majority of that system of truths that was left with them by their so-called founder, Pastor Russell.

The time is now with us for the manifestation of persons, principles and things in a way never before done in the history of the human race. “The Lord will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of hearts.” (1 Cor. 4:5) And, while we have no thought of success in stopping present inequali­ties and erroneous teachings, we can warn those who have “an ear to hear” not to be partakers of such sins. The evils of “this present evil world” (Gal. 1:4) will contin­ue apace with the sound exposures until the Lord’s Prayer is fulfilled: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven.”  “Expecting and hastening the presence of the Day of God, on account of which the Heavens (the present ecclesias­tical order) being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements (various political, labor and social organizations) burning intensely will melt. But we, according to His prom­ise, are looking for new Heavens (a universal truth-motivated religious order) and a new earth (new social order), in which dwells righteousness.” (2 Peter 3:12,13, Dia.)

THE TRUTH ON THE JEWISH SITUATION

Beginning with p. 243 in Parousia Vol. 3 of Studies In The Scriptures, there is a chapter on The Restoration of Israel, some of which we shall quote, or paraphrase, with some additions of our own:

Among the relics of antiquity that have come down to our day, there is no other object of so great interest as the Jewish people. The Adversary and his blinded dupes have sought to destroy and eliminate the Jews – just as many of them have also tried to do with the Bible (“My two witnesses – the Old and the New Testament – shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and threescore days – the papal supremacy from 539 to 1799 –­ in sackcloth”––Rev. 11:3) suppressed and depressed as those that mourn for the dead. But the very fact that the Jews are here today, as a people distinguished from other peoples (in keeping with the commandment of the Lord given to them more than 2,500 years ago: “Separate yourselves from the people of the land” (Ezra 10:11), should cause any God-fearing person to realize that even in their “cast-off” condition God has overruled their preservation – just as He has preserved His inspired Word

Let us emphasize once more that all the Bible writers were Jews; and St. Paul makes a capital point of this in Rom. 3:1,2: “What advantage then hath the Jew?..... Much every way; chiefly, because unto them were committed the oracles of God.” And this statement is complemented in Rom. 3:29: “Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles?” Further in  Gal. 2:15: “We who are Jews by nature.” Here St. Paul tells us that he himself is a  Jew; and he wrote a large part of the New Testa­ment.

Let us emphasize also that at the  time of the Exodus from Egypt the Jews were the only nation that worshipped but one God. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Deut. 6:4) The various heathen nations had a multiplicity of Gods – a god of war , a god for love, a god for vegetation, etc. And with all of their gods combined they could not even remotely approach the idealism that came to the Jews through their “one Lord.”

The searchers after ancient lore have untiringly questioned every inanimate ob­ject that could give a mite of historic or scientific information. Monuments, altars, tombs, relics of public and private edifices, paintings, sculptures, hieroglyphs and dead languages have all been appealed to; and some have even tried patiently to dis­cover the line of actual truth that probably inspired the many fanciful traditions, legends, songs, etc., that have come floating down the centuries in order to learn all that is possible to know of human origin, history and destiny. But a most interesting relic, and one whose history can be most easily deciphered and understood, is the Jew­ish people. In them we have a monument of antiquity of inestimable value, upon which are recorded, in clearly legible characters, the origin, the progress and final destiny of the whole human race – a living and intelligent witness of the gradual outworking of a wonderful purpose in human affairs.

As a people, they are marked as distinct and peculiar by every circumstance of their history, and by their common religious faith, as well as by every element of their manners and customs. A forceful proof of this was to be observed in the war that began in the Fall of 1973 on their Atonement Day – a day in which ordinarily the orthodox Jews refrain from food and water. Under the heat and the strain of the battle that day many of the Jewish soldiers became dehydrated and well-nigh exhausted, yet they persisted in their abstinence – although their leaders had granted them freedom from the age-old cus­tom. Thus, some of them at least still try to adhere to the Law of Moses and the Cov­enant which Moses mediated for that nation almost four thousand years ago. The national characteristics of many centuries ago are still prominent, even to their fondness for the leeks and onions and garlic of Egypt, and their stiff–necked obstinacy. As a people, they truly had much advantage every way, in having committed unto them “the oracles of God,” developing among them poets, lawyers, statesmen and philosophers, and leading them up step by step from being a nation of slaves in Egypt to be – as in the time of Solomon (the zenith of their glory) – a people distinguished and honored among the nations, attracting the wonder and admiration of the world. (1 Kgs. 4:30-34; 10: 1-29)

Since they cast off and condemned the Just One and said, “His blood be upon us, and upon our children” (Matt. 27:25), they have again suffered, even more so in many in­stances, than they did in their Old Testament stripings. This had its horrible begin­ning in the year 70 AD, when the Roman Army under Titus captured Jerusalem, destroyed their temple, and scattered them throughout the Gentile world. In their treatment of Jesus, God took the Jews at their word: When Jerusalem finally fell into the hands of the Romans, there was a circle of crosses around the City, with a dead Jew hanging on every one of them. Prophetically it has been written of them, “Fools because of their transgression (when they crucified the Lord of Glory), and because of their iniquities (their violations of the Mosaic Law), are afflicted.” (Psa. 107:17) Present-day in­stances of this are to be seen in the terrible treatment they have received in Germany, Russia, etc.

Israel has been a nation scattered and peeled – driven as exiles from country to country, from province to province, and have been deprived of almost every right and privilege which other men enjoyed. Rejecting Christianity – in its corrupted as well as in its true form – they became the objects of the contempt and relentless persecu­tion of the Church of Rome. Thus estranged from God and from their fellow-men of every nation, sad and pitiable indeed has been their miserable condition. During the relentless Papal persecutions of the Dark Ages, they have suffered in common with the saints and martyrs of Jesus – the Christian for his rejection of Antichrist, the Jew for his rejection of both Christ and Antichrist.

The treatment accorded them forced a marked change in their way of life. Canaan was a goodly land – “a land flowing with milk and honey” – so  that a large segment of that people were engaged in farming and animal husbandry. But such things could not be carried with them as they were chased from nation to nation; and this forced them into businesses of various kinds, and into the money markets. In this manner their “quick assets” (stocks, bonds, cash, etc.) could be carried with  them, so that today it is an oddity of the first rank to see a Jewish farmer. Almost all of them are in the cities, pursuing their professions or marketing their various wares; they no longer take the chance of having to leave their farms behind  them as they moved on.

Nevertheless, whether they are still blinded to God’s promise to deliver them once more, as He did from Egypt, and from their various captivities, God is faithful that promised: “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 (this certainly includes all twelve tribes): Not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jer. 31:31–33)

God has not made this new covenant with Israel yet, but we can be sure that they never again will be entirely driven out from Jerusalem. He has planted them back in their own soil – in the land promised to Abraham, to him and to his seed after him for­ever – and even though we see them greatly oppressed, we can be sure that no one will drive them out of that land. The promise of God is to natural Israel – to be planted again in their homeland; but “all Israel” includes only those faithful covenant-keeping Jews: the others are counted as the heathen. And it will be through those faithful Jews that all the families of the earth will be blessed.

“The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel (the good news) unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” (Gal. 3:8) And we may be sure that those faithful covenant-keeping Jews who have continued in their faith during the harrowing experiences meted out to them during their “cast-off” condition, will with alacrity and joy walk up the Highway of Holiness (Isa. 35:8) under their New Covenant meliorating conditions.

Up to the time of their casting off by Jesus, the Jews were the only nation that had covenant relationship with God. “O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt. You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” (Amos 3:1,2) Any of the people of other nations who would come into relationship with God had first to become proselyte Jews. And the same conditions will apply when the New Covenant is instituted – any who will be the recipient of those blessings must first become Jews.

So it was with the ministry of Jesus and the Apostles – the gospel was first pre­sented to the Jewish nation; and the message of Christian salvation has come to us through them. Cornelius was the first Gentile convert (Acts Chapter 10); but he had to wait for 3½ years after Jesus’ death before God would give to him the Holy Spirit. Since that time the gospel has been open alike to Jew and Gentile, although very few of the Jews have become Christians. “Blindness in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom. 11:25) Nevertheless, it should be empha­sized here that the blessings and privileges of the Mosaic Law were offered “to the Jew first”; likewise, the blessings and privileges of Christianity were also offered “to the Jew first.” Also, the blessings and privileges of the New Covenant will be “to the Jew first.”

A “New Covenant” necessarily carries the inference of an Old Covenant, the same being the Law Covenant given through Moses, of which the Gentiles were not in any way included. Therefore, a new covenant could not possibly be made with the Gentiles, because they have never had an old one. Any Gentiles wishing to partake of the old covenant had to become Jews; and some of them did just that, as instance ­“Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch.” (Acts 6:5) The same limitation will apply with the New Covenant: Any who wish to receive its blessings will have to become Jews. Salvation is to the Jews.” (John 4:22)

JACOB’S TROUBLE

“These are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah (all twelve tribes are included in this). For thus saith the Lord: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace (which has been occurring since 1948, and will be yet greatly increased)... Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of  Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of  it.” (Jer. 30:4-7)   Jacob is a term often applied  to  the  entire  nation of Israel in the Old Testament; but Jacob is never  used to designate the Christian church.

That ‘great day’ of the foregoing text is described in more detail in Zech. 14: 1–3: “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, 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 of 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.”

Outstanding instances of the Lord fighting for Israel in ancient times are given in Ex. 17:8-14, where Amalek and his army were decisively defeated by Joshua; and in Judges 7:15-22, where Gideon with a band of 300 men accomplished the destruction of a Midianitish army “as grasshoppers for multitude; both they and their camels were with­out number.” See also 1 Kgs. 20:1–21, where Ben–hadad and “thirty and two kings with him” lost “an hundred thousand footmen in one day.” (v. 29)

“Jacob’s Trouble” is yet some years in the future, so we are now privileged to see only the overall picture; but enough is revealed to give us a fairly good idea of the event – in keeping with the words of St. Peter: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn” (2 Pet. 1:19), the dawning day here being the inaugura­tion of the New Covenant with Israel.

Lest any of our readers should draw an overly pessimistic conclusion about Jacob’s Trouble, we would remind them of these facts: At the time they were cast off by Jesus just before His death (“Behold, your house is left unto you desolate”––Matt. 23:37) the Jews, as a nation, began their decline; and they lost their national existence com­pletely in the year 70 AD, when the Roman army scattered them throughout the earth. And from that date onward the Gentile supremacy waxed greater and greater. However, since their restoration to their homeland the Jews as a nation have been on a gradual upgrade; whereas, the Gentile nations have become steadily more shaken and distressed. And this disparity will become much more pronounced in the years immediately ahead. The writing of Isa. 60:1–3 is now markedly pertinent; “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”

SUMMATION: – Those who ignore or openly contradict the foregoing interpretations are rejecting large and important parts of the Bible, whether they realize it or not. As instance, the Jehovah’s Witnesses lay great stress upon their Bible ‘proofs’ for what they teach; yet we cannot recall one instance where they have given any comment at all on Jer. 31:31-34, or Isa. 60:1-3, or upon the various statements of St. Paul concern­ing the Jew.

Neither the Jehovah’s Witnesses nor any groups who have cast out the Jews can produce any Scriptures that support their contentions about the Jews, but we can produce many Scriptures to support our contentions: “And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord God. Thus saith the Lord God; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scat­tered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.” (Ezek. 28:25-26)

“Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.  And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves. And I shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.” (Ezek. 37: 12–14)

Psalms 107:17-22 also applies to natural Israel, and also supports our conten­tion regarding “to the Jew first”: “They cry unto the Lord in their trouble (Jacob’s Trouble – second phase), and he saveth them out of their distresses.” (v. 19) These covenant-keeping Jews in Jerusalem will be the “first” to receive the blessings of the New Covenant, and will naturally become the first able and zealous missionaries of the Kingdom. Many will join them, of course – particularly the “repentant and be­lieving” in the finished picture of the Epiphany. “For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.” (Jer. 31:7)

“And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:3; Micah 4:2) We would emphasize, however, that these promises apply only to the faithful covenant-keeping Jews – all others are counted as heathen.

Since “God is faithful that promised” (Heb. 10:23; 11:11), it is our hope and prayer that all God’s faithful people are in harmony with God’s good and perfect will. “Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together... There are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee... Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.” (Psa. 122:3-9)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint of No. 238, April 1, 1975

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Person:

Could you please send me information about your organization. I’d be interested in your beliefs, practices and how you operate. This material would be appreciated as soon as possible.        

Thank you, ------- (CANADA)

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Dear Brethren: Grace and peace!

The January paper is quite interesting. After reading about the Jehovah’s Witnesses, I thought you might be interested in some of my experiences with them.

Since moving to my present home in the Missouri Ozarks, I have had several visits from a group of local Jehovah’s Witnesses. When the first group arrived at my house I invited them in to inspect my bound original Watch Towers, beginning with the first one published in the late 1800s and continuing through mid‑1917. I also have copies of Pastor Russell’s volumes published in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They seemed very interested at first, and I invited them to return at their leisure to read any of the material, but refused to allow the Watch Towers or other books to leave my premises.

Since the initial visit other groups have returned at various times who have been most willing to point out the ‘errors’ of MY thinking. I have noticed, during these visits, they are unwilling to receive any information contrary to the JW point of view. As a point to fact, I offered the last two women who visited me a copy of David Horowitz’ book on Pastor Russell and was promptly informed they would not read anything containing negative comments about the JWs. When asked why, both women told me they did not feel precious reading and study time should be wasted in such fashion.

What a shame! the ladies do not have enough confidence in the teachings of their religious organization to allow them to hear any dissenting comment from an outside source. As if this situation was not sad enough, further comments made before the ladies left, made it plain it would not be considered proper by the Church for them to read such material. What are they afraid of? I can only speculate.

The JW ‘witnessing’ would be severely curtailed if all the people they contact would take the same attitude of the Witnesses, and would tell them their Church would not permit them to read any literature on God’s Word written by another organization.

Many have left the Witnesses over the years for this, and other reasons, and many more will do the same. They are having their troubles from within.

Keep up to the good work of “contending for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3) The Lord bless and guide you in all your efforts to serve Him.

Warm Christian love, ------- (MISSOURI)

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Dear Sister Hoefle: Grace and peace be multiplied!

Hoping this finds you and yours in good health. Thank you for your thoughtfulness in sending the lovely Christmas card. We think of you often and are always interested in the work you are doing and how you are getting along.

We enjoyed a beautiful Christmas holiday with most of the family. All here are in good health. The rapid changes in Israel make us watch and wonder how each change will develop in God’s Plan. How we long for the day when all the hidden things of darkness will be revealed. What a blessing it is to have the assurance (through the rich scriptural promises to Israel) that God’s plan will ultimately bless the entire world through Israel. We continue to pray for Jerusalem. Please use the enclosed check in any way you see fit.

May the Lord bless and keep you. Be assured of our thoughts and prayers for you and yours through the coming year. Your brother by His Grace, ------- (CALIFORNIA)

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Dear Sir:

I would like to know what literature is available from you, as well as information regarding your organization’s doctrinal position and history. Thank you.

Sincerely, ------- (MARYLAND)

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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I am interested in learning more about your religious movement. I would appreciate it if you would send me any information possible regarding your organization that you would deem of concern or importance to me. Items such as statement of purpose, course of acceptance, and doctrine, would be valuable data. Thank you for your help.

Sincerely, ------- (CANADA)

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