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Seven Stages
Two Silver Trumpets "Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps" (Numbers 10:2).David Rice Numbers, chapter 10, begins a second large sequential segment of the book that takes us to chapter 22. In these chapters we have another consecutive symbolic representation of the Gospel Age, as in the first nine chapters. However, in this larger and more detailed view of the Gospel Age, we have separate pictures for each of the seven stages of the Church that are also depicted in Revelation chapters two and three. Chapter Ten The two silver trumpets God directed Israel to make were used by priests to call the assembly for special purposes — for prompting the host for travel, for gathering troops for war, for calling special assemblies, and for announcing Israel’s feasts and celebrations. Silver is sometimes used in the Scriptures to represent the words of God as pure, refined, bright, and precious. "The words of Jehovah are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" (Psalms 12:6). Our source for the Word of God comes in two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. Evidently, these two parts are depicted by the symbol of the two silver trumpets. As they were used by priests, so the Scriptures are used with most effect by consecrated Christians, who are called to be "priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6). Already, these called ones do a priestly work in the sense of bringing others to redemption in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20, 1 Peter 2:5). Their priestly service in heavenly glory, to-ward the world durng the Millennial Kingdom, will be even more expansive. Revelation chapters 8 through 11 depict the blowing of a series of seven trumpets by divinely provided "angels," or messengers, to give direction and purpose to God’s people during the Gospel Age. It is this kind of service that evidently is represented by the two silver trumpets. It is the Word of God that gives us direction, arouses us to spiritual warfare, [1] and moves us along in our progress from camp to camp — that is, from condition to condition — on our way to our heavenly Canaan.The two silver trumpets became complete through the writing of the apostles [2] and was completed with the writings of John, an aged apostle when he received the vision of Revelation while banished to the isle of Patmos late in the reign of Domitian (Roman emperor from 81 to 96 AD). Thus, this was mostly the product of the first stage of the Church. The New Testament, the second silver trumpet, is composed of five historical books (four Gospels plus Acts), followed by 14 epistles of Paul, seven "catholic" or universal epistles (by Peter, James, Jude, and John), and Revelation.Complaint about Manna Numbers chapter eleven is mostly consumed with an account about the Israelites murmuring against the manna, and the consequences of this. This manna, "bread from heaven," sustained the Israelites when they were in need, and when they first received it, it was greatly appreciated. They likened its taste to wafers made with honey (Exodus 16:31), two symbols that each, on other occasions, connect to the lofty privileges of the high calling. [3]But that was early in Israel’s sojourn in the wilderness. With time, even something once considered delightful can get old, customary, and deprecated. So it can be even with the glorious hopes we have of the "High calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14), the most wonderful privilege ever to be offered to the sons of men. The Christian life is often an ordinary life, lived in an extraordinary way — lived with Christian principles guiding and directing in the midst of mundane experiences. Before Jesus began his ministry at age 30, he no doubt lived an exemplary life, but one involved in the normal responsible duties of life — earning a living, supporting his mother and younger siblings, and attending regular synagogue worship. So it is with most Christians. However, in the normal experiences of life are great opportunities for patiently acquiring, and expressing, the qualities of responsibility, faithfulness, dutiful discharge of obligations, providing an honest day’s work for reasonable remuneration, raising the family, and the various affairs incident to daily life. If these are discharged with Christian grace, with a charitable spirit, with honesty, with integrity, these are excellent ways of expressing Christian principles and Christian character. Even the practice of our faith can be wearisome, compared with what our natural attractions might be. Will we tire of this, as the Israelites tired of their daily manna? Actually, the ones initiating the complaints, according to Number 11:4, were "the mixt multitude that was among them." Those most prone to complain against the common experiences of the Christian life may be those in the Christian world that have not decided to commit themselves to God in an intelligent consecration of themselves and their lives to our Heavenly Father. These lessons are timely for all of God’s people at any time during the Gospel Age (1 Corinthians 10:6). However, to the second stage of the Church, Smyrna, Jesus particularly noted "the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews [spiritual Israelites], and are not" (Revelation 2:9). These are the tare class, not true Christians who live Christian principles, but a class picture by the "mixt multitude" that included more than only Israelites. This was a period of time in which many came into the Christian fold that were not committed to the principles of Christ. [4]In this respect, the lesson of the mixt multitude appears in the proper sequence — episode two counting from the Silver trumpets of chapter 10 — to connect to the second stage of the Church. The Jealousy of Miriam The third narrative in this sequence is about Miriam and Aaron complaining against Moses for more recognition as representatives of God. "Hath Jehovah indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And Jehovah heard it" (Numbers 12:2). For this offense Miriam was smitten with leprosy, but by Moses’ intervention, she was cleansed after seven days. Being the third narrative in this sequence suggests that there may be a lesson relevant to the third period of the Church, Pergamos, from 325 AD until the days of Waldo in about 1157. [5] During this time, the church nominal formed a hierarchy and structure that valued organization and power over Christian principles and Godly living. The sinful propensities of earthly ambitions took root, represented by the leprosy that struck Miriam (Numbers 12:10). Persons motivated with this kind of pride and quest for position will not be among the overcomers granted to reign with Christ in glory. However, they will be cleansed of their sin during the Millennial Kingdom, that follows after the "seven days" of the Gospel Age (Numbers 12:14, 15).Refusing Their Godly Heritage Numbers chapters 13 and 14 comprise one narrative. It is about the refusal of the Israelites to go forward into the land of promise and fight for it, with God’s blessing. Twelve spies were sent out, representing 12 tribes. All of the spies agreed upon the goodness of the land promised to them. However, 10 of them discouraged the Israelites from proceeding, for fear of the difficulties — tall, walled cities, and large men. Two of the 12 reported with faith, that in spite of whatever apparent obstacles there were, God would surely provide the victory for Israel if they went forward in faith. The two of faith were Caleb and Joshua. But the Israelites would not heed them, and refused to proceed. As a consequence, God sentenced the Israelites to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. [6] Thus, that generation of Israel forfeited the inheritance God appointed for them, and that inheritance passed on to their children. So too it was in the darkest part of Church history. During the Thyatira period of the Church, the church nominal turned aside from heavenly values and spiritual hopes, and failed to fight the good fight of faith to overcome the enemies within themselves. Instead, they succumbed to the temptation of earthly rulership, status, and goals. In doing this, they abandoned the course of faith and thus forfeited any possible spiritual life. Of course they will have an opportunity in the Millennial Kingdom for life again, but they will have lost the chief opportunity, the heavenly prize, and all the heavenly blessings that accrue to the saints who patiently toil to place the virtues of Christ within their breast, and bring forth fruit to the honor of God. The fact that the rebellious spies were 10 in number reminds us how Revelation depicts the systems that supported nominal Christianity during the dark ages. In Revelation 17, the nominal church, under the symbol of a harlot (unfaithful to our heavenly bridegroom), rode upon a beast of 10 horns. In Revelation 13, Papacy is depicted as a beast having 10 horns. In Daniel chapter two, the nominal Christian world is depicted as having 10 toes, composed of iron (political power) mixed with clay (nominal ecclesiastical power). Picking up Sticks Numbers chapter 15 speaks about some of the ordinances relating to burnt offerings. Burnt offerings were one of five kinds of offerings itemized in the opening chapters of Leviticus — namely, burnt offerings, meal offerings, sin offerings, peace offerings, and trespass offerings. The lambs that were offered daily in the temple, morning and evening, were burnt offerings, and these lambs represented the ransom sacrifice of Jesus that would be given centuries later. This connection associates burnt offerings with the ransom, and this association is further deepened by some of the specifics that Leviticus stipulates about burnt offerings. For example, Leviticus 1:7,8, tell us that the burnt offering was to be put directly upon the wood that was used to consume it — whereas other offerings were to be placed upon the burnt offering that preceded them (see Leviticus 3:5). The wood of the cross is probably represented by the wood on which the burnt offering was laid, and Jesus’ death on the cross provided the ransom price for our redemption. As wood was laid on the back of Isaac at Mount Moriah, so Jesus’ cross was laid upon his back as he trudged up Calvary’s hill to his crucifixion (Genesis 22:6, John 19:17). During the Reformation, the foundation teaching unpinning the work of Martin Luther was justification by faith in the redemption brought by the death of Jesus. This was a beginning of restoring the Ransom doctrine that has formed the backbone also of the Truth Movement during the Harvest. Martin Luther began this reclamation, and Pastor Russell carried the work forward by explaining more precisely the philosophy of the Ransom and how the features of God’s Plan of the Ages are connected to, and depend upon the ransom. [7]In Numbers 15:32 is recorded an episode about one of the Israelites gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. He was apprehended, and the matter was brought to Moses, and through him to God, who judged that the man would forfeit his life for this act of presumptuous sin. As sticks are wood, but a feeble substitute for the heftier wood of the cross, perhaps the gathering of sticks represents the effort of some seeking to escape from the curse by mundane activities rather than by faith in the work of Christ. [8] For example, this might include paying for indulgences, doing penances, confessionals, reciting the rosary, worshipping relics, idols, or depictions of supposed saints. None of these will provide relief from the curse. Only faith in Christ’s atoning work will provide this for us.In Hebrews chapter four, the Apostle Paul applies the Sabbath day rest of the Israelites as a picture of our rest from dead works, and trusting instead in our faith in Christ. The man gathering sticks in Numbers 15:32 did not respect the sanctity of the Sabbath day. Perhaps he represents those who do not rest by faith in the accomplished work of Christ but who seek out independent means of redemption. As the man in the narrative lost his life, so in the antitype, any individual disposed to bypass Christ’s sacrifice loses any prospect of spiritual life. The Rebellion of Korah The next major prophetic milestone following the Reformation was the French Revolution, during the sixth period of the Church. In this revolution, Papacy was brought low and suffered judgment from God for the travesties that she committed against the saints, and for presumptuously and incorrectly claiming to represent God and Christ. They claimed that salvation was precluded for anyone except through their Church and their priests, and that the Pope was the vicar, or representative, of Jesus himself. This spirit is perhaps indicated in the rebellion of Korah. God had selected Moses as his prophet, and declared His choice without ambiguity at the time of Miriam’s sin (Numbers 12:5-8). God was very clear that Aaron and his sons would constitute Israel’s priesthood (Leviticus 8:2), and other Levites would serve lesser, supportive rules (Numbers 8:13). Korah, however, dismissed these clear expressions of God’s choice and vaunted himself and his clan forward as though they should be of equal glory to God’s chosen ones. Korah was "the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath" (Numbers 16:1). Izhar was the brother of Amram, the father of Moses and Aaron. Thus, Korah was of the same clan as Moses, that is, of the Kohath clan (the others being Gershon and Merari, the other two sons of Levi). Perhaps this familial closeness to the leadership of Israel encouraged Korah to make his presumptuous move. He gathered 250 others with him, a large contingent, to make their case, with the implication that they had sufficient backing to force their will in the matter (Numbers 16:2). Among this contingent were "princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown." This was no small matter. So too was the assumption by nominal Christianity of the prerogatives that really resided with the spirit-led people of God. Their presumptuous assertion of authority is depicted by Korah’s rebellion. That also was no small matter. That rebellion caused untold grief, persecution, and injustice against the righteous during the age. God ended Korah’s rebellion with a mighty earthquake, which caused the earth to open and swallow the band of offenders. Not all of the rebellious spirit was thus stopped. The narrative shows that more complaints against Moses and Aaron followed. But the strength of the rebellion was checked. Likewise was the strength of the presumptuous Church State arrangement checked during the French Revolution, which is depicted in Revelation 6:12 as a "great earthquake" which caused the "stars of heaven" to fall and "heaven" to depart "as a scroll" (Revelation 6:13, 14). Aaron’s Rod that Budded To clarify with whom the authority of the priesthood rested, God in Numbers chap- ter 17 instructed the tribes of Israel to each provide a rod, and Aaron would likewise provide a rod. These would be laid up "in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony ... and it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom," and by this means all murmuring about who is God’s real priesthood would be settled (Numbers 17:2-5). Of course, it was Aaron’s rod that budded. As a picture of greater things, this fits the seventh stage of the Church, for it is during this stage that the Church blossoms in glory, and when this process is complete, it will become apparent to the world that the elect Church, the Bride class, is indeed God’s chosen agency for the priestly service of recovering the world back to Him. Thus in Revelation 20:6, the Church serves as "priests of God and of Christ" during their reign of a thousand years. The rod used was an almond rod, for it "brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds" (Numbers 17:8). The almond tree blooms early in the growing season. In fact, the word "almond" in Hebrew is from Strong’s number 8247, shaqed, which is derived from a root that is translated "hasten" (Strong’s number 8245, shaqad.) Thus, in Jeremiah 1:11, 12, an almond rod is a sign from God that "I will hasten my word to perform it." The first fruitage from among mankind will be the elect church class, blossoming beyond the vail in the first resurrection before any others. Thus, the almond tree is a fitting symbol of the elect Church, through which others will be blessed subsequently.What Follows? We have seen seven narratives in sequence that link in an engaging way to the seven periods of the Church through the Gospel Age. What appears to follow, in Numbers chapter 18 and forward, are narratives that pertain to the Millennial Age, following the completion of the Church. Chapter 18 — This chapter lists the various offerings that Aaron and his sons, the priesthood of God, would receive from the Israelites. This evidently pictures that the Church class, in glory, will receive offerings from the world, on behalf of God whom the Church will serve and represent to the world.Chapter 19 — In this chapter we have the provision of the ashes of a red heifer, used for purifying the Israelites from sin. Brethren often consider the red heifer to represent the Ancient Worthies, who, from the residue of their life’s experiences (ashes, what remains of a consumed sacrifice), will assist the world in cleansing themselves from sin. [9] How appropriate for the Ancient Worthies to appear here, in symbol, just after the completion of the Church is symbolized, as the work of the Millennial Kingdom commences.Chapter 20 — This chapter opens highlighting the need of the Israelites for water, just as the world will need the river of the water of life during the Kingdom. In verses 7 and 8 God tells Moses to speak to the rock, and it will give the needed water. This is different than a similar experience decades earlier, when Moses was told to smite a rock in order for it to yield water (Exodus 17:6). Here are depicted two different ages of redemption. For the first one, the Gospel Age, it was necessary for Jesus to die in order for the water of life to come to us. However, at the introduction of the Millennial Kingdom, it will only be necessary to "speak" to the rock, Christ, for the water to flow out to bless the world (Revelation 22:1).So far we have the Church and the Ancient Worthies indicated in symbol, but we are missing one class that will also operate in the Kingdom on behalf of mankind, namely, the Great Company class. Recall that they did appear in chapter eight of Numbers, in the earlier sequence. Are they missing here? Perhaps not. Numbers 20:25-29 record the close of Aaron’s ministry, and the transfer of the priesthood to Eleazar. This depicts in symbol the close of Jesus’ priestly service to the spirit begotten of the present age, and the assumption of priestly duties for the world during the Millennium. The last of the spirit begotten to go beyond the vail will be the Great Company class. This transition of the priest, from one generation to another, perhaps marks the end of the work for the spirit begotten, as the last members of the Great Company class go homeward. [10]__________ (1) Christians are not to be involved in literal warfare. They should be like Jesus, non-participants in military conflicts. Brethren opposed to warfare because of their religious principles are termed "conscientious objectors." Some have suffered imprisonment, persecution, and even death for this stand. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4,5). (2) Also, others, such as Mark, who is understood to be the amanuensis of Peter, and Luke, who was the companion of Paul. (3) Unleavened bread, oiled bread, and a wafer, were waved with the breast of the ram of consecration in the ceremony of the dedication of the priesthood (Leviticus 8:26). Brethren usually apply these to the qualities of Justification, Sanctification, and the hope of Glorification, related to the service of the saints. Thus wafers are associated with the delightful prospects of glory beyond the vail. Honey is used in the riddle of Samson, "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness" (Judges 14:14). This referred to the slain lion which became a source of honey, an incorruptible food. This honey pictured the sweetness and incorruptible nature of the heavenly calling, that was a by-product of the death of Jesus, the "Lion" of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5). (4) As the seven churches in Revelation chapters two and three depict seven time periods of the Church through the Gospel Age, so also there are seven parables in Matthew 13 that connect sequentially to the seven stages of the Church. It was the second parable in that series, that parable of the wheat and tares that introduces the concept of false Christians growing among the true Christians. (5) This is the date suggested by Bro. Frank Shallieu, in his book, The Keys of Revelation. This date is determined as one prophetic "time" of 360 years before the date of the Reformation, namely, 1517. (6) The forty years were retroactive, to include time already spent in the wilderness following the Exodus. This is apparent from Deuteronomy 1:3 and Numbers 33:38, which date Moses’ farewell to Israel as in the end of year 40, counting year "one" from the Exodus. (7) It has long engaged our attention that the Reformation commenced with Luther’s 95 Theses, calling for a debate concerning indulgences, scheduled for October 31, 1517. On the same calendar day 399 years later, Bro. Russell’s service came to a close — October 31, 1916. (8) In Acts 28:3 Paul picks up sticks to feed a fire. If this chapter pertains to the Millennial Kingdom, and the Island pictures the nation state of Israel at the opening of the Kingdom, and Paul represents God’s spokesmen which at that time would be the Ancient Worthies, then his act of gathering sticks for the fire may depict how the Ancient Worthies will remove from Israel the various "works" and observances from tradition that they have trusted in — wholly inadequate to provide a real standing before God. (9) We acknowledge that Paul’s reference to the red heifer in Hebrews 9:13 does not relate this offering to the Ancient Worthies. We think this is an example in which Paul’s comments respecting a detail of the Old Testament do not pursue all that is intended by the Heavenly Father regarding a specific type. (10) Something similar is represented in the cities of refuge. The person guilty of an unintentional, but otherwise capital crime, had to remain in a city of refuge until the death of the current high priest — representing that during the Gospel Age we must remain in our place of refuge until the service of our high priest is finished — and representing for the world during the Millennium that they must remain in their place of refuge until the service of their high priest is completed.
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