NO. 461: OUR SAVIOR AND DELIVERER

No. 461

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

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) Few babes in all Judea or in all the world were born in a more humble place than Jesus. Joseph and Mary had gone to their native city, Bethlehem, for tax registration, under the imperial edict. The little city was crowded with others on similar errand. And so it came that Jesus was born in a cattle stall, where Joseph and Mary had been com­pelled to lodge for the night. Ah! we cannot wonder that it is difficult for many to understand why our Heavenly Father sent forth His Son for our redemption under such ignominious condi­tions! The Message of the angels was surely an inspired one, fully in harmony with God’s promise to Abraham – only an enlarged statement of the same, the same sense, the same to “all people” to be blessed – and it was still good tidings and it still meant great joy; but now, two thousand years later, the Message pointed out the very individual through whom the good tidings would have fulfillment – the Babe of Bethlehem. “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice,” the angel of the Lord told Abraham. (Gen. 22:18) “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:29)

FEAR NOT! – GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY

The angelic announcement, “Fear not,” is interesting. All human beings realize that they are sinners and naturally have forebodings. They find it difficult to believe that God is really gracious and loving. The gods of the heathen nations are ferocious, unloving and unlovable. But the God of all grace, the Father of mercies, is a God of love, who delights to use His Divine power for the blessing and uplifting of His erring children. There He was peculiar in sending the Message of “good tidings of great joy unto all people,” as well as in sending His Only Begotten Son at great cost to be man’s Redeemer – that He might be just and still be the justifier of those who believe. (Rom. 3:26)

There is a special force or meaning in this word Savior – it signifies life-giver. The Aramaic version is the language which was spoken by Jesus and others of Palestine at that time. And is there not a special fitness of appropriateness in this name life-giver? What had man lost, and what would he wish to have back? The Scriptures answer that Adam lost life and came under the penalty, “Dying, thou shalt die.” He did not lose heaven for he never possessed it. He lost earthly life, an Eden home, human per­fection. And Jesus declared that He “came to seek and to recover that which was lost.” (Matt. 18:11; Luke 19:10)

Hence, as we have seen, He was provided with a perfect human life, that “he by the grace of God might taste death for every man,” and that by thus suffering, the just for the unjust, the penalty of the sinner, He might become the purchaser or the Redeemer of Adam and all his race, with a full right to restore to perfect life and all that was lost as many as would receive it at His hand – thankfully. Throughout His entire Messianic reign of a thousand years He will be the world’s Life-Giver, raising the willing and obedient up out of sin and death conditions to perfection and everlasting life and earthly, human blessings.

THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS

In Luke 2:14 we have a kind of Hallelujah chorus or angelic response to the Message of the angel already given. A heavenly host sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” How grand! How inspiring! But we see not yet this glorious condition achieved. The proper glory to God is not yet rendered on earth as it is in heaven. Nor does peace yet wave her banner – not even in so-called Christian nations. The glorious reign has not yet begun as is witnessed by all. It won’t be until the “fire” of this “Time of Trouble” has consumed this present “evil world.” “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens [the present ecclesiastical powers] being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements [the social order of which we are composed] shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless, we according to His promise, look for new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Pet. 3:11‑13)

LIFE A GREAT BOON EVEN NOW

The question has been asked: How is the love of God to be seen from the standpoint of a deliberate arrangement beforehand which, in its outworking, has involved so vast an amount of sin, suffering and death? In thinking of this question, one should first rid himself wholly of the erroneous thought that sin, suffering and dying are only preludes to an eternity of woe. Then we are to remember that God is not in any way our debtor. We are His debtors, even for our existence; He owes the race nothing.

Suppose that we could disabuse all minds of the idea of eternal torture or of a purgatory of suffering after death, and should then say to them, Consider, now: Would you prefer to live on for a few years more, or would you rather die at once? Or, suppose we put it this way: Are you glad that you have an existence, or would you rather that you had never been born? We believe that the great majority would reply that they desire to live, that they prefer to live as long as possible. They do not wish to die, either today or tomorrow or next year; indeed they would never die if they could help it!

Those who feel that they would be glad to die, or who wish that they had never been born, are those who have had more than ordinarily evil and unhappy experiences; or else they are unbalanced in mind. Many have not so much money as they would like, not so pleasant surroundings and conditions as some have and as they would wish to have. Still life is sweet; and they hold on to it with as firm a grip as possible. Love of life is inherent in man, and has survived even the sorrowful experiences consequent to the fall.

WHY GOD PERMITS THE PRESENT REIGN OF SIN

But why does God permit things to be as they are? This has ever been one of the perplexing problems to the minds of those who have still sufficient faith to believe in the existence of a Supreme Creator. We do not know that we can make it clearer than in our tract, “The Permission of Evil” (free upon request), but we enumerate a few points here. Putting ourselves in God’s place, we are able to see that He must create man either without moral faculties, like the lower animals, or else with mental and moral faculties capable of appreciating the standards of right and wrong, of appreciating his Creator, with power to reason and to choose between good and evil – between obedience and disobedience to that Creator.

Having previously brought into existence the brute creation, God wished to create a nobler order of beings, creatures in His own image and likeness (Gen.1:26), on the earthly plane of life. He purposed to have a race of beings who were perfect like the angels, able to appreciate the same moral standards, the same principles of righteousness. The question might be asked: How could God so create these beings that they would not be in danger of sometime falling into sin? Evidently, it was not God’s purpose so to create them. He desired that they should posses the quality of free moral agency, the power to exercise their own wills for either righteousness or unrighteousness.

At the time of the creation of man, Lucifer, Son of the Morning, began to cherish ambitious designs, disloyal to his Maker. He realized that a race on a lower plane of existence than himself might be induced to choose a course at variance with the expressed will of God – their Creator. Before man’s creation God had foreseen that Lucifer would deflect from the path of obedience, would become a rebel against His righteous government, and that as the result evil would break forth later in His empire. He foresaw that through the influence of the rebellious Lucifer (thenceforth Satan – adversary, accuser, hater) man would become disobedient and fall from the condition of perfection.

Knowing this, and doing man no injustice, but creating him with full ability to resist temptation, God so arranged and timed the creation of man that he would be an object of attack by Satan, who would take advantage of the inexperience of father Adam and mother Eve and seek to capture the entire race of man. In other words, God purposed to permit this test to come to man, and knowing that Adam would fail in the testing and thus incur the penalty of death, He designed to make the experience of the race an object lesson to all His created intelligences, and at the same time to so overrule the matter that the human family would themselves eventually be delivered from the evil results of the fall and be greatly blessed, if they would profit by the lessons learned in their bitter experiences with sin, and would come back into harmony with righteousness.

TIME AN IMPORTANT FEATURE

God’s infinite wisdom could not approve any as worthy of everlasting life who would not prove themselves to be in full accord with His Divine law. The nature of sin is to propagate itself and to produce misery and degradation. With this knowledge God arranged in advance to let man have his own way. He foreknew that intelligent beings with liberty of choice and of will would eventually, if untaught and unrestricted, fall into sin, even though a penalty was attached to disobedience. He chose not to restrain Lucifer.

The plan of God is so comprehensive that it cannot be viewed and judged from the standpoint of a few years – not even of a thousand years or six thousand years. It must be viewed from the standpoint of eternity. It was arranged, not for the well-being of creatures who would live for a few years or a few centuries, but for those who would live throughout eternal ages. His plan must, therefore, be laid so broadly as to include all time and all beings created in His likeness, for His glory and their own eternal good.

Our Creator is a God of infinite love and sympathy; but from the beginning He knew that man would fall, and that He Himself could overrule the entire matter for the ultimate blessing and instruction of men and angels – all His created intelligences; and He purposed so to do. We ourselves know that sin and death with all their direful effects have prevailed in the world for six thousand years. We also know that our God is at the helm, and that all things will be made to work out for good in the end (Rom. 8:28). We think of the flood as a terrible overthrow, because so many lives were lost. Yet the calamity would have been far greater if one half had been left to mourn for the others. It is claimed that men do not suffer very much when drowning – that death by this means is comparatively easy.

Six thousand years of sin, sorrow and death seem a long while for humanity to suffer. Yet the majority of the race have not lived beyond the age of twenty years. Perhaps one-half have not lived to the age of five. Very few have reached the age of one hundred years. We all have seasons of comparative comfort, blessing and enjoyment; even under present conditions, God has been very merciful. And from the viewpoint of the glorious future, with its marvelous opportunities of blessing, its hope of eternal life for man, and its great lessons learned for all eternity by all of God’s intelligent creatures, the reign of sin and death presents an altogether different aspect from what could otherwise be had.

In permitting the long reign of sin and its train of evils, God has been showing forth the principles of His government, that all may clearly discern in time what are the inevitable results of disobedience to their great Creator. We are sure that Adam and Eve were glad that God did not instantly carry out the sentence of death pronounced against them – although they were not permitted to live beyond the “day,” as God told them: “For in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Pet. 3:8) We are sure that they were glad to be permitted to continue their existence for many years, even after they had been driven out of the Garden of Eden; and we believe that they had many experiences of more or less happiness, in spite of the tears, the pain and sorrows that fell to their lot. Gen. 3:15 is an intimation of the ultimate recovery of mankind from the power of Satan: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

So when we view the entire history of the race of Adam, and perceive that all the experiences with sin, suffering and death are to be caused to outwork God’s glorious purposes for the world, and are designed to prove a lasting lesson to all His intelligent creatures who now exist or ever will exist, we can see why He has permitted the reign of evil which to man has seemed so long. When we see, too, that God is now choosing a very select class, of very humble and obedient ones, to be used as agencies under His only begotten Son to recover and uplift to perfection and life everlasting all the human race who will accept the gracious provisions, we can understand why He has been pleased to call this class through the “foolishness of preaching,” by very imperfect instruments. Thus He has manifested the humble ones, who will receive His message by any means which He is pleased to use, and who are glad to forsake sin and serve Him.

A SAVIOR AND A GREAT ONE

God might have said, “I will lift my curse from mankind and let them have another trial for life – an individual trial.” But even if this had been in harmony with God’s Justice, it would not have sufficed alone. Mankind has long been floundering in the mire of sin. They were powerless to profit from any new trial granted them that would not include a Redeemer, a Savior, who was strong, not only to bring about the abrogation of the death sentence by a payment of their penalty, but also to deliver them from all the bonds of sin and death in their members. He must be a savior having power to bind the great adversary who has so long held the race of man in slavery and blindness. He must heal their wounds, open their blinded eyes and their deafened ears, and lift them up, up, into the light and liberty of the sons of God. Truly, man needs a mighty savior; and such, praise God, has been provided in His beloved Son! (See Isaiah, Chapter 35 and Rev. 20:1‑3)

As we trace the various steps of the marvelous Plan of the Ages, we perceive that to all who shall gain eternal life, on whatever plane of being, the path of humility is the path to glory. “He that exalteth himself shall be abased; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 14:11; 18:14) None will be granted the inestimable blessing of life everlasting who are not thoroughly proven and found worthy under testing, who do not cheerfully humble themselves under the Mighty Hand (Jesus) of God. This principle applies to both human and spirit beings. Only those who gladly obey God, out of love for Him and for His righteous laws, will be permitted to live beyond the harvest time of the Millennial Age. All others shall utterly perish. Our Lord tells us that the first of all the commandments is, “Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like it, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none commandments greater than these.” (Mark 12:29‑31)

“THE TRUE LIGHT WHICH LIGHTETH EVERY MAN”

Christmas-tide always brings some lesson associated with our Savior and the great salvation, the gift of God, provided through Him. “Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) Isaiah 9:2-7 is prophetic of this great event. “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them the light shined.” (v. 2) Appropriately, the first verse of the chapter is omitted: in Leeser’s Translation it constitutes the last verse of chapter 8.

Our lesson had no local and immediate application at the time of its delivery: it is strictly prophetical, as are indeed the preceding fifteen verses. We cannot even apply the lesson to the people and time of the First Advent; its scope is far beyond the Jewish nation, and can only be applied to the worldwide blessings which follow the second coming of Christ and the establishment of His glorious Kingdom in power and great glory. Nevertheless, there is just a bare connection with the past in the expression, “Unto us a child is born” – thus indicating the humble beginning and earliest manifestation of the great light, the Sun of Righteousness, which has not yet arisen, but whose day-star is now shining in the hearts of the faithful. (2 Pet. 1:19)

The two divisions of the first verse of the lesson in poetic form merely repeat the same thought with variations. The people that walk in darkness, who are to see the great light are practically all mankind, for “gross darkness covers the people” (Isa. 60:2) – the exception, the very small minority, the Church, as our Lord declared, is “not of the world.” (John 17:16) This broad thought is emphasized by the next statement, for the whole world surely is “the land of the shadow of death”: “The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together” (Rom. 8:22) under the curse, the sentence of death which, with its accompaniments of pain and sorrow, casts a deep shadow in every heart and in every household.

Surely, the whole world needs this great light – the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord – the very light which the Apostle declares the world cannot now discern, because the eyes of their under­standing are darkened by the misrepresentations and deceptions perpetrated by the god of this world, the prince of darkness. (2 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 20:3)

The fact that this is expressed in the past tense does not signify that this light has already shined, even as the statement, “Unto us a child is born,” did not signify the birth of Christ at a time prior to Isaiah’s prophecy. It is merely a usual form of prophetic statement: the standpoint is taken away off in the future, and from that future standpoint the thing to be accomplished is stated as though already done. “God calleth those things which be not as though they were.” (Rom. 4:17)

Here, then, we have a prophetic assurance of the great light of the knowledge of God coming to all mankind: and this, be it noted, is in fullest agreement with the testimony of John 1:9, that Christ “is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” The fact that every man born into the world has not yet been enlightened by this great light, so far from disparaging the statement, gives us assurance that the time is coming when to Him every knee shall bow and every tongue confess (Phil. 2:8-11), and all shall know the Lord, from the least to the greatest, and knowing Him have full responsibility or trial for everlasting life or everlasting death. (Rom. 14:11; Jer. 31:31‑34)

Isa. 9:3-5 intimates the process by which the great change shall come, and the world be prepared for the shining of the great light – the Sun of Righteousness with healing in His beams. Scholars are divided in their opinions respecting a proper translation of the first sentence of the third verse. The majority seem to favor the translation given by the Revised Version, “Thou hast increased the nation, thou hast increased her joy.” Leeser’s Translation renders it, “Thou hast multiplied the nation, made great her joy.” In harmony with the context we must interpret this nation to be the world of mankind under the new administration of the Millennial Kingdom; for the kingdoms of this world will then become the kingdoms of our Lord, God’s Anointed, and many nations 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.” (Rev. 11:15; Isa. 2:3)

Thus, instead of the Lord’s empire being a typical one over a little nation of Israelites, as in the day of Isaiah’s prophecy, it will be the antitypical one in which Immanuel shall be King over all the earth, and His name great to the ends of the earth.

It is the joy of this great people that is described: it will not merely be a quiet joy of satisfaction, but an hilarious joy, as of men who are in the midst of plenty, in a harvest season; and as men rejoicing when dividing the fruits of victory. But what will be the cause of the rejoicing? The answer is given, Because from off their shoulder the great burden has been removed: the burden of sin and its curse will have been removed, and the rod of the oppressor, Satan, will be broken, and he himself then will be a captive, no longer permitted to oppress and deceive and blind mankind (Rev. 20:2).

An illustration of the process of the deliverance is given: “As in the days of Midian.” (Isa. 9:4) The suggestion obviously is that as Israel was delivered in the day of Midian by Gideon and his little band, armed with trumpets and pitchers with lights in them – by the blowing of the trumpets, the breaking of the pitchers, and the shining out of the lights – discomfiting the Midianites, so that they slew one another with great slaughter, so likewise will be the deliverance by which the Lord will bring in the new dispensation (Judges 7:19-25). Our Lord is the antitypical Gideon, and His “Little Flock” the Church of this Gospel Age, the “elect,” are the antitype of Gideon’s little army. And it will be through the intervening of these (on the other side of the veil) that the hosts of sin and the present energy of evil will be utterly discomfited and work its self-destruction through anarchy, etc., in the great Time of Trouble.

The great Time of Trouble is briefly yet graphically described in Isa. 9:5 as being more severe, more intense, than all preceding troubles, for it is declared that all such victories are expected to be with tumult and bloody garments, but this shall be with a more furious destruction, best likened to a consuming of fuel in the fire. And it will be noticed that the fury of the final conflict of this Age, which shall transfer the rule to our Prince Immanuel, is everywhere likened to a fire – throughout the prophecies and in our Lord’s parables – evidently because of the intensity of the trouble and its destructiveness.

Then comes (vs. 6 and 7) the explanation from the Lord’s side of how all these things are of His provision and supervision – beginning with the birth of our Lord as the babe born in Bethlehem; next presenting Him as God’s Son, given on our behalf, His sacrifice beginning at Jordan and culminating at Calvary. “Wherefore,” as the Apostle says, because of His obedience unto death, “him hath God highly exalted and given him a name above every [other] name” (Phil. 2:9-11) – honor, dominion and power above all others, next to His own.

The change of dispensation will be ushered in because the Father’s “times of restitution of all things” (Acts 3:19-21) will have come – the time for Christ to receive honor, glory and dominion promised Him, with which He shall fulfill all the gracious things predicted by God through the prophets: hence the declaration is that then “the government shall be upon his shoulder” (Isa. 9:6) – the mantle of authority shall rest upon Him. And when He shall thus assume the control of earth’s affairs, His character of love and justice, His wisdom, and the all-power in heaven and in earth given unto Him, insure all the faithful that His reign will be a time of blessing, of peace and of joy to all who love righteousness and truth; and equally a time of burning destruction against all who shall sin willfully after having been brought to an accurate knowledge of truth. (Heb. 12:26; 1 Tim. 2:4, Dia.)

His names, His titles, representing the gracious things of which He is the representative, are brought to our attention; to all the world of mankind He will then be (and the Church, His Body, with Him) “Wonderful” – Great – beyond the power of human comprehension, as He is indeed the express image of the Father’s person. He will be the “Counselor,” whose instructions in righteousness will be satisfactory and respected by all the world of mankind seeking a return to Divine favor and full restitution. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hear that Teacher, that Counselor, shall be cut off from among the people (Acts 3:23). He shall be called “Mighty God,” or Mighty Mighty One, for indeed in Him shall rest all the power and authority of the All-mighty One, Jehovah. He shall be called the “Father Everlasting,” because in truth He shall be a Father unto the race, a Life-Giver to all who will accept life under the terms of the New Covenant, sealed with His own precious blood. Adam, the original father of humanity, through his sin and under its sentence, failed to give lasting life to his race, and death destroyed all his offspring; but the restitution life which our Lord will give, to as many as will receive it upon His terms, will be an everlasting life, and hence He, as the giver of this life to all, will be an Everlasting Father. He shall be called the “Prince of Peace,” for although His empire will be established by a smiting of the nations with a rod of iron (Rev. 2:27), and breaking them to pieces as a potter’s vessel, in the greatest time of trouble the world has ever known, nevertheless, every blow will be struck in the interest of peace, and His entire reign will further the ends of righteousness and peace, even though to the very end thereof there shall from time to time be destruction of the incorrigible – the wicked. (Isa. 65:20; Rev. 20:9,14,15)

Leeser’s Translation reads thus: “The Prince of Peace for promoting the increase of the government and for peace without end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to establish it and to support it thru justice and righteousness from henceforth and unto eternity: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” In Isa. 9:7 the Millennial Kingdom is associated with the typical kingdom of David. We are to remember, however, the statement that David sat upon the throne of the Kingdom of the Lord – he and his kingdom were typical. The name David signifies beloved, and our Lord Jesus Himself was proclaimed as the real David – “This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” God hath appointed Him heir of all things, and he is David’s Lord, as David himself testified. (Heb. 1:2; Matt. 22:41-45)

We fear that there are many Christians who have lost faith, not only in the prophetic promises, but in our Lord’s and the Apostles’ exposition of them, and that such frequently pray merely with a lip service, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.” But so much the more as we discern such blindness on every hand, such lack of faith, let us, the eyes of whose understandings have been opened by the Lord’s mercy, be the more faithful, the more circumspect, and the more confident, remembering that an abundant fulfilment is assured, for “The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform all this.” (Isa. 9:7)

OUR SAVIOR’S BIRTH

Not until some time after Pentecost was the “middle wall of partition” (Eph. 2:14) between Jews and Gentiles broken down, as St. Paul explains. For more than eighteen centuries previously all of God’s favor and promises were made to the Jews exclusively and only thru their prophets did He speak, and only to them. Only their kings and priests were in any sense recognized by the Lord. This was not because there were not noble minds amongst other peoples, but because, in the working out of the great Divine program the seed of Abraham was specially selected – although declared by the Lord to be a crooked and perverse people. Because they had no special revelation from God, the nobler minds amongst the other nations gave special study to the starry heavens along the lines of astronomy or astrology. The stars were charted and certain lessons were said to be learned therefrom bearing upon humanity’s welfare.

At the time of the birth of the Savior, God made some astrological sign of the momentous event, which the wise men of the East, described in our study, understood. Reverentially they followed the guiding star from their home in the East, possibly Persia. How the star led we are not informed, but apparently its leading discontinued when they reached Judea, and naturally they went to the palace of King Herod inquiring for “him that is born King of the Jews.” The mistake was quite reasonable. It required some time for us to learn that Divine favors and blessings are not always to the rich and the great, but oftenest for “the poor of this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.” (James 2:5) The filled, the rich, the satisfied, are frequently less interested in the Savior than are the poor, because they do not realize so great need for Him and for the Millennial Kingdom of righteousness and blessing which He is to establish. For that matter, however, only the comparatively few were interested at our Lord’s First Advent, as the Scriptures intimate that comparatively few will be longing for His Second Advent and the establishment of His Kingdom.

Herod affected an interest with the wise men in their search, but merely that he might thwart the Divine purpose by destroying the Child, and thus the kingdom of Israel might be preserved to his own family, as it was through his six successors who bore his name, Herod. As the announcement of Jesus the Babe troubled the great at that day, similarly, we may be sure, any announce­ment of Jesus as the King of Glory to take over the dominion of the world, if corroborated, would cause consternation amongst the rulers of earth today – financial, political, etc. All have unfinished plans more or less selfish, and all instinctively realize that the inauguration of a reign of absolute righteousness would interfere with their business, schemes and trusts and concerns, grafting and trickery, which are getting such a hold upon the highest civilization of our day.

The prophecies were searched and it was learned that the humble city of Bethlehem would be the honored place of our Savior’s birth. The crafty Herod feigned reverence and desire to worship the Heaven-appointed King, but only that he might sub­sequently destroy Him – as a little later he attempted to do in causing the slaughter of the innocents from two years old and under. (Matt. 2:16-18) But how foolish was his endeavor to thwart the Almighty!

The wise men who sought the Babe of Bethlehem with worship and gifts, symbolized, perhaps, the great fact that those are truly wise who ever since have sought the Divinely appointed King and who bring Him the incense of their devotion, and as gifts all their talents and powers. Such lay their very lives at the Savior’s feet, as St. Paul explains: “living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God.” (Rom. 12:1)

The name Jesus is the Greek form for Joshua, signifying Savior; and in the Aramaic, Savior signifies life-giver. Therefore, the Babe that was born to be King of the Jews was to be the Savior, the Life-Giver of the world. He has not become the Life-Giver yet, nor the King. His great work is still future. It will be at His Second Coming that He will appear in His glory and become the King of Israel – on the spirit plane. Then, too, as the out-working of that glorious Empire which He will establish, He will be the world’s Life-Giver, its great physician, and all mankind will be blessed with the glorious opportunity of becoming “Israelites indeed.” The Empire of Sin will be overthrown and the darkness, ignorance and superstition connected therewith will be dissolved in the glorious light of truth and grace which then will overspread the world.

GOD’S GLORIOUS CHARACTER REVEALED

Then the holy in every sphere of life, in every part of the mighty universe of God, shall ascribe glory, honor and praise to His glorious Son throughout the Ages of Eternity. All will then see and acknowledge how marvelous was Jehovah’s plan of redemption, how far beyond the power of fallen man to fathom. The majesty and glory of the Divine character will stand revealed – His unswerving justice combined with infinite compassion, His glor­ious wisdom, His marvelous love, His mighty power. Then all will bow before him and will adore!

“When all thy mercies, O my God,

My rising soul surveys,

“Transported with the view, I’m lost

In wonder, love and praise!”

May all our readers have a blessed Holiday Season. “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (2 Cor. 9:15)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint No. 270, December 1977)

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NO. 460: MORE ON THE JEWS FROM THAT SERVANT - Part Two

No. 460

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

"Visits The Holy Land: The fulfilled promises to the Jews, spoken of hundreds of times by the prophets of old, and reaffirmed in the writings of the New Testament, attracted Pastor Russell’s early attention, and consequently the time of the restora­tion of the Jews in Palestine, as a Nation, became a question of almost paramount im­portance to his mind. In order to verify or disprove certain claims or supposed facts, Pastor Russell visited the Holy Land in 1892, verifying much valuable information con­tained in his third volume of ‘Scripture Studies’ [written in 1890], wherein he inter­estingly treats the complex Jewish racial problem, past, present and future. This trip was the real beginning of a campaign to attract the attention of the world to the fu­ture inheritance of the natural ‘seed of Abraham.’ During the past twenty years, Pas­tor Russell has written much on Jewish topics and has addressed many Jewish audiences on Biblical Zionism, pointing out the significance of the many unfulfilled promises to them by Jehovah.” (Reprint 4953 – 1912)

Pastor Russell made several more trips to the Holy Land in the years after 1892. We now quote some more of his writings on the subject of the Jews from the aforemen­tioned third volume: “‘In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.’ (Amos 9:11,14,15)

“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 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, hieroglyphics 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 it is possible to know of human origin, history and destiny. But a most interesting relic, and the 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, 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, in exact conformity with the predictions of their Divinely inspired prophets and seers.

“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 national character... 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 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. (Rom. 3:1,2; 1 Kings 4:30‑34; 10:1‑29)

“That the re‑establishment of Israel in the land of Palestine is one of the events to be expected in this Day of the Lord, we are fully assured by the above expression of the Prophet. Notice, particularly, that the prophecy cannot be interpreted in any symbolic sense. It is not a Canaan in heaven to which they are assigned, but a Canaan on earth. They are to be planted upon ‘their land,’ the land that God says He had given them, the land that He promised to Abraham, saying, ‘Lift up now thine eyes and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. [An intimation of a then far distant period, giving ample time for such a multiplication of his seed.] Arise, walk through the land, in the length of it, and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.’ (Gen. 13:14‑17; 17:8)

“It is a land into which they were once favored to enter, and in which they dwelt for centuries. But during that time they were many times plucked up and carried into captivity in other lands, while strangers wasted their cities, drank the wine of their vineyards, and ate the fruit of their gardens. And finally they were completely rooted out, their cities laid waste and desolate, and they were driven as wanderers and exiles from country to country the world over. But when replanted in their land according to this promise, ‘they shall no more be pulled up out of their land,’ which God gave them; and ‘they shall build the waste cities [cities in which they had formerly lived], and inhabit them.’ A scattered, homeless, desolate and persecuted people, they are still a distinct and homogeneous people. United by the strong ties of blood relationship, by common hopes inspired by a common faith in God’s wonderful promises, though they have but dimly comprehended those promises, and still further bound together by the bond of sympathy growing out of their common sufferings and privations as exiles, they, to this day, long for the hope of Israel.” (Volume 3, pp. 243‑246, top)

“Pray For Messiah’s Kingdom: The hope of humanity is the Messianic Kingdom described in this lesson. The ‘mountain of the Lord’s house’ signifies the kingdom of God’s house, His Church. It will be established in the top of, or above the kingdoms of the world. It will be exalted amongst the nations and all peoples will flow to it. There will be an attraction in it for all peoples. It will lead them to climb upward. The attraction which will thus draw mankind will be the blessings of health and restitution, which the Kingdom will be prepared to grant to all peoples as they come into harmony with its requirements. (Acts 3:19‑23)

“The Kingdom will be closely identified with the Zionist movement and the Holy Land. The Kingdom itself will be spiritual, invisible to men, but its earthly agents will be visible and they will be Jewish – ‘Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom,’ etc. (Matt. 8:11) The Jews already impulsed toward the Land of Promise, will go thither in increasing numbers, and all of the faithful of them will go in sympathy and representatively, through financial assistance. The Israelitish hopes and promises will attract that number strongly first. And gradually all the nations, learning of the grace of God, and blessings of restitution to be bestowed, will say, ‘Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us [as well as the Jews] of his ways and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.’ (Isa. 2:3; Mic. 4:2)” (Reprint 4796 – 1911)

“In this prophecy of Amos (7:10‑13) the Lord points out that the wrath He was about to permit to come upon Israel as chastisements, would, nevertheless, work out for them a blessing, and that in His due time He would bring them back again into harmony with Himself, and that under more favorable conditions than in the past. We are not only to believe the calamitous portion of this prophecy, which we already see has been executed upon Israel in fullest measure, but we are also to believe the features of it which are favorable to Israel – the future blessings. For instance, we see how literally has been fulfilled the prediction: ‘Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth [as a nation, a kingdom]; save that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord [the people of the nation were to be preserved as a separate people from others]; for lo, I will give the command, and I will shake about amongst all nations the house of Israel, as one shaketh things in a sieve, while not the least piece falleth down upon the earth.’ (Amos 9:8,9)

“The Lord thus shows His continued supervision of Israel, according to the covenant made with them. And how accurately this has been fulfilled: the Israelites as a people have been scattered throughout the whole earth, yet they have not lost their identity; as a nation they were utterly destroyed, yet unlike every other nation, they have preserved their national identity, and have not been mixed and blended with the world in general.

“And if this feature of the prophecy has been accurately fulfilled today before our eyes, we certainly have every reason to believe that the remainder of the prophecy will be just as accurately fulfilled – that portion which applies to the restitution times, after the true spiritual Israel has been selected, when natural Israel shall be brought back into covenant relationship with God, and become the earthly agent of the spiritual Kingdom for blessing, instructing and restoring the families of the earth, under the terms of the New Covenant. This is clearly set forth in the closing words of the prophecy: ‘In that day will I raise up the standard of David which is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of Edom and of all the heathen which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this... And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them, and I will plant them in their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land, which I have given them, saith the Lord God.” (Reprints 2357 – 1898)

“The Fig Tree Is Withered Away: ‘And Peter, calling to remembrance, saith unto him, Master, behold the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.’ (Mark 11:21)

“Now in the instance under consideration, we read that Jesus came unto a certain place and there was a fig tree and he declared something about gathering of figs: ‘for the time of figs was not yet,’ our common version reads; more properly it would read, ‘for the time of figs was not over,’ was not past. It would be strange for Jesus to come before the proper time to look for figs.

“And He cursed the fig tree and said, ‘Let no more figs grow on thee to the age.’ Then later St. Peter called attention to the fact that the fig tree was beginning to wither, and Jesus said, ‘Have faith in God.’ What is the reason?

“When Ye See The Fig Tree Putteth Forth Leaves Ye know That Summer is Nigh: It is our understanding that the fig tree was a type or picture of the Jewish nation, to whom Jesus came when it was proper to expect fruitage. But coming to the Jews, He did not find the nation bearing fruit. The great ones of the nation were cast off; and only the publicans and sinners were ready to accept His message.

“It is remembered that the nation had a blight upon it. At the end of His ministry, Jesus, riding to the brow of the hill overlooking Jerusalem, said, ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.’(Luke 13:34,35) A very short time afterwards it began to lose its power; and the Jewish nation lost its identity completely as a nation in the year 70 – 37 years after.

“While the Jewish nation has thus been in hades, in the tomb, so to speak, it is as a nation that they are referred to thus. Of course, they go into the tomb as individuals, as every one else; but as a nation also they have gone into the tomb. But according to the Scriptures there will be a resurrection of the Jewish nation, and a picture of that raising up is given where it says, ‘the bones came together, bone to his bone,’ etc.­(Ezek. 37:7) Those bones represent the whole house of Israel, which is referred to as saying, ‘Our hope is dead’ (v. 11); our ambitions are all gone or are asleep!

“So God is telling them that all the kingdom hopes of that nation are to be re­vived. As Jesus said to his disciples in one of His discourses — ‘When ye see the fig tree beginning to put forth its tender leaves, we know that summer is nigh.’ We see the fig tree putting forth its leaves today (see Matt. 24:32; Mark 13:28); we see the Jews looking back to Jerusalem, and we thus see the fig tree putting forth its leaves, or giving signs of life, looking forward to the re‑establishment of the Jewish nation. God says there will be such a Jewish nation again!” (Reprint 4788 – 1911)

“Israel An Illustration: Apparently the world will be given time to see in Israel the operation of Divine government, and its practical benefits, in contrast with the then prevalent anarchy, so that the majority of all nations will desire the Kingdom rule. This is forcefully pictured in the prophetic words, addressed to Israel at that time: ‘Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings [earth’s principal ones] to the brightness of thy rising. [This will apply to the Spiritual Israel, the Sun of Righteousness, but also to its earthly representatives – fleshly Israel restored to favor.]

“‘Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters to be nursed at thy side. [Compare Ezek. 16:61] Then shalt thou see and be filled with light, and thy heart will be awed and enlarged; because the abundance of the sea [anarchistic masses – see Rev. 21:1] shall be converted unto thee, as well as the best of the Gentiles shall come unto thee... And they shall show forth the praises of the Lord.’ (Isa. 60:1‑6,11‑20)

“Truly, that will be a glorious day of opening blinded eyes and turning many to righteousness! It will be a day of conversions and revivals along the lines of the Truth and not along lines of fear and misrepresentation [as the Jehovah’s Witnesses do]. It will be the time men­tioned by the Prophet when ‘a nation shall be born in a day.’ (Isa. 66:8) Israel will be that nation: (1) Spiritual Israel, the ‘holy nation’; (2) Fleshly Israel its earthly representative. From Israel the light shall shine out which will bring the chastened world to its knees, and usher in the promised pouring out of the Lord’s spirit of holiness, ‘upon all flesh after those days,’ as it has been poured out upon His true ser­vants and handmaids during these days. (Joel 2:28)” (Parousia Vol. 4, pp. 638,639 – 1897)

“Mediator Complete Will Inaugurate New Covenant: By that time, the great Mediator complete, our Lord and His members, will be ready to inaugurate the New Covenant which God has promised, through the prophet Jeremiah. (Jer. 31:31) This New Covenant is intended to bless all the families of the earth, as God said to Abraham. (Gen. 12:3) The promise is that this New Covenant will be made with Israel. In order to avail themselves of this Covenant, therefore, all other nations and peoples will be obliged to become a part of Israel. Thus eventually Abraham will become the father of many nations. All who will come into harmony with God will be the children of Abraham, in the sense that they will attain to that faith which Abraham had. Both the faith and the obedience will be necessary. As soon as the New Covenant shall have been sealed it will become operative. The Christ will then stand forth to be the Mediator of the New Covenant.

“This Covenant will be like unto the old Law Covenant; but it will be better, superior, the one of which the Law Covenant was a shadow. God will not then deal with Israel directly, but through the Mediator. Primarily, the Ancient Worthies will be fully received and will gladly accept the Mediator and all the terms and conditions of the New Covenant. Since they will be perfect they will be entirely able to comply with its conditions. They will have no weakness of the flesh, as they will be raised from the dead perfect human beings. [See Heb. 11:40] During the Mediatorial reign the Mediator will and ready to help and assist all who will come back into harmony with God. None will be brought immediately into communication with God, however, but they will be dealt with through the Mediator until the close of the Millennium, when they will be turned over to the Father. During the Messianic Age all will be subject to the Mediator’s arrangements and the Father’s arrangements through Him. Gradually the effect will be to take away the stony heart out of all flesh and to restore all mankind to that which was lost – perfection, mental, moral and physical. Those who refuse to participate in this blessing, we are told, will be destroyed from amongst the people. (Acts 3:22,23) Those who continue to progress will reach the condition of perfection of heart, of mind and of body which God requires.” (Reprint 4902,4903 – 1911)

“The Lord Loved Thee: Love is the keynote of the Bible, notwithstanding the fact that it contains threatenings as well as promises, and declarations and manifestations of justice as well as of mercy. If God’s character were devoid of justice – if His love should override His justice – it would be a terrible calamity for all those dependent upon Him. It would testify weakness of character instead of strength. It is the fact that God’s Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power operate in full harmony – in coordination – that gives us admiration for Him, confidence in Him, love for Him; and all these appreciations are intensified as we realize His unchangeableness.

“From the beginning God foreknew His plan as we see it gradually ripening. He foreknew that man, allowed to take his course, would fall deeply into sin and be overwhelmed in its penalty, death. He foreknew His own purpose to provide in due time the Lamb of God as a ransom‑sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He foreknew the ultimate blessing of all the families of the earth, purposing that the glorified Redeemer should be the deliverer of mankind. He foreknew and arranged a thousand years of restitution work, when under Messiah’s glorious Kingdom all mankind should be brought to a full knowledge of God and a full opportunity for returning to all that was lost in Eden, all that was redeemed at Calvary; and when the ultimately rebellious should be destroyed. He foresaw from the beginning the glorious result when every knee would be bowing and every tongue confessing the glorious work of Messiah’s Kingdom. This entire program was to be of the Father and through the Son. (1 Cor. 8:6)

“It was incidental to this great plan that God foresaw the wisdom of having a saintly company associated with Jesus in the great work of His Millennial Kingdom, which is to govern and bless thousands of millions. God determined to have two saint­ly companies. One class was to be of the earth, earthy, samples of what mankind might all eventually attain to through the assistance of the Kingdom. The other class of saints, still more highly exalted, were to be the Bride of Messiah and His joint‑heir in the Kingdom on the spirit plane. God could have filled these honorable positions with angels, who would have been glad of the opportunity of thus serving. However, in­stead, He chose to gather these companies from amongst men – from amongst the sinners themselves.

“Calling Abraham’s Posterity: Many ways were open before the Lord for the gathering of the elect for the future service. The one which He chose and has been carrying out was undoubtedly the wisest, the best. First of all, God called Abraham – a sinner like others, but one whose heart was full of trust in God and who delighted in the right ways of the Lord to the extent of his ability. God’s promise to Abraham was that his seed should constitute the elect, and that through that seed all nations would receive a Divine blessing.

“The period of nearly four thousand years since God’s covenant with Abraham has been devoted to the development of Abraham’s seed – a natural seed and a spiritual seed. The two were mentioned to Abraham indirectly when the Lord said, ‘Thy seed shall be as the stars of the heaven and as the sand of the seashore.’ (Gen. 22:17) The stars of heaven thus are used to represent the spiritual seed of Abraham; the sand of the seashore, the natural seed.

“For more than eighteen centuries God dealt with the natural seed of Abraham. His promises to them and the Law Covenant made with them were great blessings, inspi­rations, assistances. For although the Israelites, like others, were unable to keep the Law Covenant, being imperfect, sinners, nevertheless the endeavor to obey was help­ful. The various chastisements of Israel, including their Babylonian captivity, were lessons intended for their good, and eventually made that nation, at the time when Jesus came to be the Redeemer, the most holy people in all the world – the only people recognized of God.

“He Came Unto His Own: Nevertheless, much of the holiness of Israel in Jesus’ day was merely a form of godliness, which did not stand the test. Only Israelites indeed – pure in heart, in motive – were enabled to appreciate the Gift of God and to become Jesus’ disciples – probably 25,000 in all. Then the door of opportunity to become fellow‑heirs with the Jewish Saints was thrown open to the Gentiles; and God’s Message was given them, inviting them also to joint‑heirship with Christ. The gathering of this class has proceeded for eighteen centuries, while the nation of Israel has been rejected from God’s favor. Now we are entering the great time of trouble which is to inaugurate Messiah’s Kingdom. During this trouble the Church is to be glorified in the First Resurrection. Then the thousand years of Messiah’s reign with the elect, spiritual bride, drawn from both Jews and Gentiles, will begin.

“Still God’s favor will pursue the natural seed of Abraham. Their lessons and chastisements will fit and prepare them more quickly than others of the world to re­ceive the Messianic blessings. The earthly phase of Messiah’s Kingdom will be Israelitish, in that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets and saintly ones down to John the Baptist are to be made ‘princes in all the earth’ (Psa. 45:16) – the earthly representa­tives in human perfection of the spiritual Kingdom of Messiah.

“Naturally enough, Israel will then in a natural way come first into harmony with the Divine arrangement and be the first to get the blessing. However, during the thousand years of the Kingdom, as the Scriptures declare, all nations shall bless themselves in becoming Abraham’s seed – in coming into relationship with the Kingdom, which will have an Israelitish basis. (Jer. 4:2; Isa. 65:16; Gen. 12:3) Eventually, all will be destroyed who do not thus become true Israelites. Thus Abraham’s seed will eventually include all the families of the earth – all for whom God has provided life eternal. As for Gentiles – strangers from God – none will remain.” (Reprints 5809,5810 – 1915)

“‘Die Stimme’ To The Jews: God’s Message to the Jews is being heard the world around. Not only were several of our sermons to the Jews published to the extent of 107,600 copies in Jewish papers in the English language, but in 655,000 copies of the Yiddish papers besides 325,000 copies of ‘Die Stimme.’ (The Voice) These have been republished, we learn, in Russia and elsewhere. True, there was some opposition, but this, we be­lieve, led the Jews to take more careful notice of the message.

“It is not our expectation that the Jews will become Christians now. It will be after they shall have returned to Palestine and the spirit of prayer and supplication shall have been poured on them, that they will ‘look upon him whom they pierced.’ Our Message is to comfort them and to turn their eyes toward Palestine and to their glorious promises centering there.” (Reprint 4728 – 1910)

“Jewish Hopes And Prospects: For those Jews who read Yiddish we have secured a large edition of the newspaper, Die Stimme, which contains Jerusalem news and reports of several of Brother Russell’s sermons to the Jews.

“This paper is very acceptable amongst the Jews. It does not point them to Jesus of Nazareth, but does point to the Messiah of Glory. It gives assurances that the time of the establishment of His Kingdom is near, and that then the Jews will be blessed. It points them to the land of Palestine as the place where the national blessings will begin. It does not say so, but all Watch Tower readers well know that according to prophecy it will be then and there that Israel’s blindness will be turned away and they will recognize Him whom they pierced.

“It is not our expectation that the Jews will be converted to Christianity. Theirs is the chief of earthly blessings. If some few of them have the ‘hearing ear’ for the spiritual message, they will hear it, but they will be the exceptional few.” (Reprint 4743 – 1911)

“The earthly phase of the Kingdom is seen to be Israelitish; and around this fact cluster those many prophecies which relate to the prominence of that nation in God’s plan for the future blessing of the world, when their tabernacle, fallen in the dust, shall be restored, and Jerusalem shall be a praise in the whole earth. We find statements by both prophets and apostles which clearly indicate that in the times of restitution Israel as a nation will be the first among the nations to come into harmony with the new order of things; that the earthly Jerusalem will be rebuilt upon her old heaps; and that their polity will be restored as in the beginning under princes or judges. (Isa. 1:26; Psa. 45:16; Jer. 30:18) And what could be more reasonably ex­pected than that Israel should first of all rejoice to recognize the prophets and patri­archs? and that their acquaintance with and long discipline under the law should have prepared them for tractability and obedience under the authority of the Kingdom? And while Israel will be the first of the nations to be recognized and blessed, it is writ­ten also of Israel that ‘The Lord shall save the tents of Judah first.” (Parousia Vol. 1, p. 294 – 1886)

“The operations of the Kingdom, under the light of full knowledge and along the line of works, will, for various reasons, evidently appeal most strongly at first to Israel after the flesh, who, when their blindness shall be turned away, will become exceedingly zealous for the Lord’s Anointed, saying, as represented in the prophecy, ‘This is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.’ (Isa. 25:9) But while Israel will naturally be the first to fall in line under the new order of things, the blessings and opportuni­ties of the Kingdom shall, thank God! be rapidly extended throughout the world – to the intent that all nations may become children of Abraham in the sense that they will participate in the blessings promised to him, as it is written, ‘I have made thee a father of many nations; in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’“ (Parousia Vol. 6, p. 119 – written early in the 20th century)

“How true the statement that those who have cursed, or injured, Israel have brought injury upon themselves! As we scan the whole field of the world, we find that every nation which has dealt harshly with Israel has received severe chastisement or blight. On the contrary, Great Britain and the United States, nations which have blessed the Jews, have in turn received great blessings.

“The One who is to have the dominion of earth is of Jacob’s posterity, according to the flesh. As the bright and morning Star, He is leading on to a glorious sunrise – the dawning of the Messianic day, which is to scatter earth’s night and bring blessings instead of the curse.” (Reprint 5323, col. 2, bottom – 1913)

Pastor Russell wrote copiously on the Jews and their promises when most Christian ministers were silent on the subject – at a time when the Jews were not so prominently mentioned as they are today. We trust that what we have written will revive interest in the Lord’s people, not only to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” but will also seek to bless, comfort and help them in their efforts to establish peace in Jerusalem. We know the Kingdom will be Israelitish. “For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:3)

“Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her; that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abun­dance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.” (Isa. 66:10-12)

“For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” (Psa. 100:5)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint No. 356, April 1985)

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LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST

Our very esteemed and beloved Sister Emily Hoefle, loving greetings from Israel!

Already 3 lovely letters were received from you and we thank you heartily. Your love and the care of us strengthens us and encourages us.

On the day we received your letter from July 6 in which you point out Jer. 10:11, has been read exactly this chapter on the Israeli radio in the daily Bible lecture. We think the same with you and are showing many times how the prophet Jeremiah applies to Israel’s present condition now. The Prophet reproaches sharply the Nation, but he puts the main guilt on the Leaders, “You have seduced my people saying ‘peace’ and there is no peace”. You have profaned me among my people by lying. You heal the wound of my people superficially. Therefore shall you fall and will be brought down”. (Jer. 8)

The Prophet shows the coming great destruction but also the following building and planting of the New One (1:10).

Please excuse our late answer but we have been very busy. The group leaders asked us to manage for the seminar participants which are coming from far away and cannot return for night to their home, to make them a possibility for an overnight stay. So we get an old big caravan at almost no cost. It made much work to restore him, but now he became a sweet home and can serve very well for this purpose. We had also important visitors in last time. One of them was Eli Landau, the Mayor of the town Herzlia. He came with a big group of Jews from USA. After Bro. Hermann’s lecture they did not want to depart and asked many questions about the future and the Messiah. As a sign of esteem they gave to us a Bible in Golden Cover.

Besides the Prophet Eliah crossroad between Jokneam and Kfar Joshua (Jesus last week took place a great manifestation of identification with the parts of the Land Israel (Parts of Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, Golan, Gaza), which the present Government will give up. Many Parliament Members have been announced for speeches (Benjamin Netanyahu, Ariel Sharon, Rafael Eitan, Rechaveam Zeevi Gandhi and prominent notables). Crowds of people came from far away to hear them. Our Jewish friends invited us and we came to be one of the listeners. But when the parliament Members became aware of us, they asked us to give a speech and demanded from the organizers even the first place for us. Although not prepared, we could give a complete witness. We said it in the name of the thousands of Bible students and believers all over the world. We could show the accurate fulfillment of the prophecies in the present situation and the very close coming of the Messiah to these events. But also the requirements, which are demanded from us to reach the wonderful Messianic Age. After the speech many of the prominent got up to shake our hands and they expressed how our words moved them deeply. At the end of the meeting came many from the public and followed with their esteem. THE LORD gave much grace, and one more of the countless opportunities which we received in Israel to praise HIM! To HIM be Thanksgiving and HIS Kingdom it may hasten!

Bro. Anders sent us a donation more than once which we appreciate very much.

We received an offer of a second hand tractor. The half price of a new one, but a used generator in good condition is not on the market and we’ll have no other choice, but to buy a new one.

A small explanation to your questions:

The tractor and the generator are different machines and are used separately every one for his special purpose. Both of them are vital machines without which the settlement can not exist.

The generator is a stationed power plant, a diesel engine driving the generator, which produces the electricity. The main task of the generator is to supply the electricity for the water pump (which supplies the water) and also drives the other vital machines.

The tractor is a motor driven vehicle for pulling farm machinery, plowing fields and doing other agriculture works.

We stay in great thankfulness for all your daily love, prayer, blessings and the material help from the Lord’s people, and reciprocate your loving greetings.

Devotedly your Brethren from Israel, Hermann and Joseph (ISRAEL)

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NO. 459: IN MEMORIAM

No. 459

We hold warm and fragrant memories of That Servant’s personality and scholarly understanding of God’s inspired Word and related subjects. He gave us the Plan of Salvation for all mankind with Scriptural proof. He always advised the brethren not to accept anything he taught without proving it by the Bible; nor should they accept anything others teach without Scriptural proof.

As far as we know, That Servant never named seven individuals of the “seven stars” of Rev. 1:16,20; but immediately after Brother Russell’s demise, J. F. Rutherford named Saint Paul, Saint John, Arius, Waldo, Wycliffe, Luther and Brother Russell as the seven stars. We agree that they are a part of the “seven stars,” but we believe the “seven stars” is a composite group of forty-nine – 7x7=49, just as The Mystery of God, The Christ, is a composite group of 144,001 members. “The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand... the seven stars are the angels [Messengers] of the seven churches.” (Rev. 1:20) “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” (Rev. 10:7)

The list given by JFR omits Claudius of Turin, the first Protestant Reformer, John Wesley, Servetus, Hubmmaier, and many other saintly reformers which we all know are a part of the composite “seven stars.”

We are not enumerating That Servant’s many activities as we have given much of this in our previous papers. We know the Lord honored him by making him That Servant when He found him “so doing” (Matt. 24: 26) – searching the Scriptures for the Truth “in due season.” So we honor whom the Lord honors. God bless his memory!

We also honor his memory by being faithful to the wonderful Truths he gave us, by “earnestly contending for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3), and by refuting errors, especially those of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who claim to be following in the steps of That Servant – even claiming to be part of That Servant. The term “That Servant” does not refer to a Society or organization, but to an individual (“whom the Lord hath made ruler over his household” – Matt.24:45,47). That Servant cannot be replaced, even as not one of the Apostles can be replaced, although he was not inspired as were the Apostles.

Inasmuch as he had made crystal clear the meaning of the Lord’s Parousia – as the thousand years, and its various stages – Brother Johnson began to refer to him as the Parousia Messenger. This title is not to be found in the Bible by direct statement, but it is easily conceived by considering a few texts. In Psa 91:11 it is stated, “He shall give his angels charge over thee”; and the Manna comment for November 17 explains that these angels would be human messengers provided for the special oversight and welfare of the Church. Thus, Parousia Messenger could aptly be stated Parousia Angel, but Parousia Messenger makes the thought a little clearer to the average reader.

We also honor the memory of the Epiphany Messenger, and the same can be said of that title as is said above of the title Parousia Messenger. The Epiphany Messenger was faithful to all the truths given us by That Servant, and faithfully defended them. He gave us many blessings which were in harmony with what Brother Russell taught. As a Pilgrim he was Brother Russell’s special helper during the latter part of his life. He did for the Epiphany what the Parousia Messenger did for the Parousia, although his ministry was not nearly so extensive or compelling. At the demise of That Servant we believe it can truthfully be said that all the living saints had come into his organization leaving none to be found elsewhere. But this was definitely not the case with the Epiphany Messenger. He often said that there were more saints in other Truth groups than with him – which means it was not necessary for them to come with him to retain their saintly standing.

Brother Johnson as a young man, before he joined the Harvest Movement, had gained extensive recognition as a Lutheran minister in Columbus, Ohio, and elsewhere. By intensive study for about three months in 1903 he was able clearly to see the Truth on the unity of God, human mortality, death as the wages of sin, Papacy as the Beast, identity of the Millennium as the judgment day of the world, and 1914 as the end of the Age. Thereafter he made no progress toward understanding Present Truth until he came into the Harvest Movement. He was a true scholar of Greek and Hebrew, spoke German fluently; and in his earlier years he was able to give an oration in Latin – a feat which very few college professors of Latin were able to do. He grad­uated from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, with the highest honors of any one who had ever attended that institution up to that time. A prominent Lutheran Minister, who had been his classmate, said that Paul Johnson was known throughout the campus as the mental giant. All this is a statement of fact, and in no sense intended to give undue praise. Thus we conclude this appraisal with “God bless his memory!” He, too, is one that God honors. (1 Sam. 2:30)

We invite all of like mind to join us in giving honor to whom honor is due, and in honoring those whom the Lord honors. Our Lord Himself said, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my father honour.” (John 12:26) But, as said heretofore, we honor That Servant by refuting the various errors promulgated by the Jehovah’s Witnesses who fraudulently use his name in attempt to lend authenticity to the many errors they now present. In the Watchtower of May 1, 1994, they give a fairly accurate description of That Servant’s spread of the Truth during his ministry in which he correctly and zealously proclaimed the establishment of the Kingdom. What he gave us then is not what the Witnesses teach now. They claim to be separating the Sheep and the Goats of this generation now before the Kingdom is inaugurated for the world’s judgment day (Acts 17:31). They also claim to be the Kingdom now while Satan is still the “god of this world” (2 Cor.4:4).

During the true Kingdom Satan will be bound and will no longer be able to deceive the people. There is no resemblance to the teachings of the Witnesses and teachings of That Servant. His message was a great comfort to those who had an “ear to hear.” The Witnesses claim that all will have to accept their teaching before Armageddon or else die in that holocaust with no chance of a resurrection. Their teaching probably doesn’t comfort many in their group, because of the love they have for friends and relatives who do not join them. God is love (1 John 4:16), and will have all men to come to a knowledge of the Truth (1 Tim 2:4), and not to the errors of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. All will be resurrected, the Good and the Evil (John 5:28,29), and the Just and the Unjust (Acts 24:15). He is faithful that promised (Heb. 10:23).

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let them be accursed.” (Gal. 1:8) Berean comments: “Papal comment on this is ‘Catholics should not spare their own parents, if heretics.’ “The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach the same.

JEREMIAH AND THAT SERVANT

In the March 1994 issue of the Watchtower the article, “Jehovah’s Judgment Against False Teachers,” reference is made to Jeremiah’s prophecy being fulfilled by the “Jeremiah Class,” and “My Intimate Group” as being the Jehovah’s Witnesses today. This is very similar to the “new light” brought out by the Society years ago that That Servant of Matt. 24:44-47 and Luke 12:42-46 was the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, a Business corporation, not an individual (See Reprint 1946) but a class as opposed to the truth that “That Servant” was an individual, viz., Pastor Russell.

In a similar manner the Watchtower is now suggesting that the antitype of the prophet Jeremiah is a class, “the Jeremiah Class.”

Pastor Russell humbly admitted that “That Servant” was an individual during the reaping and gleaning period of the harvest. Our Pastor had charge of all the goods and gave meat in due season. Thus, he directed the pilgrim, colporteur, volunteer, newspaper, pastoral, photo-drama, publicity, Tabernacle and Bethel work.

Much of the meat in due season was brought forth after 1874 when the meaning of the word PAROUSIA was determined to be PRESENCE instead of COMING. The light on the Lost coin – Restitution – was first seen after centuries of darkness which enveloped Christianity shortly after the death of the Apostles.

“A PROPHET UNTO THE NATIONS”

In Jer. 1:4-6 there is this: “The word of the Lord came unto me, saying... I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold I cannot speak; for I am a child.” In verse one we have “The words of Jeremiah” – the name meaning Jehovah is exalted. Certainly the name itself applies most fittingly to Bro. Russell, whose firm and repeated expression was “God first,” which attitude well applied to him all during his entire adult life. Also, the statement, “I am a child” points fittingly to him. At the outset of his ministry in 1874, knowing his ignorance of Hebrew and Greek, he considered himself but a babe in Biblical exegesis; and for seven years, to 1881, he always tried to place those with superior education before him because he considered them better qualified. But the Lord knew what He was doing when He called Brother Russell to be His special mouthpiece – “the prophet unto the nations.” Note verses 7-9, “The Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak... The Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth... said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.”

Looking back, it is very easy to discern the fulfillment of these words. That Servant predicted the end of the Gentile Times (Luke 21:24) 25 years before 1914. During that 25 years he received much vilification and ridicule from various sources; and by 1913 – with the world then in seeming calm – some in high position said a general world war among the then friendly (?) nations was just so much nonsense. But, when 1914 came – with the great explosion on July 28 – great numbers began to have a different view and respect for what he said. In fact, a conference of Southern ministers openly stated that Pastor Russell had been right in his predictions.

To emphasize the strong parallel between him and Jeremiah we need only to consider the parallel dispensations: It was just 2520 years before 1914 (in the Fall of 607 B.C) that Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnessar, the temple was ravished and the gold and silver vessels carried away to Babylon. That was exactly what Jeremiah had predicted – in the face of the severe criticism of the Jewish priesthood – just as Brother Russell had predicted against the disputations of the ministers of Christendom. Jeremiah had not predicted the beginning of Gentile dominion, because it was not possible for him to see that then; but Brother Russell, knowing that “seven times shall pass over thee” (Dan. 4:25, 32), and understanding that those “seven times” would end 2520 years later, did not have much difficulty in figuring out when they would end, once he knew when they began.

Let us carry on now to Jer. 1:11–14: “What seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.” As explained in Tabernacle Shadows, p. 122, the almond rod symbolizes the royal priesthood, elect and fruitful; and this fact was seen very clearly by Brother Russell in 1879, when he wrote Tabernacle Shadows. “The second time, What seest thou? And I said I see a seething pot... an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.” This “seething pot” was the Time of Trouble, which would come with the end of the Gentile Times; and those of us who were living at that time still have most vivid memory of that holocaust. Even though the United States was not immediately involved (we did not enter the war until April 1917), the uproar was so great and the shaking of society in all the great countries of the earth was so severe that the New York Stock Exchange was forced to close down for three months – “an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.”

God further instructed Brother Russell to confess the sins of Christendom over the head of Azazel’s Goat – “the house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.” (Jer. 2:4) In the Old Testament the Gospel-Age Christians are never called Jacob; rather, Jacob almost always refers to natural Israel; whereas, Israel usually is used to designate the Christian Household. And of both these houses Jeremiah said: “I brought you into a plentiful country... but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.” (v. 7) This statement is indeed a true declaration of the Church history. Under Jesus and the Apostles “the people which sat in darkness saw great light.” (Matt. 4:16) But the intervening years up to 1874 had witnessed the distortion of that “great light” into all sorts of weird concoctions; with practically all of them – Protestant and Catholic – becoming infested with “their resemblance through all the earth” (Zech. 5:6) The four great errors that arose during the Gospel Age are the Trinity, immortality, eternal torment and probation limited to this life. In these four great errors most Protestants and all Greek and Roman Catholics resemble one another – they are “their resemblance through all the earth.”

Once Brother Russell became fortified with the Truth against these great errors he employed all of his remarkable skill and energy in onslaught against them. His favorite address to the public was “Where Are The Dead?” For forty years he battled with all courage against the theory of eternal torment as the wages of sin.

Today few educated ministers believe in the doctrine of Hell-fire, although some of them occasionally preach it, perhaps believing it to be a restraint upon evil-doers. All concordances and critical translations of the Bible clearly dispute the thought of eternal torment as the wages of sin.

Brother Russell received strong assurance from the Lord for the work he was to do, as told to Jeremiah in vs. 17 & 18: “Speak unto them [the people of Christendom] all that I shall command thee: be not dismayed at their faces... I have made thee this day a defenced city” – immovable and strong as against society, against the various sects in Christendom, against the four prominent classes in American society: Rulers, capitalists, aristocracy and labor, particularly against their leaders. These are the “four angels” – messengers of wrath as set forth in Rev. 7:1-3 – whose destructive work was restrained “till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” Although these all, some more, some less, waged controversies against him, God assured him of full victory: “They shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with the... to deliver thee.” (v. 19) Surely, as we look back, we are able to see how forcefully this was fulfilled in the work he did.

When the prophecy was made, “They [the gainsayers] shall not prevail against thee,” it was not an idle promise; God gave him the Parousia Truth as his “strong tower,” which proved to be impregnable against the combined attacks of all adversaries. The promise made to Joshua (1:5): “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life,” certainly applied to Brother Russell with great emphasis. Those who attempted to engage him in controversy soon came within the scope of Rev. 16:10: “They gnawed their tongues for pain.” Many of them resorted to slander, which was their weapon of last resort; but it may be said of Brother Russell that he never reciprocated in kind; with the strong and clear Biblical system of truth he had, there was certainly no need to cheapen himself by using the tools of the “god of this world.” (2 Cor. 4:4) The Parousia Truth was indeed a “defenced city” for him. (Jer. 1:18)

Chapter 2 of Jeremiah carries on in much the same fashion as the first chapter. Brother Russell was commanded to shout his message from the housetops, and it is a matter of record that he did just that. “Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem [type of Christendom here in the end of the Age], saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth [when the pristine purity of Christianity was established under the guidance of Jesus and the Apostles], the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness.” (v. 2) “The woman [the true church] fled in the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days [the 1260 years from AD 539 to 1799].” (Rev. 12:6) Verse 3 continues: “Israel [the true church] was holiness unto the Lord, the firstfruits of his increase.”

But that condition had become greatly changed “in the time of the end” (Dan. 12:4 – from 1799, and especially after 1874). Thus, antitypical Jeremiah was prompted to raise the question: “What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?” (v. 5) The nominal church from 1874 is described in similar criticism to what Jeremiah said to the Jews before the fall of Jerusalem in 607 BC: “Thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Rev. 3:17) Following are some of the Berean Comments on this text: “Possessing little of the truth and the spirit of the truth... Cannot see afar off... cannot see the high calling for the Church or restitution for the poor world... Stripped of the robe of Christ’s righteousness by the clergy, in the name of Higher Criticism and Evolution.”

Having come to the condition of full complacency – “rich and increased with goods” – they did not ask (Jer. 2:6): “Where is the Lord, that brought us up out of the land of Egypt [typical of the delivery of the Gospel-Age Church, which had been delivered from antitypical Egypt, “this present evil world”], that led us through the wilderness... the shadow of death [“the wages of sin is death”]... and [v. 7] I brought you into a plentiful country... but ye defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.” “We have need of nothing”!

Then the question is asked in v. 11: “Hath a nation changed their gods... but my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit”; and because of this they “be astonished... be horribly afraid... very desolate.” (v. 12) During this “time of the end” nominal Christendom committed two evils – they gave up God as their God, though He is the only source of life-giving Truth and they developed creeds: “broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (v. 13) “Their cities are burned without an inhabitant” – an evil which they brought upon themselves. “Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou has forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way?” (v. 17)

“Yes I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed.” (v. 21) When we review the superb religious system which God had given Israel under Moses and Aaron, and the downward course they pursued in the following years, it is most difficult to understand how that could have been possible. Yet their course was but a forecast of the downward course of Christendom after the departure of the Apostles. Indeed, “A just man falleth seven times, but he riseth up again.” (Prov. 24:16) The words of Solomon in this text are a terse statement of the history of the Gospel-Age Church in its seven epochs, as outlined in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3. Each of these epochs began with a virile message of Truth – first with Jesus and the Apostles, then followed with the ministry of the remaining “six stars” (Rev. 1:16); but in every instance those that came after the various stars quickly retrograded into much error and decay of morale – as their predecessors had done.

Finally in 1874 came That Servant (Matt. 24:46), faced with an accumulation of the colossal errors of the entire Age – a fact which would have discouraged any man who had not the encouragement of the Lord Himself: “I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the priests thereof, and against the people.” (Jer. 1:18) But just as in times past, the finely-tuned system of Parousia Truth which he left was bandied about by some of his followers – particularly by the Jehovah’s Witnesses – so that if his writings and their writings are placed side by side now, no unbiased mind would believe they should be recognized as coming from the same source – which indeed they do not!

(Excerpts from former articles)

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PASTOR RUSSELL INTERVIEWED BY PROMINENT JEWS

The discourse on “Jerusalem” caused so much interest among the Jews that a few days afterwards several prominent Jews called upon Pastor Russell for an interview. At one of the conventions this summer, while speaking upon the questions concerning the Jews, Pastor Russell said:

“I am pleased to tell you that the Lord seems to be rather indicating there is to be work done among the Jews. We preached in Jerusalem from Isaiah 40:1-2, ‘Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith my God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,’ etc., and there were quite a number of Jews present on that occasion, and some of them were very greatly moved. The principal Jewish man in all Palestine was present. He is treasurer and business manager of the Zionist associations of the world and is located there now. He is the head of all their business enterprises, in advance even of the president, although the president is the higher official of course; but he is the highest man, practically, among them. His name is Doctor Levy. His remarks to some of the friends were more than anything he said to me. He greeted me very cordially after the meeting and said he was sorry there were not more of his co-religionists there. There was a little prejudice against the hall we used. It was known to be a hall owned by one of those converted from Judaism to Christianity, in which an endeavor would be made to convert the Jews and make them Christians, and they were opposed to going to that hall.

“If he had not had a special invitation he would not have been there himself. But somebody took him a very special, urgent invitation, and on the strength of the assurance of that invitation he was present. He said, ‘I wish you could remain longer; I would be glad to have our Jews here in the city get acquainted and hear what you have to say.’ But I could not stay. You know everything was mapped out ahead. I was obliged to tell him I could not remain. Then there were others there to speak, and he spoke to some of them. He said, ‘Why is it Christian people in general do not have such a message as this man brings? How is it all are against us? Instead of having a sympathetic word, they are all against us.’ He seemed to be touched by the fact that we had nothing to say against them, but rather pointed out the blessings of God that were coming to them. He indicated he intended to write to some of his New York friends that they might attend the meeting there, when he learned from some of our party that the subject there would be from the same text.

“I do not know to what extent he brought anyone to the meeting at Brooklyn but there was a good attendance, and many were turned away, unable to gain admission. Those who were present gave excellent attention for nearly two hours. There was a corridor full of people waiting to take their places, hoping some would go out, but they did not go out, seeing what an interest there was not only amongst Christians but also amongst Jews. The Jews were astonished that any Christian should speak of the prosperity of Judaism, and what blessings God had for the Jews; that was something they could hardly understand.

“Three Jews called on me to see if they could find out what I meant, what I was going to try to do. Was I going to try to get hold of the Jews and make Christians of them? I told them no, the sermon was not preached at all for the Jews; it was for Christian people, but that the Jews were as welcome as anybody else, and that I was glad if anybody heard anything that was interesting to them in the sermon; but we intended making no special endeavor to convert the Jews. I told them on the contrary, we understood that God had one plan for the Jews and another for the Gentiles, and then I briefly outlined to them the heavenly and higher calling, calling attention to the fact there were no promises made to them of a heavenly kind; that from Genesis to Malachi there was not a heavenly or spiritual promise mentioned; that they were all earthly promises. They agreed to that.

“I said, All of these promises are to be fulfilled to you, and the time is near at hand. They were good listeners. One of them was editor of a paper, and the other a publisher of a paper, and they were deeply interested to hear what the object was; they thought there must be something or other behind the scenes, and their thought was, Why would it be so? What are you going to do? Where is the trap? We are looking for the snare that would catch the bird. I told them we had no snare at all. We merely had a good message, that we had a good deal of sympathy with the Jews, and we saw God had cast them off at a certain time. They admitted all of that; they could not think otherwise. We told them that we believed God, that we believed the Prophets, that we acknow­ledged those prophets of the Old Testament the same as they did; that many Christian people had abandoned the Old Testament, thought it was all fulfilled and past, but we followed the Old Scripture suggestions that many of those things were yet future – indeed most of them; that only a small portion had ever been fulfilled, and God in His due time would fulfill all of those promises to the Jews; and just as soon as this spiritual class was selected, forthwith the message would go to the Jews, and the awakening referred to in this valley of dry bones would take place.

“We called their attention to the fact that it was Israel’s hope that they were to be revivified and they would begin to awaken, and I said to them, What has awakened you now to Zionism is a part of God’s promises coming at the right time, but it has nearly spent its force; the power that is behind Zionism is merely the power of patriotism. You feel as though you Jews have no home. The Germans speak of the fatherland, and the others speak of some other land; they have a home land. And you say, We Jews have no home land. You would like to have a home land, and it is a kind of a patriotic spirit that is moving Zionism as far as it can, rather than anything practical.

“Now, I said, Zionism has nearly spent its force, and it has nearly gotten you ready for the power that is going to move you. The power that is going to move the Jews is the power of God through the prophets. God is going to move you as none of this patriotism ever did in the past. And then they had good ears to hear, and I went on and outlined the ‘Times of the Gentiles,’ and the ‘Seven Times,’ and how they would end in 1915. Also the fact that God had told the Jews in Leviticus that there would be seven times trial, etc.; that we thought these were the same seven times mentioned when God took away Zedekiah, the King of Judah, who was the last king they had, and that the seven times dated from there. Their eyes sparkled and they listened attentively. I think they were there nearly two hours, just in the parlor talking about it – I did nearly all the talking.

“Well, they said, we thought that if this is not an endeavor to turn the Jews to make Christians out of them, if it is not that, this would be a wonderful power among our people, and we would like to have you address a meeting. Would you? I said to them that if it were anything like a political meeting I would not wish to address it at all; that we did not mingle in politics at all, but if any of them would have an ear to hear, and would like to know about what God has for them as a nation of people, we would be glad to talk to them as much as we have time. You see I am very busy and I could not give you a great deal of time, but if we could have some one large meeting, perhaps then I could talk to a good many Jews together, and I would be very pleased to do so.”

Brother Russell afterward said, at one of this year’s conventions, Well, they are thinking it over. I did not know what they would think, and do not know what they will do; they had come merely to see what was the motive behind it, to learn if we were trying to trap them. They were afraid if they would push it along we might really catch some of them. That is what they are afraid of. But they all acknowledged and said, Why, this is the most powerful thing we have ever heard. And one of those men said, “I was an unbeliever when I came in here, but now you have convinced me there is something in the Bible for the Jew, and that there is truth in the Bible.” And so you and I are learning more and more every day, that that is the wonderful power, both for the Jew, the Gentile and the Christian; it is our Book. Primarily it is for the Christian, but there are certain good things in it for the Jews and for ALL the families of the earth. The Jews are waking up all over the country. I presume that a synopsis of the discourse, which was published in eleven Jewish and Yiddish newspapers, will reach probably half a million of Jews all over the world.

Subsequently Brother Russell received an invitation to address a JEWISH MASS MEETING in the great HIPPO­DROME THEATRE of New York City.

A copy of the invitation, and Brother Russell’s response to the same and a report of the meeting, which took place as per arrangements, will be found farther along in this Report. (1910 Souvenir Reports, p. 87)

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION – “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.” (John 10:17) The words “that I might take it again,” sounds as if Jesus resurrects Himself. Is that the correct thought?

ANSWER – The King James rendering of the word “take” is a mistranslation. The Diaglott translation gives the correct thought: “On account of this the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, that I may receive it again.” It is the Father who resurrects the Son. The Son resurrects the good and evil, the just and unjust (John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15).

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Emily,

Your June 10th letter was such a pleasure, and such an encouragement! Thank you dearly!

I hasten to respond, even if only so briefly, because the next few weeks we’ll have to be with the young ones in the family, i.e., away from Jerusalem (in the coastal plain) and I don’t want to leave here with things unattended.

The general atmosphere here is gloomy. Although outright acts of terror and murder have decreased, it becomes clearer by the day that the present official policies are risky beyond reason and are fraught with unspeakable dangers in the long run. To make things worse, some young “historians” here have come out on a despicable way of self-flagellation. So let me just enclose here a Xerox copy of a straightforward response by an outstanding Israeli author, Aharon Megged, as it appeared in an English translation in the Jerusalem Post. It speaks volumes. I for one stand firmly behind every word.

But, of course, we, who are steeped in the world of the real sources of our RETURN know that the present sad phase will pass, soon we hope, and the eternal truth of this Land and this People, bound together in everlasting faith, will prevail.

With fervent wishes for your health and every Good Wish from Jerusalem,

Michael J. Pragai (ISRAEL)

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Dear Emily:

Many thanks for your letter July 6th, 1994. I am glad that you gave your Catholic friend “The Divine Plan of the Ages.” There is – as you probably know – a summary of the Studies in the Scriptures (I-VI) called “The Plan of God – in Brief” made by Bible Fellowship Union (A. Hudson and others) in England. My father translated this book, into Swedish in 1934 and reprinted it in 1954 just before he died. We give “The Plan of God – in Brief” to people who in our days are seeking the truth and want to get a general survey in a short time.

Our friends in Emek ha Shalom are awaiting the time, when 144,000 spirit beings on plane L in the chart representing the Plan of the Ages will be glorified with the lord, united with Him on plane K in power and great glory. “The Little Flock,” n and s in the chart, is then, of course, already taken out.

Our friends in Emek ha Shalom are – as we all are – awaiting the fulfillment of the prophecies in Ezekiel 38 and 39. After that we all shall know for certain that Christ, Head and Body, is the ruler of the world.

We have collected money and sent to Emek ha Shalom as help with their work.

Best wishes and kindest regards, ------- (SWEDEN)

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NO. 458: MORE ON THE JEWS FROM THAT SERVANT – Part One

No. 458

            Since our past articles do not nearly cover the prolific writing of Pastor Russell, we are reproducing more from his pen, which is as up‑to‑date today as is the Bible from which he gained his knowledge. We are quoting excerpts from Volume One and Two of the Studies in the Scriptures, as well as some from the Reprints and Question Book, with which some of our readers are acquainted. However, we do this not only to stir up their pure minds, but also for those that have no knowledge of his writings.

            We begin with Volume 2, first published in 1889: “In previ­ous chapters the fact has been referred to, that God’s dealings with the nation of Israel were of a typical character; yet few have any adequate conception of how fully this was the case. It has doubtless been observed by many that the apostles, particular­ly Paul, in instructing the Christian Church, frequently refer to some striking features of type and antitype in the Jewish and Christian dispensations. But a closer attention to the Apostle’s teach­ings will show that he does not only make use of a few illustrations drawn from the Jew­ish economy, but that in his close reasoning he calls up the whole Jewish system, as Divinely instituted (ignoring entirely the ‘traditions of the elders’ which were no part of that system), and shows that in all its features it was typical of the then dawning Christian dispensation, mapping out most clearly the course of the Christian Church in the Gospel Age, as well as pointing out its glorious work in the Millennial Age. (p. 201)

            “Paul says that God has cast off the fleshly house from favor, during the time of the selection of the spiritual house; and that when the spiritual house has been selected, God’s favor will return to the fleshly house. He says: ‘I would not, brethren [the Church, or spiritual Israel], that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to fleshly Is­rael, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.’ (Rom. 11:25) As it is written: ‘There shall come out of Zion the [promised] Deliverer [the Christ, our Lord, the head, and the remnants or faithful few, of both the nominal houses of Israel, which shall compose His body, the Church], and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And so all Israel shall be saved for this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel [the High Calling], they are enemies [cast off] for your sakes [that you may have the preference and inherit the choice, the spiritual parts of the promises]; but as touching the election [by which they were chosen to receive special earthly favors from God, promised to father Abraham and his natural seed], they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes; for the gifts and calling of God are not things to be repented of.’ (Rom. 11:26-29) What God has promised is sure of fulfillment. Knowing the end from the beginning, Je­hovah never made a covenant which He would need or wish to break. (pp. 210 and 211)

            “All these prophetic points in the past are clearly marked, and we should expect some evidence of God’s returning favor to Fleshly Israel, Jacob, in or about AD 1878. This we do find, in the fact that the Jew is now permitted privileges in Palestine denied for centuries past. And it was in that very year, 1878, when their double was full, and God’s favor was due to return to that people – that the Berlin Congress of Nations was held, in which Lord Beaconsfield, a Jew, then Prime Minister of England, was the central figure and took the leading part. There England assumed a general pro­tectorate over the Asiatic provinces of Turkey, among which is Palestine; and the Turk­ish government amended its laws relating to aliens, which ameliorated the condition of the Jews then residing in Palestine, as well as partially opened the door for others to locate there, with the privilege of holding real estate. Previously, the Jew was but a dog, to be cuffed, kicked and abused by his Mohammedan ruler, and was denied the most ordinary privileges of existence, in the land sacred to him with memories of the past, and with promises touching the future. (pp. 218,221)

             “But we must remember that the year 1878 was but the turning point of returning favor to Fleshly Israel. We have already learned, from our study of The Times of the Gentiles, that Jerusalem and its people will continue to be trodden down, controlled and oppressed by the Gentiles, until the Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, and hence, though favor was due and began in 1878, the Jew will not be received back into full favor until after 1914. [Not until the Gentile governments are “trodden down” in this “Time of Trouble” – and not fully until the inauguration of the New Covenant, after the Gentile rule is destroyed.] Their rise again to favor will be gradual, as was their fall from it. (p. 221)

            “As none but our Lord Jesus knew the import of the end of the Law Age and the begin­ning of the Gospel Age (the apostles know only in part until after Pentecost), so we can expect only the Body of Christ, anointed with the same spirit, to clearly see the end of the Gospel Age and its weighty import. [Quite a few of the consecrated of both Jews and Gentiles, who are not of the Body of Christ, can now see the grand “steppings of Jehovah.” Too, there are quite a few of the nominal Christians who realize that this is the “Time of Trouble,” and are predicting Armageddon. Since they are ignorant of the grand Plan of the Ages, their predictions are erroneous.] The poor Jews and many pro­fessed Christians do not yet know of the great dispensational change which occurred at the First Advent, the end of the Jewish Age and the start of the Gospel Age, and that 1878 marked so important a point as it did. Nor was it intended others than the faithful few should know, and not be in darkness with the world. To you it is given to know, said our Lord.” (p. 224 ‑ published in 1889)

            The following is from Volume One of the Studies in the Scriptures: “The time of trouble, as it will affect the world [since 1914, and most particularly during the past few years], will be after Babylon has begun to fall and disintegrate. It will be an overturning of all human society and governments. During the time of trouble, flesh­ly Israel, which was cast off until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in, will be re­stored to God’s favor, and the Gospel Church, or spiritual Israel, will be completed and glorified. During the Millennial Age Israel will be the chief nation of earth, at the head of all on the earthly plane of being, into oneness and harmony with which all the obedient will be gradually drawn.

            “Their restoration to perfect human nature, as well as that of the world in general, will be a gradual work, requiring all of the Millennial Age for its full accomplishment. During that thousand years’ reign of Christ, the results of Adamic Death will be grad­ually swallowed up or destroyed. Its various stages – sickness, pain and weakness, as well as the tomb – will yield obedience to the Great Restorer’s power, until at the end of the Age will be complete... Israel after the flesh, including only Israelites indeed, will be at the head of earthly nations; then the world of men will be restored to per­fection of being, like the head of the human race, Adam, before he sinned. This restor­ation will be accomplished gradually during the Millennial Age – the ‘times of restitution.’ (Acts 3:21)” (p. 241, published in 1886)

            This will finish the quotations from Volumes 1 and 2 of the Studies in the Scriptures, although it is a small part of Pastor Russell’s teaching in the six volumes. But it is enough to prove that our dear Pastor taught these things, with Scriptural support, long before the world began to see that we are now in the “Time of Trouble,” and many who realize it have a very imperfect view of the holocaust we are facing, and the King­dom blessings that will follow.

            We will now take up some of his voluminous teaching as given in the Watch Towers before his demise:

HATRED OF THE JEWS

            “Benjamin Disraeli, better known as Lord Beaconsfield, wrote a political biography which is attracting considerable attention. Goldwin Smith thus refers to it: ‘It is natural that in the course of this political biography Disraeli, who had witnessed the exclusion of Jews from the House of Commons and who had found and was still finding his own Israelite descent an almost insuperable bar to advancement, should diverge for a moment from the main current of his narration to consider the grounds of the disabilities to which the Hebrew race had been so long subjected in Christian Europe. He begins by reminding us that the Saxon, the Slav and the Celt have adopted most of the laws and many of the customs of the Jews, together with all the latter’s literature and all their religion. The former are, therefore, indebted to the Israelites for much that regulates, much that charms and much that solaces existence. The toiling multitude rest every seventh day by virtue of a Jewish law; they are perpetually reading, that they may be taught by example, the records of Jewish history; they are continually singing the odes and elegies of Jewish poets; and they daily acknowledge on their knees with reverent gratitude that the only medium of communication between the Creator and themselves is the Jewish religion. Yet, at the hour when Disraeli wrote, the Saxon, the Slav and the Celt were accustomed to treat that race as the vilest of generations; and, instead of looking upon them logically as the channel of human happiness, they were accustomed to inflict upon them every term of obloquy and every form of persecution. Had it not been for the Jews of Palestine the good tidings of our Lord would have been unknown forever to the northern and western races.

            “‘The first preachers of the Gospel were Jews, no others; the historians of the Gospel were Jews, no others. No human being has ever been permitted to write under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit except a Jew. They nursed the sacred flame of which they were consecrated and hereditary depositories. When the time was ripe to diffuse the truth among the Gentiles it was not a senator of Rome nor a philosopher of Athens who was personally appointed by our Lord for that office, but a Jew of Tarsus, who founded the seven churches of Asia. That greater church, great even amid its terrible corruption, that has avenged the victory of Titus by subjugating the capital of the Caesars and has changed every one of the Olympian temples into altars of the God of Sinai and of Calvary, was founded by another Jew, a Jew of Galilee. From all which Disraeli concludes that the dispersion of the Jewish race, preceding as it did for ages the advent of our Lord, could not be for conduct which occurred subsequent to his nativity, and that they are also guiltless of that subsequent conduct which has been imputed to them as a crime, since for him and his blessed name they preached and wrote and shed their blood, as witnesses.

            “‘Disraeli says: The creative genius of Israel, on the contrary, never shone so bright; and when the Russian, the Frenchman and the Anglo‑Saxon, amid applauding theaters or the choral voices of solemn temples, yield themselves to the full spell of a Mozart or a Mendelssohn, it seems difficult to comprehend how these races can reconcile it to their hearts to persecute a Jew. In the course of the same remarkable chapter Disraeli refers to the futility of persecution in the case of the Jew. Egyptian Pharaohs, Assyrian kings, Roman emperors, Scandinavian crusaders, Gothic princes and holy inquisi­tors have alike devoted their energies to the fulfillment of this common purpose. Expa­triation, exile, captivity, confiscation, torture on the most ingenious and massacre on the most extensive scale, and a curious system of degrading customs and debasing laws which would have broken the heart of any other people have been tried, and in vain!’

            “‘The Jews, after all this havoc, are probably more numerous at this late date than they were during the reign of Solomon the Wise, are found in all lands, and prospering in most. All which proves that it is in vain for man to attempt to baffle the inexorable law of nature, which has decreed that a superior race shall never be destroyed or absorbed by an inferior. Disraeli adds that all the tendencies of the Jewish race are conserva­tive. The bias of the Jews is toward religion, property and natural aristocracy. For which reason Disraeli pronounces it for the interest of statesmen that this bias of a great race should be encouraged and their energies and creative powers enlisted in the cause of the existing social orders. (Watchword)’“ (Reprints 3881, 3882, October 15, 1906).

            It is an appropriate supplement to the above to quote from the Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 3, p. 270:

            “Lord Shaftesbury of England said recently: ‘There is a great jealousy of that wonderful people who are now coming to the front. And what a sign of the times it is, that, wherever the Jews are, they are either the most prominent people to be persecuted, or the most prominent people to take a lead in all the various professions!’ A promi­nent citizen of Berlin was asked, ‘What is the history of this strong anti‑Jewish feel­ing which you have in Berlin and throughout Germany?’ He replied, ‘I will tell you: These Jews, if they go into commerce, become the first merchants; if they go into the banking line, they become the first bankers; if they go into law, they become the first lawyers; or if they go into literature, they beat us all. Whatever career they under­take, they drive out the Gentiles; and I tell you, sir, we won’t stand it.’“

            Alas, Disraeli’s efforts didn’t stop a Hitler, et al, although the Jewish Hopes still continue; and will continue until the fruition of their hopes is accomplished after this “Time of Trouble” upon all Gentile governments, which affects Palestine, and Jews in general. But God’s promises are sure, When they are replanted on their land they will NEVER be uprooted – even though it takes Jacob’s last trouble to bring them to the understanding of what God will do for them.

            “The attempt of the Law Covenant to bring forth the natural seed first was abortive – a failure. First must come the spiritual Christ, Head and Body, partaker of the Di­vine nature, heir of all things. Then God’s favor will return to natural Israel. But since the Law Covenant completed its purpose and was demonstrated to be unavailable for them, because of the weaknesses of the flesh, God purposes to make with that nation, and with that nation alone, a New Covenant. Not a single statement of Scripture identified the New Covenant with the Gentiles. [This eliminates the Campers Consecrated of the LHMM, as well as the Great Multitude of dedicated Jehovah’s Witnesses.] On the con­trary, it is Israel’s New Covenant given to displace the Old or Law Covenant. Let us note well that the great mass of the early Church were Hebrews and that the Apostle’s references to the New Covenant are almost exclusively in his epistle to the Hebrews. One exception is in Rom. 11:27, where the Apostle, although addressing Christians of Gentile birth, tells them that natural Israel was cast off for their sakes, but is still beloved for the fathers’ sake, and is again to have Divine favor, under a special coven­ant. The other (2 Cor. 3:6) refers to the royal priesthood as able (qualified) servants of the New Covenant – dying with Christ for its sealing. (Mal. 3:1)

            “The more closely we investigate the New Covenant, the more we must be convinced of this fact – that it belongs to Israel alone, including the two nations into which they divided at the death of Solomon – Israel and Judah. Note the statement of the Prophet, ‘Behold the days will come, saith the Lord, when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant [the Law Covenant] which I made with them when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt.’ (Jer. 31:31,32) The Apostle, endeavoring to prove to the Jews that they could gain nothing under the Law Covenant, points out this prophecy, and tells them that the fact that God speaks of this as a New Covenant implies that a preceding (Law) Covenant had become old, valueless, and was preparing to pass away – ‘In that he saith, a New Coven­ant, he hath made the first old; now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.’ (Heb. 8:13)

            “The Oath-bound Covenant Sure — Heb. 6:17-20: The New Covenant is to take the place of the old and unsatisfactory one. There were two old Covenants, the Grace, or Sarah Covenant, and the Law, or Hagar Covenant. Which did the Apostle mean had grown old, valueless, and would pass away and give place to the New Covenant? Surely there can be no doubt for misunderstanding on this point. He meant the Law Covenant, for he says so. He did not mean the original Grace or Sarah Covenant, for he points out that our claim to relationship to God is under the original covenant, as members of the Body of Christ, members of the bride of Christ, joint‑heirs with Him... They did not need to wait for the New Covenant, the provisions of which apply only to those on the earthly plane.

            “We come now to the other part of the question: What provision has God made for those Jews who bound themselves under the Law Covenant, from Moses’ day down to the First Advent; and for those who since then have not discerned the death of the Law Cov­enant and who will not be made aware of it until after the spiritual seed shall have been completed and glorified? If they have NOT LOST ALL SHARE AND PRIVILEGES IN CONNEC­TION with God’s special mercies, where do they come in? We answer that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others before the Law Covenant were not bound by it, yet were not in the ful­lest sense justified to life until the Abrahamic Covenant had been established at Calvary. Their faith, then, entitled them to a share in the merits of that sacrifice. Likewise throughout the period of the Law Covenant, before it was annulled at the cross, there were Ancient Worthies who lived above the masses of their time, and who, although bound by the law, had above it a living faith in the original Oath‑bound (Sarah) Covenant of Grace... Although they lived while the Law Covenant was alive, they foresaw its death and trusted not in it, but in the superior Covenant of Grace.

            “Thus the Scriptures account for the faithful ones of the past under the Covenant of Grace. But what now shall we say respecting those earthly Israelites, who lived not on that higher plane of faith, but of whom the Apostle says, ‘Our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come’ into this promise. (Acts 26:7) Were they all deceived? Will they get those special blessings?

            “God’s gifts and callings sure — Rom. 11:29-32: Nay, we answer, the gifts and call­ings of God are things not to be repented of. He who knew the end from the beginning knew exactly what Israel would be and do, and was not disappointed, and all of the plans and promises to that nation were made from the standpoint of this knowledge. Although the chief feature of the Sarah Covenant was secured by our Lord Jesus as a trophy of His victory over sin and death, and although He laid down His human nature completely to this end, nevertheless, the Divine arrangement is such that the blood of Christ, the merit of His sacrifice of earthly things, must accrue to the benefit of the natural seed of Abra­ham, because it all goes to seal the New Covenant, which belongs exclusively to fleshly Israel.

            “Thus while natural Israel had been counted enemies for our sakes, for the Gospel’s sake, our only opportunity for gaining the great prize is in connection with the sealing of a New Covenant between God and Israel. How beautifully the features of the Divine program balance! Their loss was our gain, and our gain through sacrifice becomes their gain; and, altogether, the Lord will be glorified!

            “The New Covenant will be the Law Covenant over again, only that it will have a better Mediator — The Christ, Head and Body, who will be able to make allowances for the imperfections of Israel’s heredity. The sins of the past will all be forgiven, their physical blemishes waiting for restitution. They will be dealt with according to what they are, allowances being made in each individual case, and each will be required to heed the voice of antitypical Moses. ‘And it shall come to pass that every soul which will not heed that Prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from amongst the people.’ (Acts 3:23)

            “Since God’s favors are thus marked out for the heavenly and earthly Seeds of Abra­ham, it follows that the blessings of other nations will come about through their affiliation with these. In other words, we may understand that the Divine government established in Israel in the hands of the Ancient Worthies will be the center of Divine favor, and the people of other nationalities must come to this center for their supplies of truth and grace. Thus the Prophet represents the matter, saying, ‘Many nations shall go and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain [kingdom] of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for the law shall go forth from Mount Zion [the spiritual kingdom] and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem [the center of the earthly kingdom].’ (Micah 4:2)

            “‘For this is my Covenant to them, when I shall take away their sins. As concern­ing the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes; but as touching the elect, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.’ (Rom. 11:27,28) There is no room to doubt that the Apos­tle here is referring to Israel’s covenant, the New Covenant, which God will make with them after this Gospel Day.” (Excerpts from Reprints 4319, 4320, 4321 and 4322, January 15, 1909)

            “This expression, New Covenant, is not used in connection with any others of mankind than the Jews, because it is not true that God will make a New Covenant with the remain­der of mankind. As the Apostle suggests, the word ‘New’ here implies a previous covenant which was counted Old, and this Old Covenant was not made with other nations or peoples than the Jews, of whom God declared that He ‘took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, which my covenant they brake.’ (Jer. 31:32) Hence, we should understand that all references to the New Covenant are references to God’s arrangement with the Jewish people to supplant the old arrangement under Moses, under the conditions of which they are still condemned and bound. By this new, substitutionary covenant, God will shortly release the Jews from the condemnation of the Old Covenant.

            “It will be in an incidental way that other nations will be granted the privilege of coming under the same laws and arrangements with natural Israel in the blotting out of sin and in being restored to the Divine image and thus to full harmony and fellowship and covenant relationship with God, which relationship all may maintain, if they will, throughout eternity.

            “We are not necessarily to understand the blotting out of sin to signify the blotting out of the recognition of sin. We may rather assume that through all eternity this great insurrection or rebellion — the reign of sin and death for over 6,000 years upon this earth – will be a standing lesson to all of God’s creatures throughout His universe. True, it is said of Israel, ‘Your sins and iniquities will I remember no more’ (Heb. 10:17), but this should be understood as signifying that their sins will be remembered no more against them in a condemnatory sense.” (Reprints 4659, August 1, 1910, excerpts from top, columns 1 and 2)

            “The Jewish Question: Some one may say, We do not see the Jews back in Jerusalem yet. Is Jerusalem still trodden down of the Gentiles? [Written in 1914] In re­ply, we ask, What do you think our Lord meant when He said that Jerusalem shall be trod­den down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled? Do you think that the walking over the stones and streets in Jerusalem was what the Lord meant by the tread­ing down of Jerusalem? If so, you were very foolish in your thought. Jerusalem repre­sents the Jewish polity, government, institution, people. The Jews had already been trodden down for centuries before our Lord’s remark – in fact, they were under the heel of the Romans at the time Jesus uttered those words; and they would continue to be under the dominion of those Gentile governments ‘until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.’ [More about the Gentile Times later in this article.]

            “Gradually the Jewish people have been emerging from their down‑trodden condition – ­persecuted for eighteen centuries. The time is here when the message has been and is still being delivered to them, as recorded in Isa, 40:1,2: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.’

            “This prophecy was fulfilled, as pointed out in the Studies in the Scriptures, in the year 1878; and ever since that time, the star of Judaism has been rising; the Jews have become more prosperous ever since, as they themselves realize. Nowhere have they been so prosperous as in the United States, where they have received their greatest blessings.” (Reprints 5568, col. 1, Nov. 1, 1914)

            One might say, even though they now have their own polity, government, etc., that they are still in much difficulty with the Gentile governments. And so they are, but it is not due to the fact that her “warfare” is not accomplished – as Israel is not now suffering because of her past sins. However, we are now in that great “Time of Trouble” in which the Gentile governments are being trodden down; and Israel is suffering the same as the rest of mankind during the process. But Jerusalem will never be completely trod­den down by Gentile governments, although she will have one last trouble during Anarchy, in which she will call upon the Lord, and He will fight her battles like in the days of yore. The Lord will hear their cry, and deliver her – and praise be to God, that will be the last of the great “Time of Trouble.” The next will be the inauguration of the New Covenant, in which the Jews will be the chief nation; in fact, by the end of the Kingdom, all will be part of that Jewish polity and will receive the blessings of the New Covenant, first made with the natural Jews. (Jer. 31:31 — also see Psa. 107:17‑20)

Now we will quote some from Pastor Russell’s Question Book:

“Question (1909) – Kindly give us some idea regarding the Jews returning to Palestine, and in what numbers are they returning, and is the land more produc­tive than it used to be?

“Answer – The Jews are not going back very rapidly, but they are making ready to go back, and the land is becoming more productive. The prospects are that the new Turkish government, which has a kind of control over Palestine, will be more favor­able to the Jews than the former Turkish government was, and so we look for something in that line before long.

            “You remember when we pointed out in the Dawns about the return of the Jews to Pal­estine, they themselves had not found it out. It is not coming as fast as we might have been inclined to expect. The Jews are to be re‑established in Palestine, not that all Jews that are in this country are going back, for many are better satisfied here. Those likely to go there are the ones called ‘orthodox’; and their hearts are turning toward Jerusalem. No doubt but that when the land shall be open to them, then Russia will thrust them out of their country, and they will then go back in large numbers.” (Bottom of p. 354, and top of p. 355)

            “‘Before I Was Afflicted I Went Astray’ (Psa. 119:67): During the ‘Seven Times,’ then, the Jews have had severe tribulation and discipline. All of God’s people, of every Age, have needed chastisements for their correction and development, some more and some less. God says to Spiritual Israel, ‘For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? If ye be without chastisement, then are ye bastards (spurious) and not sons.’ (Hebrew 12:8) And so it has been with the House of Servants, Natural Israel. Because they were God’s Covenant people, therefore He dealt with them; and He has real­ly given them, during these 2,520 years, experiences which will prove favorable to such of them as will incline to do right. Those bitter experiences proved so favorable that when Jesus came they, as a people, were the holiest in the world; and at that time they had suffered only a small portion of these ‘Seven Times.’

            “So we find that the preaching of the Gospel by our Lord and His Apostles found about five hundred of the Jews ready to believe and accept Jesus as Messiah. And soon afterwards, just after Pentecost, there were quite a number of thousands who believed. These, we are told, were Israelites indeed in whom there was no guile. It is very remarkable that there was so large a number in Israel ready to receive the Messiah. This would not have been the case had they not been passing through disciplinary experiences. These experiences were all such as would tend to keep them separate from the Gentiles, keep them from mixing with any of the peoples of the earth.

            “If the Jews had prospered under the various governments – Babylon, Medo‑Persia, Greece and Rome — they might have intermingled with these other peoples and have ceased to be Jews altogether. And the same is true of their prosperity since their national overthrow under Titus, AD 70. In God’s providence the Jews have continued to have such tribulations throughout this Gospel Age as to have kept them separate from the rest of the world; and thus their minds have been kept in that condition of humility in which they will be best prepared for the Lord’s service when the time of their complete restoration to favor shall come.

            “Our thought is that when the proper time arrives the Israelites will be more ready for the Kingdom than any other nation. The afflictions through which they have passed, their obedience to the Law, etc., will have prepared them for the Kingdom. We are not, therefore, to consider this long period of their suffering and affliction merely as tribulation, as punishment. For their ultimate good the Jews were to be trod­den down of the Gentiles until the full Gentile dominion.” (pp. 356, 357)

            ISRAEL’S DOUBLE – This article would not be complete without giving some explanation about Israel’s double. Four times in the Old Testament there is emphasis placed upon Israel’s double. One of these is Isa. 40:2: “She hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” The double in this text is from the Hebrew kephel, and means a thing folded in the middle, as when we fold a piece of paper exactly into two pieces, each half is exactly the same. This same double is given three other times in Isa. 61:7; Jer. 16:18 and Zech. 9:12. It is translated from the Hebrew mishneh; and means a second portion, a repetition. The words kephel and mishneh are not synonymous, although they are almost identical in meaning.

            Thus the question properly arises, What do these words mean in relation to Israel? They tell us Israel is to receive this double “for all her sins.” Thus, the double of punishment must apply to the double of favor which came to Israel. In Amos 3:2 we are told, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” When Moses read the Law to Israel at Sinai he gave them something no nation before or since ever received di­rectly from the Lord God. However, the Jews did not actually become a nation until the death of Jacob in 1812 BC, at which time they were banded together – the twelve tribes – as a unit; and God dealt with them as such. His blessing was with them so long as they tried to keep the Law Covenant, and they were punished when they failed to do so. But even those punishments were a blessing to them because they brought them to repentance and an earnest desire to have God’s favor once more.

            During all those years God dealt with them much as a father deals with his children. It should be stressed here that during all that time they never persecuted any of their heathen neighbors because of their religion; their wars were never because of that. But they shamefully mistreated their own prophets. Why? Because those prophets gave them stern reproof for their transgressions – truths which they would not hear. And Jesus reminded them of this in Matt. 23:31; Luke 11:49,50; 13:34. Then He told them God had finally sent them His own son – surely, they would hear Him! But what did they do? They crucified “the Lord of Glory.” Adding 1812 BC to AD 33 (their final and most shame­ful act) was a favorable period of 1845 years; and the texts we have given say they would receive a punishment of the same length of time; namely, 1845 years; and adding 1845 to 33 (the year of the crucifixion) would bring us to 1878 when their double of dis­favor would cease.

            And do we find this true? Most certainly, as we have pointed out, Disraeli gained for them concessions at the Berlin Congress of Nations which they had not previously enjoyed, although they had used their wealth, their keen intellects, even their armies, to secure such rights for 1845 years, but had been unable to so do. And since 1878 favor has been visibly returning to them; thus, they are now established as a nation once more in their beloved Canaan land, offering to our minds indisputable proof that “her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned.” (Isa. 40:2) And may our reader be strength­ened and encouraged by this “Present Truth.” (2 Pet. 1:12)

            Our Pastor has treated on the Jewish promises and prospects voluminously, and he was consistent in all he presented, as he gained his knowledge from God’s Word, and con­tinued therein until his demise. It is little wonder that many Jews have fondly called him their Pastor, as no other man since the days of the Apostles has done more for the Jews than he. It is our purpose to renew and revive as many of our brethren as we can reach, by reproducing the teachings of this wonderful man of God.

            “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” (Psa. 89:34) “O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” (Psa. 34:8)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint No. 341, November 1983)

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NO. 457: TAKE. MY BRETHREN, THE PROPHETS

No. 457

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

“Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.” (James 5:10) In discussing the Old Testament prophets we shall speak of them in one of their two divisions: There are four Major Prophets, and twelve Minor Prophets. The Majors are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel; and it is to these that we shall confine these articles. Also, we shall make only passing comment on the adversities of these great men, confining ourselves mainly to their ancestry, their work and their life.

ISAIAH

Much of what we shall write herein is taken from the works of a group of highly educated men ‑ heads of universities and the like ‑ but we shall refrain from quotation marks for convenience. One of these men says that Isaiah is the most distinguished of writing prophets who heralded the Assyrian crisis of the eighth century BC. The spiritual movement inaugurated by these inspired men, was, from the political point of view, an episode in the expansion of the Assyrian empire, and the breaking up of small nationalities in Western Asia. Of them all, Isaiah had the longest and most varied activity. His public career covered the last forty years of the century, being nearly coextensive with the successive reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in Judah. During all that time he watched the course of events with the keen eye of a statesman and the profound insight of a prophet, and adapted his message to the exigencies of a rapidly evolving situation. Hence it happens that while in the case of Amos and Hosea, and his younger contemporary Micah, a general acquaintance with the historical circumstances may suffice for the understanding of their writings, for any real comprehension of the work of Isaiah a close study of political developments is an indispensable preliminary.

A Striking Coincidence – The following is from Isaiah 2:5‑8: “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. Therefore thou has forsaken thy people the House of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east [the worldly wise], and are soothsayers like the Philistines [type of Christian sectarians in this Gospel Age]... Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses [animals of war], neither is there any end of their chariots [organizations of war]: Their land also is full of idols [they are interested in about everything except the Truth]; they worship the work of their own hands.”

Consider now the close similarity of the foregoing to Rev. 3:14‑20: “Unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans [present‑day church systems] write... I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing [this was certainly the attitude of Christendom from 1874 to 1914]... Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” As Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were vociferous in pronouncing the overthrow of both the houses of Israel, so was That Servant doing the same for Christendom prior to 1914.

But after 1914 Isaiah 1:8 is a most appropriate reference: “The daughter of Zion [type of Christendom] is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.” Here are suggested to the imagination of the Prophet a very striking illustration: The “night lodge,” a frail structure consisting of four poles stuck in the ground, with cross‑pieces supporting a couch, and a slight roof or awning overhead, was erected for the watchers who guarded the fruit or crop from thieves and wild animals ‑ like a besieged city, or watchtower.

And the prophets had to receive the scorn and ridicule of the “good people. in Israel – just as did That Servant during his ministry here in the end of the Age.

Back to the Prophet ‑ The material prosperity described above had resulted in an outburst of social evils, that seem inseparable from oriental government, is discussed on about every page of the prophet’s writings. In Israel it resulted in the creation of large landed estates and the expropriation of the race of peasant proprietors who had been the strength of the old Hebrew commonwealth. Writes the prophet, “Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!” (Isa. 5:8)

Great prosperity proved to be the downfall of all the universal empires; and it seems Israel should be included with that group. On the night that the Medes overthrew Babylon – whose streets were literally paved with gold – the king was eating and drinking himself drunken in the banquet hall, when that peculiar writing came on the wall: “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” (Dan.5:27) Much the same could be said of the Medes; then the Greeks under Alexander; then the Romans when their wealth had exceeded description.

When Isaiah began his prophetic work it is said there was systematic forms of abuse which turned the Law into an engine of robbery and oppression. “Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.” (Isa. 1:23) It is little wonder that they were eventually carried away to Babylon for seventy years – “until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths.” (2 Chron. 36:21) And when viewing this debauchery the prophet read the sure presage of a terrible day of reckoning and judgment close at hand.

But the forebodings of the prophet were not heeded by the ruling classes of Samaria or Jerusalem. In both capitals the prevailing spirit was one of optimism and careless security. It seems the politicians did not realize that their sudden good fortune was mainly due to the Assyrians being occupied elsewhere. But eventually the Jewish King Menahem was forced to give to the king of Assyria a bounty of a thousand talents of silver. (2 Kgs. 15:19)

When the Northern Kingdom was carried away (eventually becoming the ten lost tribes, because there is no reliable record what became of them), it put a real scare into King Hezekiah. He proceeded to strengthen the garrison at Jerusalem with a force of Arabian mercenaries. This and other actions that he took made a reconciliation with Assyria impossible, and brought upon him the full fury of Assyria’s vengeance. Note here the prophet’s summation: “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.” (Isa. 10:5,6)

The gory fulfillment of the above is graphically described in 2 Kgs. 25:5‑7, 19‑21: “They took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon... and they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon... They took the principal scribe of the host... and threescore men of the people... and the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah... So Judah was carried away out of their land.”

Here are some of the king of Babylon’s own words on this affair: “I captured 200,150 people, young, old, male and female, horses, mules, asses, camels, oxen and flocks without number, I brought out from their midst, and reckoned as spoil... I shut him up like a caged bird... the Arabs and his brave soldiers whom he had brought in for the defense of Jerusalem, his royal city, took to flight.” They took also all the holy vessels of the temple, including the ark, which has never been recovered; and there is some talk that it may have been hidden in some cave, and will yet be found. A sorry end indeed for God’s “chosen people”!

Isaiah’s Vision – Going back now to sometime before the terrible defeat, we mention the vision that came to Isaiah in Isa. 37:21‑35. The spiritual truths impressed on the prophet’s mind by this memorable experience are those which we shall see unfolded throughout his whole subsequent ministry. As of now, it is enough to say that the vision left on Isaiah’s mind an abiding sense of the reality of Jehovah’s power and presence in the midst of His people, and the consciousness of a life‑long mission to be discharged in His service. His eyes had seen the King, Jehovah of hosts. The alacrity with which he offered himself for this work, without knowing in the least what it might involve, is an indication of the ardent temperament of the man, which contrasts strikingly with the hesitation of another prophet at a similar moment in his experience. (See Isa. 6:8; Jer. 1:16)

It must have been soon after that vision that a son was born to Isaiah whom he named Shear‑Yashub (“Remnant will turn”), thus giving expression to a distinctive element of his teaching, viz., the conviction that there was in Israel an indestructible spiritual kernel which would survive the impending judgment, and form the nucleus of the new people of God. That Isaiah quickly gained a hearing, and made good his position as the exponent of a definite religious conception of national policy is clearly apparent from several incidents of his appearance in public life.

Here it is convenient to divide Isaiah’s ministry into four periods, which although very unequal in length are marked each by features peculiar to itself. (1) The first period extends from the death of Uzziah to the beginning of the reign of Ahaz. (2) The second is the critical time of the Syro‑Ephramite invasion. (3) In the third the center of interest is the fall of Samaria. (4) The fourth is the period of anti‑Assyrian intrigue at Jerusalem, culminating in the invasion and deliverance at that time.

At that time the social state of Judah was very similar to that of North Israel in the days of Amos, and Isaiah deals with the evils of the age in the spirit of his predecessor. From the arrangement of his discourses his criticism becomes more incisive and discriminating as time goes on. In Chapter 2 of his book his attention is directed to the outstanding evidences of ungodliness and worldly pride in the still prosperous country of Judah. Idolatry, superstition, trust in wealth and warlike resources, which Isaiah declares can be purified by contact with the “Holy One of Israel.” Then in Chapter 3 he touches on the social evils, the oppression and injustice practiced by the rich and powerful on the poor, and the luxurious fashions of the women of Jerusalem. Later he comments on the sins of action and of thought characteristic of the upper class and the lawless extension of landed estates, their drinking festivities, their unjust judgments, their heedlessness of Jehovah’s working, mocking and defiant skepticism and perversion of moral distinctions, and the prevalent delusion that Jehovah could be propitiated by costly and elaborate ritual without regard to the character and conduct of the worshipers.

His descriptions of the coming judgment exhibit all the qualities of his powerful and versatile genius. Indeed, he is probably properly described as “the gentleman of the Old Testament.”

His forecast of coming events that he proclaimed at the time of the Syro‑Ephraimic war were remarkably verified in the subsequent history of Judah. It may be in order here to state that the Higher Critics in the past 150 years have attempted to discredit much of what Isaiah wrote, which they judge with the wisdom of this world, rather than relying upon the words of 2 Pet. 1:21: “Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” Thus they often spoke in the present tense concerning future events (“God calleth those things which be not as though they were.” – Rom. 4:17”); and the skeptics try to make capital of such statements. The 53rd Chapter of Isaiah is an excellent example of such a statement.

It is readily apparent from what Isaiah wrote that he is one of the outstanding intellects of all time; and his great enlightenment by the Holy Spirit gives added brilliance and inspiration to his book. He had attracted to himself at that time a band of men known as “disciples” – apparently much the same as Jesus also did – and this could represent the most influential phase of his activity. The history of religions shows that the most enduring of all spiritual influences are those communicated through the close fellowship of a great personality with a limited number of susceptible minds – through the relation of master and disciples. This was outstandingly true of Jesus. “When they perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)

Isaiah’s great ability with satire, his scathing criticism of the Jewish deflection, and his evasion of the Jewish aristocracy eventually caused him to be “sawn asunder.” (Heb. 11:37)

The fate of Samaria apparently profoundly affected the public mind in Judah; and it probably gave a new direction to Isaiah’s own thoughts of the future. The extinction of the kingdom of the Ten Tribes – by far the larger and the stronger of God’s people offered the most impressive vindication that had as yet occurred of the prophetic interpretation of Providence; and especially so of the truth of Isaiah’s predictions. In no way had he exaggerated the awful fate of the northern kingdom. The proud boast of the Assyrian could not but strike terror in the hearts of the people of Judah: “Shall I not, as I have done to Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?” (Isa. 10:11) If Jehovah had failed to avert the doom of Israel, what assurance was there any longer that He would or could protect the smaller Judah?

Isaiah had correctly foreseen the annihilation of Samaria; and he had predicted further judgment upon Judah. However, he foresaw the eventual “Kingdom of God”; but we may be certain he did not see that Kingdom with anything like the clarity with which we now see it. Now comes the last and most eventful stage of his career, as he stood alone in opposition to the anti‑Assyrian party that had ascendance in the royal council. The nations about Judah were forming a confederacy against the Assyrians; and it showed a much better chance of success than did Samaria; but Isaiah foresaw and proclaimed the failure of this effort also. Judah was leaning toward Egypt for assistance; and the prophet told them: “Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not by me... that go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth... to trust in the shadow of Egypt. Therefore, shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame.” (Isa. 30:1‑3; 31:1; 36:6‑9) The prophet severely criticized all effort to gain political salvation by human wisdom, and the help of heathen states.

However, his later statements were very much modified, as he recognized the arrogant offense that the Assyrian committed against the majesty of Jehovah, and that his humiliation was sure to follow such flagrant audacity. Thus he encouraged Judah’s king that their Great God would exact vengeance upon the Assyrians. Thus the prophet never wavered. His confidence remained unshaken, when all around him had become paralyzed with fear. To Isaiah Jehovah was “The Holy One of Israel.” Also, he conceived Israel as the “community” in which Jehovah reveals himself as He truly is, and by which His character as the Holy One is to be recognized, and exhibited to the world. The prophet’s one thought was “to sanctify the Lord of Hosts.” But his expression of Israel’s king was just about everything that a king should not be – which did not make him popular with the king, of course.

The operation of the Holy Spirit on Isaiah’s mind caused him to see Israel that would be in the distant future – when God’s kingdom would be established in the earth – but he applied it to his day, which naturally befogged his judgment for that time, and which caused him to conclude that “Zion” would be spared in the coming judgment of the nation in general. Thus he wrote, “The Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of His people shall trust in it.” (Isa. 14:32) And further, “Jehovah has laid a foundation stone in Zion, and He that believeth shall not be ashamed.” (Isa. 28:16)

THE CHARACTER AND GENIUS OF ISAIAH

The possibilities of the prophetic office are nowhere more splendidly illustrated than in the career of Isaiah. More remarkable than any one feature of his make‑up, rarely found in one individual, is the balance and harmonious working of his writings and efforts. He speaks of himself as being in the grasp of the Divine hand (Isa. 8:11); and of Jehovah of Hosts as revealed “in his ears” (Isa. 22:14). Never perhaps has there been another prophet like Isaiah, who stood with his head in the clouds and his feet on the solid earth, with his heart in the things of eternity and a mouth and head in the things of time, with his spirit in the eternal counsel of God and his body in a very definite moment of history. No other Old Testament writer has the same power of picturesque and graphic description, or has at command such a variety of distinct and vivid impressions from nature. The forest conflagration, the inundating flood of waters, the earthquake, furnish him with emblems, strikingly effective, of the final catastrophe in which the existing order of things is to perish.

As a master of style Isaiah is supreme among the prophets. While others seem conscious of the labor of expression, he wields the resources of the language with the ease and dexterity of a perfect artist in words. There is an astonishing directness and sureness of touch in his phrase, as of one who knows when he had hit the mark and does not need to strike a second time. The high level of literary excellence maintained in the prophecies depends largely on the fact that they faithfully preserve (though doubtless with some elaboration) all the effects of the spoken word. The style is one obviously formed for the purposes of the orator, who must carry his audience with him at the moment, trusting nothing to a sustained effort of attention on their part. Hence it is absolutely free from affectations and obscurities; and even the fondness for paronomasia which is often attributed to Isaiah is really shown very sparingly and never without telling oratorical effect. It would hardly be possible to characterize the style of Isaiah better than by the statement of one writer, referring to the qualities of Homer’s genius: Plainness of thought, Plainness of style, Nobleness, and Rapidity. And each of these terms may be applied to Isaiah. In this case the style is the man; and in the plainness and nobleness, and rapidity of Isaiah’s recorded discourses we read the signature of the glowing and impetuous nature, the lucid intellect, and the quick decision of character which made this prophet so great a force in the history of his time.

The more we consider the Prophet Isaiah the more we are impressed with the superior quality of his mind. We would classify him as one of the greatest in human history. Gibbon, an unbeliever, has classified the Book of Job as the greatest piece of literature in existence today; and we would include the Prophet Isaiah in his company.

The Prophet emphasizes the God of Israel – His greatness, His oneness, His strength – in contrast with the heathen gods that infested Palestine and the surrounding country at that time. God is magnified in His greatness, His strength in contrast to the worthless visionary gods of the heathen roundabout. His writings were undoubtedly prompted in large part to the fact that Israel had gone after Baal and other fictional deities, which the Prophet decried in no uncertain terms. In Isa. 8:10 there is this: “Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word [of the heathen gods], and it shall not stand: for God is with us.” Again in 37:16: “Thou art the God, even thou alone.” No multiplicity of Gods in the faith of Isaiah. This is further stressed in Chapters 44, 45 and 46. Our God is also the stronghold of Zion, whence cometh His Law.

The Jews greatly resented these expressions, which were indirectly a proper criticism of them; and they mishandled the Prophet in shameful fashion – so much so that tradition has it that they actually sawed him “asunder.” (Heb. 11:37) But it is well worthy of note here that subsequent generations of Jews held Isaiah in reverential awe; and fully accepted his expressions that the God of Israel was in Zion – and Zion would stand forever. That is why the Jews clung so tenaciously to Jerusalem under the devastating attacks of the Roman Emperor Titus in the year AD 70. At that time they could not understand that the great and precious promises concerning Zion were yet in the far distant future, many of which promises were to be considered figuratively and not literally, as the Jews then attempted to do.

Many professed Christians make the same mistake today; and the superb quality of the Prophet’s writings have provided a Roman Holiday for the Higher Critics – some of whom capitalize on the 53rd Chapter of his book (which is written in the present tense) and say the Prophet could not possibly have written that because Jesus did not appear until many hundreds of years after the Prophet was dead. Therefore, that part of his book must have been written by another. Of course, these people ignore completely St. Paul’s words that “God considers those things that are not as though they were” taking place in the immediate present.

Much of this article is taken from the writings of others, but we stand amazed at the glowing tribute and high esteem in which he is held by others than ourselves. The time and manner of his death are not known with certainty; but doubtful Jewish tradition affirms that he was martyred by Manasseh, having been sawn asunder, and the supposition is that Heb. 11:37 alludes to the manner of his death. The supposition is that he did not live through his 80th year.

His life’s experience and remarkable mental brilliance bear a striking resemblance to the history of That Servant; and we receive a great mental uplift from the known story of their lives. Truly, the words of Jesus apply to both of them: “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matt. 13:43) Further from the words of Jesus: “0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and yet ye would not!” n (Matt. 23:37)

A BEAUTIFUL KINGDOM PORTRAYAL

Our treatise on Isaiah would not be complete without mentioning Isaiah, Chapter 35, as it gives us one of the finest descriptions of the coming Kingdom of God that is to be found anywhere in the Bible; so we now embellish this article with a brief resume of it:

“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them [the resurrected world of mankind]; and the desert shall blossom as the rose... the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it... they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God... Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: Behold your God cometh... with a recompense; He will come and save you.

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped [both literally and figuratively. “The knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth.” – Isa. 11:9]... In the wilderness [this present evil world] shall waters [especially “the water of life.] break out.

“An highway shall be there... It shall be called the way of Holiness [no evil or ignorance will be found there]; the unclean [the sinners – Acts 3:23] shall not pass over it [their uncleanness shall be washed away – Acts 3:19: “Your sins shall be blotted out”]; the wayfaring men, though fools [“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” – Psa. 14:1] shall not err therein [be led astray by deceptive error]... The Ransomed of the Lord shall return [from the grave – “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.” John 5:28,29)... with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads... and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Rev. 21:4, 5: “There shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he [God] said unto me, Write, for these words are true.”

“Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet. 1:21) However, they wrote mechanically, often not understanding what they wrote. “I heard, but I understood not.” (Dan. 12:8) We do not claim to write by inspiration; but we do believe we have the Holy Spirit sufficiently to understand now much of what the prophets did not understand. “The words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” (Dan. 12:9)

The evidences are many that we are now in “the time of the end.” That the time of the end is not a 24‑hour day is readily apparent. It is a period of time, beginning in 1799, and will yet continue for some years. During this time it is recorded that “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Dan. 12:4)

Aside from the printing press, gunpowder and the wheel, no notable inventions came until after 1799. In 1804 came the first Bible Society, which engaged in extensive distribution of the Bible. Then came “Fulton’s Folly” – the first steamboat – in 1807. Next the steam engine in 1813. In 1874 the first commercial typewriter; then the telephone and the electric light. Then the automobile; the airplane in 1903, followed quickly by the fine inventions of much useful machinery in agriculture, in construction, etc., with tremendous improvement in the printing press, computers, etc., etc.

It is our fond hope that this treatise of Isaiah will appeal to our readers. “Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” (Psa. 97:11) “He that hath an ear, let him hear.” (Rev. 2:7)

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

(Reprint No. 323, May 1982)

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QUESTION OF GENERAL INTEREST

QUESTION – In 1 Timothy 3:16 St. Paul says, “Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness.” Does he mean by this that we should avoid controversy in our witness of the Truth?

ANSWER – If St. Paul meant what the questioner seems to think, then he directly contradicts himself in other places. In 2 Timothy 3:16 St. Paul says one of the four cardinal purposes of inspired Scripture is “for reproof [for refuting]”; and he says in Philippians 1:17, “I am set for the defense of the gospel.” Jesus Himself certainly engaged in much controversy for the Truth during His ministry on earth. The King James version offers a very poor and misleading translation in the words “without controversy.” The Diaglott renders it “confessedly great” – that is, “without any doubt,” or “no room for argument or chance of successful dispute.”

“The Mystery of Godliness,” which St. Paul says is “confessedly great” is the fact that the Christ is a composite company, consisting of many members – “Christ in you the hope of glory.” This has been a great mystery completely hidden from the world of mankind in general during this Gospel Age. It is one of those things which “the natural man receiveth not.” (1 Cor. 2:14)

It is one of the great paradoxical expressions of the Bible that God’s people are “Sons of peace,” that they should “seek peace and pursue it”; yet they are fighting a great part of their time as “good soldiers.” Their fighting for the Truth is not a matter of natural choice with them, as all of them would much prefer that all men everywhere receive the Truth in meekness and rejoicing; but the “god of this world” has blinded the minds of many, so that the true followers of Jesus have been forced to “fight the good fight” if they would be faithful in the covenants they have made. Hear the words of Jesus in Luke 12:51‑53, Dia.: “Do you imagine that I am come to give peace in the land? I tell you, No; but rather division. For from this time, five in one house will be divided; three against two, and two against three: a father against a son, and a son against a father; a mother against the daughter, and a daughter against the mother.” And it has been the Truth – and the Truth alone – that has caused controversy and divisions.

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LETTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Sister Emily: Greetings in our dear Lord’s precious Name!

Thank you so very much for the most welcome first letter dated April 8. Your letter and paper (No. 372) do so much to remind me what a blessed privilege it is merely to know of God’s irrevocable plan of salvation for the human race – and then to consider that God has invited us to participate in this grand process boggles the human mind.

I have often thought about the moments in the age to come when every human being will be privileged to perceive God and Jesus Christ clearly and their love for humanity and to realize there will be a resurrection for all who have died in Adam. What a joyous moment that will be! “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” (Romans 15:21; Isaiah 52:15)

Dear Sister, I have in Greek all the Bible Studies of Brother Russell (6 Volumes), a book of his sermons and the “Heavenly Manna.” These are my daily luxury. On the other hand, I have read on page 7 of your paper about the book, “About Pastor C. T. Russell.” I would like to please ask you to send a copy of this book with a complete list of your publications. Also, if possible, send me please all the back papers of the last few years and let me know the cost.

I am very glad to receive your first kind letter with your interesting spiritual paper. Praise the Lord, it’s very encouraging for me to hear every time about all my dear brethren everywhere and specially about his spiritual activities in God’s field and his growth in Christ.

Thanks for your cooperation. My warm Christian love to all brethren there.

Yours in His service, ------- (GREECE)

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Dear Sister Emily: Greetings in the dear Name of our Redeemer and Savior!

Thank you for your letter of March 14, 1994 and paper No. 372. From mid‑March to April 10, my wife and I were in travel to U.S. and Canada, and I did not answer yours earlier.

For eleven days in the States, we were staying at The Bible Students Retirement Center, Portland, Oregon, where we met and talked with many brethren.

One brother came to Japan five times, and in the last two visits we attended the Bible Study Class – not all of the days as it was held in Tokyo, ten hours by bus from Osaka. It was five years ago we first met him and other Japanese brethren.

Until that time, we were members of the United Church of Christ in Japan. They hold traditional doctrines such as Trinity, Immortal Soul, Eternal Torment in Hell, etc., etc. When we first met the Truth, we were surprised and shocked. Later we met many U.S. brethren, mostly The Dawn group in Phoenix, San Diego and Columbus.

Last year two U.S. brethren came to Japan and stayed at our house in part of their itineraries. We had a nice study and fellowship. We also attended The General Convention last year in Newberg, Oregon.

As most of the Japanese brethren, we live isolated and do not have meetings regularly. Sometimes we go to the church in our neighborhood to have Christian fellowship.

Ransom, Sin‑Offering and New Covenant are still difficult to understand. We are studying these almost everyday. Fortunately, my wife and I are retired now and have some time for the study. Your continued guidance to us is appreciated.

Sincerely in Christ, ------- (JAPAN)

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Epiphany Bible Students Association:

I have come under the influence of the Jehovah Witnesses, but have not officially joined or been baptized.

I am writing to your group because, after much research, I feel uneasy about joining the Witnesses. My research has led me to your group, which may have the full answers for me.

Would you send me any information you have as to your differences with the Jehovah Witnesses.

Thank you, ------- (OHIO

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