THE HERALD
of Christ's Kingdom
VOL. IV. July 1, 1921 No. 13
Table of Contents
OUTLOOK
FROM THE WALLS OF ZION
THE
REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST
SAUL
PROCLAIMS JESUS AS THE CHRIST
SAUL
TEACHING AT ANTIOCH
BEREAN
STUDIES IN THE REVELATION
ENCOURAGING
LETTERS
VOL. IV. July 15, 1921 No. 14
Table of Contents
ADMONITIONS
FOR THE CONSECRATED
THE
CONVENTION AT TOLEDO
THE
REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST
CONCERNING
COMMENCEMENT OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S REIGN
PAUL
IN CYPRUS AND IN ANTIOCH OF PISIDIA
PAUL
IN ICONIUM AND LYSTRA
VOL. IV. July 1, 1921 No. 13
THE almost phenomenal, increase of knowledge along all lines in
modern times has indeed greatly accentuated power in the hands of humanity, power which,
if turned into proper channels and along right lines, would be productive of inestimable
comfort and blessing to our race, but if perverted and turned into a wrong direction, may
result in unspeakable woe and suffering. With Satan still in control of "the present
evil world," the general law and rule of which is selfishness, we are informed by the
authors of Holy Writ that the wonderful knowledge of these days will continue largely to
be misapplied for a time, and will be permitted of the Lord to accomplish the complete
undoing of the present order of things in order that the bitter fruitage of disobedience
shall be fully appreciated and that men may be qualified and prepared to properly apply
the lessons of truth and knowledge that will come to them under the new dispensation of
things. -- Dan. 12:1, 4; Zeph. 3:8, 9.
As it is today, many are recognizing that the light of knowledge is
not receiving its normal application; and as they look into the shadowy future, the
thoughtful cannot but catch a vision of the dire consequences of indiscretion yet to be
reaped. In this connection it is interesting to read the trend of thought set forth in an
editorial in The New York American of June 18,
1921:
"The president of Dartmouth College, in a moment of trepidation
and doubt, puts the questions:
"'Has man explored the realms of science and appropriated
knowledge of their potentialities beyond his capacity to control the forces he has
released or combined?
'Are the magnitude, and the intensity, and the speed of life today
within man's control, or is he a helpless passenger in a world run wild?'
"President Hopkins is not alone in his apprehensions. When we
look out upon the world today and see the fruits of one war waged with the weapons with
which modern science has equipped mankind, we may well wonder whether civilization itself
could withstand another struggle in which the destructive arts shall have progressed as
far beyond those which the peoples of the world were employing against each other three
years ago as those were in advance of the methods of the European war in 1871.
"Time was that wars were fought for most part by professional
soldiers. But the twentieth century has seen virtually all the adult males of the
embattled countries under arms ,or engaged in war industries. The recent war, with some
few perhaps unavoidable exceptions, spared noncombatants and cities which were, not
fortified, or bases for military operations.
"The next war will spare no one-the babe in the cradle a
thousand miles from the main battlefields will have little more security, than. the
soldier in the trenches. As Dr. Hopkins puts it:
"'Deadly gases which give the individual man capacity to destroy
whole, populations, availability of disease cultures and knowledge of the possibility of
the propagation of these, genius for mechanical devices by which the culmination of the
destructive force of shattering explosives can be delayed and timed at any desired place
for maximum effect-such are the resources for the modem Samson, blinded mentally and
spiritually, who would make the pillars built for the support of civilization become its,
destruction.' he picture is appalling. The speaker does not exaggerate -no one could
possibly exaggerate the power for evil of the new forces of death and destruction which
man has discovered or subdued.
"But to them all--to the irresistible TNT, to the death-dealing
chlorine gas, to the disease germs which spread pestilence afar--there is one force
superior, one force by which .all may be controlled and to which each must yield, and that
is the mind of man.
"The intellect that created or harnessed these forces can
control them for good or evil. And only by the development of that intellect along
spiritual lines will the control be for good.
"Not by ignoring the existence of forces with great powers for
evil is good to be attained and kept, but by utilizing them for the advancement of man and
the maintenance of peace.
"The spiritual development of man is the one answer to and
corrective of the multiplication of the forces of destruction.
"Man, their master, will not employ them for his own undoing
when he learns that among nations and peoples, as among individuals, -an injury to one is
an injury to all, and that in. the end the Golden Rule is as safe a guide in international
relations as it is in the every day associations of mankind."
While this editorial acknowledges the dreadful results of the next
great war, the remedy, proposed, namely, that the forces of evil will yet be harnessed and
subdued by the spiritual development of man, and the application of the Golden Rule, seems
to us weak indeed; yet this is, the only remedy known to 'the majority, who see, not, the
Divine Program--that the .Great Prince of Peace is about to take unto Himself His great
power and will subdue and conquer the angry passions of humanity. Then, indeed, with the
establishing of, His mighty, Kingdom, He will teach the nations to war no more, and under
the benign influences of His holy -instruction, the spiritual development of men will take
place--the restitution. to the image and likeness of God , of all. the willing and
obedient, in which condition they will never again misapply the lessons of knowledge and
truth, but in His favor, may live forever.
"THE BANKERS' REQUEST"
Another editorial, found in The
Chicago Evening Post of June 4, 1921, is of unusual significance as showing the
tendency of men under stress of trouble and when brought face to face with great problems
and their own helplessness. What is indicated in, the following editorial is but a hint of
what we may yet expect, when all the present plans and hopes of men are wrecked and there
is no arm of flesh on hich to lean:
"A few weeks ago a prominent minister in New York received a
letter from the Bankers' Association of Helena, Mont. It read somewhat in this fashion:
"'Dear Sir: We have been having a series of addresses at our
weekly luncheons.' Men of national reputation have discussed questions specifically
related to banking, to the business situation, to foreign trade, rural credits and other
such matters. We have decided that for the final luncheon of the season we want to have
some one come and talk to us about God. Will you accept an invitation to address us?'
"The minister accepted, of course. From what we know of him we
are confident the bankers of Helena listened to an address which they will long remember.
"But is not this invitation an interesting sign of the times and
a confirmation of what we have said in these columns concerning the spiritual awakening
which is coming in America and throughout the world?
"We have no doubt many of the Helena bankers are church workers
and frequently sit beneath the teaching of the pulpit. There is nothing particularly
significant in an individual banker being deeply interested in religion; but when a
bankers' association, or any other body of men organized for the promotion of business
interests, asks to be talked to about God, we think a significance worthy of note attaches
to the request.
"These Montana bankers evidently have felt that there is some
relation between God and banking. They have been disturbed, perhaps, as many another group
of men has been disturbed, by the evidences of moral laxity, of disorder and conflict
which abound in, the world today. They have been impressed by the fact that human
authority seems incapable of controlling human passion and greed, or maintaining the
safeguards which are essential to welfare and security. They have faced problems-some of
which they have heard discussed for which human wisdom seems to have no adequate solution.
"So they write to a preacher and ask him to talk to them about
God.
"One of the things that interests us particularly in -this
request is the obvious inference that before inviting the preacher they must have talked
about God themselves.
"Now, if the bankers of Helena, Mont., have gotten far enough
along to talk among themselves about God, there is hope that in many another group of
business men throughout the country we may soon see the stupid conventional restraints
abandoned which have made any talk about religion impossible.
"The sense of the need of God is growing mightily in the life of
America, and it cannot be long before it will become vocal in scores of places as
unaccustomed as a western bankers' luncheon-room. When men feel strongly enough the need
of God, they will not be silenced by the silly fear of being misunderstood, or any other
of the inhibitions which now bar all discussion of the vital themes of life from the
secular convocations of men.
"Religion must come back into the mart and the factory if
America is to be saved. Men must bring it back. The Helena bankers are helping. And when
it comes it will be the religion of Jesus, Brother and Comrade, and of a Father --
God."
Truly the Prophet declares, when the judgments of the Lord are abroad
in the earth, the inhabitants will call upon God and learn righteousness.--Isa. 26:9.
"DR MYERS ATTACKS BAPTIST LEADERS"
Through THE BOSTON HERALD Of May 30, 1921, we learn that Dr. Cortland
Myers, well-known throughout New England, and for many years popular pastor of Boston's
Tremont Temple, seems unusually awake to the fact of the moral and spiritual decline in
the great ecclesiastical systems of Christendom, not excepting his own (Baptist)
denomination. The report follows:
"The Rev. Dr. Cortland Myers, in his sermon yesterday morning at
Tremont Temple, several minutes before his resignation had been read, characterized the
leaders of the Baptist denomination as 'little, picayune, pin-headed men.'
"He declared the denomination was 'the most disintegrated
religious body in America to-day, and predicted that the next Baptist convention in the
Middle West will go to pieces because its members will give in to the higher Bible
critics!
"Dr. Myers' address yesterday grouped the Roman Catholic Church,
the Jews, Christian Science, the colleges of the country and, finally, his own
denomination as arch enemies of the Bible. The colleges are crowded, he said, with
teachers who are 'ambassadors of evil.'
"He closed his sermon and left the pulpit without waiting to
listen to the reading of his resignation by the Rev. Herbert Handel, his assistant. On
June 12, he will preach his last sermon at Tremont Temple."
This attitude assumed, and these remarks from Dr. Myers, give
evidence that he has, in the light of the Scriptures, been making some deep
discriminations, and recognizes to a considerable extent the difference between light and
darkness, between that which constitutes belief and, that which is unbelief; and he
appears to be heeding the earnest appeals of St. Paul and St. John: "Wherefore come
out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing;" "Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and
that ye receive not of her plagues."--2 Cor. 6:17; Rev. 18:4.
We could indeed wish that Dr. Myers might continue advancement in the
path of light and grasp fully the solemn significance of these times-that God is not
recognizing the present church systems as connected with the Bride of Christ, but has
repudiated them--they have been weighed in the balance and found wanting, and He is
gathering out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity' that soon
the faithful may shine forth in His Kingdom. All those blest with this knowledge are
privileged to be of special assistance to others in these days of the decline of faith, in
that, fortified with an understanding of the Word of God, they can unfold its meaning and
call attention to its beauty and charms and thus confirm the faith of their brethren.
SERIES 1
A VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE VISIONS OF ST. JOHN
"The Revelation of Jesus
Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come
to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John."--Rev. 1:1.
[In harmony
with our statement in a previous issue of this journal, this article commences a series on
the first three chapters of Revelation, the object of which is to enlarge upon what was
presented in the original articles on this portion of the Revelation published over two
years ago.--Ed. Com.]
THERE have been, and are, two principal schools of interpretation of
the visions of the Revelation, which widely differ in their application. The first we
notice is that of the Futurist, the claim of its adherents being that all the visions from
chapter 4 and on to the close of the book refer to events yet future, in connection with
and subsequent to the Second Advent; and it is quite generally taught by the supporters of
this school that the fulfillment of its visions will occupy a brief period of twelve
hundred and sixty literal days. This view had its origin amongst Papal expositors, Ribera,
a Jesuit priest, being its author. "In its present form it may be said to have
originated at the end of the sixteenth century, with the Jesuit Ribera, who, moved like
Alcazar to relieve the Papacy from the terrible stigma cast upon it by the Protestant
interpretation, tried to do so by referring these prophecies [of Revelation] to the
distant future, instead of like Alcazar to the
distant past . For a considerable period this
view was confined to Romanists, and was refuted by several masterly Protestant works. But
of late years, since the commencement of this [19th] century, it has sprung up afresh, and
sprung up, strange to say, among Protestants." * We may be very sure that the Lord,
who promised to guide His Church into all truth, would reveal that truth to His faithful
people, who so much needed it, and not to His
enemies.
_______________
*See H. G. Guinness, "Approacning End of Age"--95.
_______________
TESTIMONIES AND FACTS ESTABLISHING
VALIDITY OF HISTORICAL SCHOOL
The second school is that commonly termed the Historical, which
teaches that the visions seen by St. John are portrayals in symbol of the Church's
relation to the world powers during the whole Gospel Age, up to the time of the Second
Advent and her exaltation with Christ, and on through the Millennium.
History records the f act that the Historical school in its initial
stage, had for its first pupils some of those who received their first instructions from
Polycarp, a disciple of St. John. The early Church held, for instance, that -the
ten-horned Beast of Daniel and St. John are the same. Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp, in his book,
"Against Heresies," chapter 26, says: "John in the Apocalypse . . . teaches
that the ten horns shall be [the same] which were seen by Daniel." Irenaeus also taught that the
division of the Roman Empire into ten kingdoms would immediately precede the manifestation
of the anti-Christ. We quote respecting this from the same work as above:
"Let them await, in the first place, the division of the, kingdom' into ten; then in the next place, when these kings are reigning
and beginning to set their affairs in order and advance their kingdoms (let them learn),
to acknowledge that he who shall come, claiming
the kingdom for himself, and shall terrify these sons of men of whom we have been
speaking, having a name containing the aforesaid number (666), is truly the Abomination of
Desolation."
It will thus be seen that Irenaeus,
a disciple of Polycarp, believed that the manifestation of anti-Christ would require
the previous overthrow of the Roman Empire that in his day reigned supreme in the world.
Tertullian, who wrote
towards the close of the second century, quoting 2 Thess. 2:6,--"Now ye know what
detaineth that he might be revealed in his time, for the mystery of iniquity doth already
work; only he who now hinders must hinder until he be taken out of the way,"--has
said: "What obstacle [in the way of
anti-Christ's appearing] is there but the Roman
state; the falling away of which, by being scattered into ten kingdoms, shall
introduce anti-Christ, . . . that the Beast, anti-Christ, with his False Prophet, may wage
war on the Church of God?"*
_________
*"On the Resurrection," chapters 24, 25.
___________
Victorinus, who, toward the
end of the third century, wrote a commentary on the Revelation, is cited by MR. ELLIOTT,
author of Horae Apocalypticae, as interpreting
the going forth of the white horse and his rider (first Seal) of Rev. 6:2, to the
victories of the Gospel in the first century.
MR. GUINNESS has said: "From Irenaeus, who lived close to Apostolic times
[about 350 A. D.], down to Chrysostom and Jerome, the Fathers taught that the power
withholding the manifestation of the 'Man of Sin,' was the Roman Empire governed by the Caesars. The Fathers
therefore belong to the Historical and not the Futurist school of interpretation; for
Futurists imagine that the hindrance to the manifestation of the Man of Sin is still in existence, though the Caesars have long
since passed away."--Romanism and the
Reformation,--121, 122.
In later years the Historical school had enrolled as members such
devoted men as Peter Waldo, John Wycliffe, John Huss, Martin Luther, and many
unquestionably consecrated men of God. This school contained the Waldenses, the
Albigenses, the Lollards, the followers of John Wycliffe, and many others, many of whom
laid down their lives in martyrdom for the testimony which they gave against the
anti-Christ of Revelation. We give the names of the noted expositors of the Historical
school from the Reformation to the present time: Luther, Bullinger, Bale, Chytraeus,
Marlorat, Foxe, Brightman, Pareus, Mede, Vitringa, Daubuz, Sir Isaac Newton, Whiston,
Bengel, Bishop Newton, Bicheno, Faber, Frere, Irving, Cunningham, Habershon, Bickersteth,
Birks, Woodhouse, Keith, Elliott, Barnes, Lord, and Guinness.
the Divine character and, plan-let us not be disobedient unto the
heavenly vision, but faithful to our privileges and opportunities in letting the light
that has shined into our hearts and minds so shine out to others in our words, and in the
living epistle's of our lives, that men may glorify our Father which is in heaven.
SYMBOLS PORTRAY HISTORY OF CHURCH
The latest, and one of the most eminent and godly writers of the
Historical school, has thus written:
"For the Day of the Lord's Presence cannot come until the
falling away (the apostasy) has taken place, and until the Man of Sin has been developed
and revealed out of that apostasy. . . . The various titles applied to this system are
evidently symbolic. They do not refer as names to a single individual, but as character
delineations to a corrupt religious and civil combination, developed within the nominal
Christian Church, which, by its subtle opposition to Christ, the Head, and His true
Church, His Body, well earns the name anti-Christ. . . .
"The system which fully answers the description given by
inspiration must be professedly Christian, and must contain a large majority of those who
claim to be Christians. . . . Its stealthy beginning was in the days of the Apostles,--in
the desire of some teachers to be greatest. We need not look long to find a
character fitting all the requirements perfectly;' one whose record, written by secular
historians as well as
by its own
deluded servants, we shall see agrees exactly with the prophetic delineations of
anti-Christ. But when we state that the one and only system whose history fits these
prophecies is Papacy, let no, one misunderstand us to
mean that every Roman Catholic is a man of sin; nor that the priests, nor even the popes
of' the Church of Rome are, or have been, the antiChrist. No man is 'the' anti-Christ,'
'the Man of Sin,' described in prophesy. Popes, bishops and others are at most only parts
or members of the anti-Christ system, even as all of the Royal Priests are only members of
the true Christ." -Studies, Vol. 11-2,76,
277.
"But some sincere Christians, not yet awake to the decline of
Protestantism, and who do not realize the relationship of the various sects to Papacy, may
still be anxiously inquiring. The various Protestant sects (and we say it with all due
reverence to, a comparatively few devout souls within 'them, whom the Lord designates as
'wheat,' in contradistinction to the overwhelming numbers of 'tares') are the true
daughters of that degenerate system of nominal Christianity, the Papacy, to which the
Revelator makes reference in applying to her the name, 'Mother of Harlots.' (Rev. 17:5.)
Since Papacy, the mother, is not a single individual, but a great re ligious system, in
keeping with 'the symbol we should expect to see, other religious systems answering to the
illustration of daughters of similar character--not, of course, so old, nor necessarily so
depraved, as Papacy-but, nevertheless, 'harlots' in the same sense; i. e., religious
systems claiming to be either the espoused virgin or the bride of Christ, and yet courting
the favor and receiving the support of the world, at the price of disloyalty to Christ."--Studies, Vol. IV--28, 29.
From the foregoing, it would seem' that the careful student, tracing
the symbols of the visions of St. John, cannot avoid the conclusion that the Revelation of
Jesus Christ was especially designed to portray in symbols the history of the falling away
from the faith on the part of the Christian Church, and its culmination in a great
counterfeit system which would blind and deceive all except those whose names were written
in the "Lamb's book of life." (Rev. 13:8.) It is discovered also that the
visions of Revelation describe in various symbolisms the history of the comparatively few
faithful, consecrated ones as they came in-contact with the world powers and endeavored to
hold forth the Word of Truth, in -the midst of the surrounding ignorance and darkness,
made so by apostate Christianity.
PLACE REVELATION OCCUPIES, IN HOLY WRIT
History clearly shows that there have been several epochs in the
Gospel Age in which the testimony of the Lord's consecrated has exerted such a powerful
direct and indirect influence as to turn the whole current of human affairs into new
channels. The Revelation contains many visions describing in symbol these matters. It is
evident, too, that several of its visions describe a successful movement in these closing
days of the Age to give again the true Gospel to the Church and world. (Rev. 10:11.) These
last visions, like the others, are symbolic and occupy a large proportion of the book.
The relation the Revelation sustains to the other books of the Bible
is thus stated by an expositor of keen spiritual discernment:
"This book is supplementary to all the others. As Genesis opens
out everything detailed in subsequent writings, of what God revealed, literally or in
type:--God, creation,- man, Satan, sin, Christ, redemption, Israel, Gentiles, the assembly
[Church] of God-so this book closes all, bringing before us God and man in the new heaven
and new earth (Rev. 21:8), as Genesis gave God and man in the first heaven and first
earth. (Gen. 1.) It had to wait until all the counsels and purposes and truths of God '
had been revealed that had been held as secrets in the bosom of God, in order to wind up
all, by showing that all must be accomplished in Christ, that all crowns shall be placed
upon His head. It was given to Christ' Himself, and as a man with his betrothed, He sent
it first to His betrothed assembly, to whom He must tell. all and who is to share all and
reign with Him over all."--Taylor.
We may be very sure that
the book of Revelation, which completes the Divine canon of inspiration, requiring as it
did, supernatural method in giving it to the, Church, has been and is especially at the
present time, of vital importance to her service and ministry, and also to her growth and
development in Christ. It was given,, doubtless, to supply a special need, for the Church
has always needed the help, encouragement and blessing which always accompanies a
knowledge of the "sure word of prophecy a light shin ing in a dark place." (2
Pet. 1:19.) There is no book in the whole Bible that to so great an extent as the
Revelation reveals the Divine, overruling of the events of history, both good and evil,
for the Church's growth and development in grace and knowledge. While there has, been a
gradual, progressive understanding of its visions as history has unveiled them, it was not
until these closing years of the Age that a clear understand ing of its general scope
could be given. The true character of the Divine Plan of human salvation be came so
perverted and distorted by the fallen Church systems that it could not be fully understood
until the errors of the systems became separated from the Truth, and a clear understanding
of the same was restored to the Church. This we believe has recently taken place, and is
now a matter of history; indeed, is the subject of several of the closing visions of the
book. The fulfillment of these latter visions is of itself, as we shall endeavor to prove,
evidence that "the days of the presence of the Son of Man," are here. The words
of Christ, "And now I tell you before it come, that when it is come ye may
believe," are very significant in this connection.,
VISIONS OF ST. JOHN HAVE SUSTAINED CHURCH
It should be kept in mind in studying the book of Revelation that it
was not designed to foretell especially the
history of the world-powers ; for as it has been truly said, "The, Church exists in
the world, and its outward history is, to- a very large 'extent, affected by it; and just
as it would be impossible to write the story of one's life without taking into
consideration his environment, so it would be impossible to write the history of the
[true] Church without giving some of the history of the world in which. the Church is
giving its witness -and testimony. Wars, -revolutions, etc., 'have to a remarkable I degree
affected or been affected by the Church's testimony, and for this cause we have those
occurrences in the past depicted under various strange and startling symbols. On the other
' -hand, the Church's inward or spiritual ' history is affected by unseen agencies, both
Heavenly and Satanic; and so, as in some of the visions, we behold her sustained, cheered,
revived, and her influence enlarged; we know .Christ', her "great Head, is acting in
her behalf, as portrayed in the symbolic visions of His walking in the midst of the
candlesticks [Churches]."
It is very evident that these marvelous, prophetic visions were given
for the guidance, assistance and protection of the whole Church through the long, dark
centuries of her witnessing to the Gospel. As we read of the experiences of God's
consecrated ones of the past, we learn that they have proved to be a mighty power in their
history, and that they have served to preserve the faith of the Church in times of peril
and general apostasy. We have found that the knowledge of some of them and the testimony
thereto have had the effect of giving birth to great reformation movements, particularly
that of the sixteenth century; that they have inspired confessors and supported martyrs in
the cause of Christ, some of whom sealed their faithfulness at the stake, while others
suffered terrible deaths in other ways. A knowledge of some of these marvelous prophetic
visions has been largely instrumental in breaking the chains of priestcraft, 'superstition
and tyranny, and has, brought multitudes out of bondage of the same. And it is very
important to keep in mind that the book of. Revelation is Christ's last message to the Church,--"I, Jesus, have
sent mine angel [messenger] to testify these things in the Churches."--Rev. 22:16.
A DIVINE PROPHECY
We briefly call attention to some very important points which the
book of Revelation itself mentions; points that are encouraging and very necessary for the
student to keep in mind.
First: It is a Divine prophecy,--"The revelation of Jesus
Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass." (Rev.
1:1.) Other translations render it, "that which
must come to pass speedily." It is not, as Futurists (who apply all its visions to
the scenes of the Second Advent), would have us believe, the revelation or manifestation
of the person of Jesus Christ, but rather is
it a revelation which Christ makes to the Church. This latter is undoubtedly its meaning
for the reason that it states that it is a revelation which God gave to Him; and because it is said that it refers
to things that were shortly to come to pass-in
other words, it is an unfolding of events that
were to take place, and not an unfolding of a person.
Very truly has the meaning of the word as used in this text been
explained to be "a disclosure of an extraordinary character, beyond the mere ability
of man, by a special communication from heaven. This is manifest, not only from the usual
meaning of this word, but by the word prophecy in
verse 3, and by all the arrangements by which these things were made known. The ideas
which would be naturally conveyed by the use of this word in this connection are two: (1)
that there was something which was before hidden, obscure, or unknown, and (2) that. this
was so disclosed by these communications as to be seen or known. The things hidden or
unknown were those which pertained to the future; the method of disclosing them, was
mainly by symbols." Another has said: "The book of Revelation is the one only
book of New Testament prophecy. As the completion of the whole prophetic Scriptures, it
gathers up the threads of all former books, and weaves them into one chain of many links
which binds history to the throne of God. As New Testament
prophecy, it adds the heavenly to the earthly sphere, passes the bounds of time, and
explores with familiar feet eternity itself."
The latest and clearest of all expositors has thus written on these
words:
"Note the simplicity of the introduction to this most wonderful
book. The Apostle did not write the title as it appears in our Bibles--'The Revelation of
St. John the Divine! On the contrary, he claim's no credit for the revelation; for it was
not his. As he distinctly explains, it was from our Lord Jesus Christ, and to Him from God
the Father. Nor was it to even St. John in a special sense; but, as he again declares,
unto God's servants, sent by His 'servant John.' This simplicity, common to all the
Apostles, commends them to. us as men of humble mind-the very kind we should expect our
Lord to use as special messengers to His people. This simplicity, this absence of
boastfulness, so noticeable in the writiligs of all the Apostles, marks them as being in
the ministry, not for the gratification of vanity, or for earthly rewards of any kind,
but: simply as the servants of God, who delighted to do His will, and to tell the Good Tidings to the utter
ignoring of themselves, except in -so far as mention of themselves and their affairs might
be necessary."--Z '16-343,
GOD HATH SPOKEN
IN SIGNS
Second: It is given in symbols: "And he sent and signified it [revealed by signs or symbols] by His
angel unto His servant John." (Rev. 1:1.) To signify is to show or make known by
signs or symbols. It is then a book of symbols, of symbolic visions. Therefore its true
meaning is veiled in symbols, and to understand it, a process of translation has to take
place. One has said as illustrating this: "If on opening a letter from a friend ' the
first sentence that met the eye was, 'I write in Latin in order that my letter may not be
understood by all,' we should at once be prepared to translate as we read; we should not
pore over a certain combination of letters and syllables, trying in vain to make some
intelligible English word out of them; we would say the word is so and so, but the meaning is so and so. In reading the symbolic
portion of the Apocalypse, we are bound to do the same; on no other principle can anything
like a consistent interpretation be attained.
The symbols employed are drawn from nearly every phase of life. We
have the sun, moon and stars in ,the celestial world, and the earth, sea, rivers and their
sources, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and fearful electrical storms, in the
terrestrial. Strange and unnatural beasts are among the most prominent symbols. We have
the true Church represented by a pure, chaste woman, and an impure harlot woman and her
daughters to represent the nominal false Church. We have victorious Roman warriors, rebel
conspirators, and unjust, oppressive civil, rulers also employed as symbols. Certain
Divine laws must govern in the correct interpretation of symbols. First we must study the
symbols themselves. When the sun, is employed as a symbol, we need to study the relation
the sun sustains to the material universe and man. If an earthquake, we need to become
familiar with its effects upon the earth and its inhabitants. Second, we will need to
remember that the fulfillment of the symbols, as a rule, must be looked for in another
phase of life from that which the symbol is drawn. It will, we believe, be found that all
or nearly all the symbols of Revelation are used and explained in other Scriptures,
especially in those of the Old Testament prophecies. It will also be found that the
various things employed as symbols are not always used to describe the same things; as
waters sometimes mean peoples, etc., and at other times, Gospel truths and blessings.
Third: It is not given for the world to understand, nor even for
those who are merely nominal Christians.* It is rather for the purpose of showing unto
God's servants things that are speedily to come to pass. "The Lord God of the Holy
Prophets hath sent His angel to show unto His
servants things which must shortly be done." "I, Jesus, have sent mine angel
to testify unto you these things in the Churches." "He that hath an ear to hear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches."--Rev. 22:6, 16; 2:7, 11, 17,
29; 3:6, 13, 22.
___________
*Studies, Vol. IV, Foreword--3.
____________
BLESSED IS HE THAT READETH
Fourth: A special blessing
is pronounced upon those who read and hear it read. "Blessed is he that readeth, and
they that hear the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand."
(Rev. 1:13.) Surely a book, the contents of which our blessed Lord Jesus esteemed of such
great importance as to require that it be given in such a special, supernatural way, and at its
beginning introduced by such admonitory words as these, to study it, ought to be esteemed
and prized highly. As another has said: "There is a blessing upon those who read this
revelation, even though they ,do not understand, and a special blessing upon those who
hear and understand the words of this prophecy and conform their lives to the things
therein written." -Z '16-343.
It informs us of the condition in which the world and the Church
systems will be when He comes to rule. It tells us what that Advent will bring to His
prepared and waiting saints; what it will inflict upon luke-warm believers, what will be
the end of this present order, ecclesiastical, social and political; in fact, what will be
the great issues of the great Day of God Almighty. It portrays what the condition of the
great professed Church systems will be until He comes; what the condition of His true
people will be all down through the Age till His Advent as a thief in the night. It
pictures in strong and glorious sym bols the Church's grand and blessed future, and the
world's uplift through the gracious reign of Emmanuel and His overcoming saints. It is
true that all these things and many others are portrayed in symbols; but a promise is
implied in the words, "Blessed is he that readeth," that they all can be
understood in a due time. Indeed, the time has now come for these things to be understood,
and some are realizing the blessing promised. "St. John, the beloved disciple, in
some measure or degree represented the last living members of the Body of Christ, a class
that see with the eyes of their understanding the visions and revelations which the
beloved disciple saw in symbols in a trance." --Z '16-343.
There is implied in these words that the first essential thing to
understand and derive the blessing promised is to read it, or hear it, and thus get
familiar with the visions and their orderly arrangement. All the visions of this most holy
and sanctifying book may well be compared to the enacting of a great drama. This great
symbolical drama is nothing less than a forecasting of the outward and inward history of
the nominal and the true Church throughout their long eventful career until the Second
Advent, and the exaltation to glory of the true Church, and the destruction of the
nominal, in connection with that momentous event. Symbolic agencies, both animate and
inanimate, are the performers. This Divine drama of symbols is most systematically
arranged in three acts,--Seals, Trumpets, and Vials. Each act contains seven scenes. We
believe it will be seen that the first six -Seals bring the history down to our times, and
give us a view of the "Temple" class and the Great Company in glory. The
occurrences under the seventh Seal are doubtless retrospective and cover much the same
period as the first six. ' It would appear that the Trumpets and Vials, together with
certain parenthetical visions, indeed, all the visions following, are included in the
breaking or loosing of the seventh Seal. This arrangement of the visions was doubtless the
one held by the later expositors and particularly that of DAVID N. LORD and PASTOR
RUSSELL, as will be seen by their expositions hereinafter set forth in this series.
MUCH OF REVELATION NOW FULFILLED
It is the opinion of all Historical expositors that the visions of
the book that refer to this present reign of evil, this present order, have nearly all met
their fulfillment, and we are witnessing now the fulfillment of the closing ones. The
latest of them all has shown in his writings that the seventh ' Trumpet has been sounding
for over forty years past, and his expositions of the various symbols connected with this
seventh symbolic Trumpet's sounding would fill a fair sized volume. Concerning this, we
read:
"The Revelator designates the 'Seventh Trumpet,' the 'Last
Trump,' in a series of symbolic trumpets. . . . The propriety of calling the 'seventh,' or
last 'Trump,' the 'Trump of God,' is evident, too, when we remember that the events
mentioned under the preceding six Trumpets of Revelation refer to humanity's doings, while
the seventh refers specially to the Lord's work, and covers the 'Day of the Lord.' Since
the six preceding Trumpets were symbols-and this is generally admitted by commentators and
students who make any claim as expositors of Revelation -- it would be a violation of
reason and common sense to expect the seventh, the last of the series, to be a literal,
audible sound on the air. . . . The seven Trumpets of Revelation are all symbolic, and
represent seven great periods of time and their events. . . . Suffice it here to say that
we find ourselves today in the midst of the very events which mark the sounding of the
seventh Trumpet. The great voices, the increase of knowledge, the angry nations, etc.,
taken in connection with time-prophecies, establish this as a fact."--Studies, Vol. 11-148.
The following from an expositor who wrote as early as 1856 and who
believed that six of the Trumpets had already sounded, is significant:
"The Trumpets belong simply to the scenery on the panorama by
which these events were brought before the Apostle's view, and not to the events
themselves. And, as there was no audible, startling, miraculous, wide-sounding, celestial
bugle-note to announce to the world the fulfillment of the predications connected with the
six Trumpets, so I infer and conclude that there is to be no audible trumpet blast from
mid-heaven to inform the world when the Day of judgment has come. For aught you or I know,
the last Trumpet 'has already sounded, or is now sounding, in the sermons and books of
many able and earnest preachers. and laymen in various parts of the world, who are
striving to awaken men's minds to a sense of what is approaching, and crying into the ears
of a slumbering Church, 'Behold the Bridegroom
cometh! Go ye out to meet him.'"--Seiss--The Last Times.
TIME FOR REVEALMENT AT HAND
Fifth: Lest we should be deterred from its reading and study because
of the seeming difficulties to its understanding, and the various Satanic attempts to
destroy its practical benefits to the Lord's people, we hear the revealing angel say:
"Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand."
.(Rev. 22:10.) Surely the time has now come to understand these visions. The Church's
earthly history is about closing. The visions that portray that history have nearly all
met their fulfillment. The false religious systems' careers are nearly at their end. The
visions that portray their rise and evil influence against the Truth and God's true saints
have become clearly understood in the light of history unveiling prophecy. Only those
visions or parts of visions that describe the closing struggles of the supporters of the
systems to keep them from falling await fulfillment. The last condition or state of the
nations, before their downfall, portrayed in these visions, has. at last been reached, and
the visions only await their brief, final fulfillment., The condition of the whole present
order is the one described in the visions as just preceding the final collapse. It is the
time for the wise to study, to understand the visions of this wonderful revelation. And
as, expressed by another, "we are not left in doubt as to the matters of this book,
for it definitely announces itself a revelation. Instead of its being a seated book, the
opening of seals characterizes the greater portion of it. Instead of being hard to
understand, it distinctly intimates the case of understanding it, by pronouncing blessing
upon those who hear it read; and this is certainly not closely inspecting and studying,
for a hearer cannot do that, whatever he that reads it may do. It, therefore, invites the
simple and unlearned, anyone with an ear for the things of Christ."
Verses 4 to 9, inclusive, are no part of the Revelation given by God,
the Father, to Christ, but rather an inspired preface
to these revelations, given by St. John, which deals more especially with his own feelings
as he sits down to record or write a description of the wonderful, strange and startling
things seen by him in the visions which passed before him as he was in the spirit on the
Lord's day. Segregating the various points contained in these verses, an eminent writer
has very properly analyzed them as including:
(1) An Affecting Salutation: "John, to Those Seven Congregations
in Asia; Favor and Peace to you from God, the One who Is, and the One who Was, and the One
who is Coming; and from the Seven Spirits which are before His Throne; and from Jesus
Christ, the Faithful Witness, the Chief-Born of the Dead, and the Prince of the Kings of
the earth."--Vs. 4, 5.
(2) An Exultant Ascription: "To Him who Loves us, and freed us
from our Sins by His own Blood, and made for us a Kingdom,--Priests for His God and
Father; to Him be the Glory and the Might for the Ages of the Ages. Amen."--Vs. 5, 6.
(3) A Solemn Prophetic Allusion: "Behold! He is coming with the
Clouds, and Every Eye shall see Him, and those who pierced Him; and All the Tribes of the
Land [earth] shall mourn over Him. Yes, Amen."--V. 7.
(4) A Devout Theological Recognition: "'I am the Alpha and the
Omega,' says the Lord God, the One who Is, and the One who Was, and the One who is
Coming-the Omnipotent."--V. 8.
Nearly all matters involved in these utterances are supposed to be
quite familiar to the understanding as well as the experiences of true Christians, such
being the ones for whom the visions that follow are given. As it is not the purpose in
these expositions to deal specially with these lines of thought, we confine ourself to the
consideration of the matters contained in verses 7 and 8.
"HE COMETH WITH CLOUDS"
It has been regarded by most expositors that the words, "Behold
He cometh with clouds and every eye shall see Him," are to be understood literally,
i.e., that Christ will appear in literal clouds and every human being will see with their
physical eyes the Son of God, at His Second Advent. It is our thought, however, that while
a personal advent of the Divine Christ is taught
in this and other passages, it should not be understood that human beings will literally see Him. "I go my
way [He once said] and the world seeth Me no more." He being the express image of the
Father, no human being could look upon Him and live. The word translated "see"
is the Greek horao, which, according to Dr.
Young, means more frequently, to perceive, to discern, to take heed; and it seems to be in
the sense of discerning that the word is used in this text. Many writers have taught that
the Second Advent will be invisible to mortals and will be made known to the true Church
through an understanding of the "sure word of prophecy," some time before the
world will discern that it has taken place. The world will know later on through the great
troubles, the like 'of which will never have been known before; also through the
supernatural sights and occurrences that will be in evidence in connection with the
overthrow of the present world or order of things. We quote two writers of note in regard
to this whose statements present splendid elucidations. One of these wrote in 1856, and
while it was his understanding that at the later stage of the Second Advent all will
literally see Him' in its earliest stages it was his understanding that He will be present
for some time, and the world be utterly unconscious of it. This writer has said:
"We are repeatedly told [in Scripture] that the Day of judgment
shall come 'as a thief in the might.' And how
does a thief come? He not only comes stealthily, and at such an hour as we think not, but
he is already on the premises, in the house and doing his work, before we are aware of his
presence. And so shall it be with the coming of Christ and the Day of judgment. He will be
here judging the nations before we [many] know it. . . .
"Of this one thing, brethren, I am fully assured, that the
stupendous occurrences of the Day of judgment will glide in upon the world as by stealth,
and before a great number of even pious people shall be aware that these great scenes have
commenced; whilst the great mass of worldlings and politicians will not believe to the
very last, when the Son -of Man will blast them forever with His terrific indignation. 'As
it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They did
eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until Noah entered into
the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took
them all away.' Perhaps it had rained a month before those wicked scoffers began to
feel any special alarm. Perhaps many of them beheld the ark taken up 'by the swelling
waters, and yet stood up-on the hill-tops laughing at the old preacher's folly. Though the
valleys were all covered and the waters rose
higher and higher every hour, 'they knew not' until
all were swept away by the shoreless waves. And so shall it be also in the days of the Son
of Man. The nations shall be undergoing their judgment, the sainted dead shall be raised,
the sainted living shall be translated, and the whole earth !shall heave with the throes
of judgment already present; and yet multitudes will go on as *before, and refuse to
believe what is transpiring. Nations in their desperation will continue- to declare war,
and make treaties, and form alliances, and join their armies, and gather together their
warriors against the Lamb and His people, until at last, to their everlasting
consternation the Son of Man will appear with his sainted host, and hurl upon them the
mighty thunders of. His eternal wrath. If it is not to be so, why have Peter and Paul told
us that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night? If it is not to be so, why
has the Savior told us so earnestly to watch, and
pointed out so many signs by which we are to be guided, and so repeatedly admonished us to
take heed lest that day come upon us unawares? All these things prove that the Day of
judgment will come upon the world unknown except to the devoutest and most watchful of the
children of men. How important, therefore, that we should study. with. the profoundest
care what the inspired Prophets have written upon this subject for our learning! With what
absorbing interest should we ponder the given signs by which we are to know when the great
Day of the Lord shall come! 'Would it not be an awful calamity for the Church, which
professes to be waiting for Christ, to be plunged in the midst of the scenes of that great
Day, without so much as knowing that that Day has come?"--Seiss--The
Last Times.
HE DWELLS IN LIGHT THAT NO MAN CAN BEHOLD
Another, of more recent date, whose ministry has been of inestimable
value to God's people in these last days, has expounded the text under consideration,
"Behold He cometh with clouds and every eye shall see Him, and they also which
pierced Him'; and all kindreds . . . shall wail because of Him:"
"This Scripture is generally quoted as a proof that' our Lord
Jesus at His Second Coming will be visible to the whole human family; that they will all
have great mourning when they see Him; that it will be a sad day for them-especially for
the Jews. Our thought respecting the passage, in the light of other Scriptures, is
different from this. In the first place, the Lord Himself said, 'Yet a little while and
the world seeth Me no more, but ye shall see Me.' Only the Lord's
faithful followers were to see Him. The Apostle Paul explains that Jesus' followers will
see Him because they are to be changed in the
First Resurrection, 'in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.' The Scriptures clearly
indicate that our Lord's present condition is the Heavenly, the spirit condition, not only
as' high a condition as before He came into the world, but still higher.
"The Lord prayed to the Father that He would glorify Him 'with
the glory that He had with Him before He came into the world-'before the world was.' The
Father assured Him that He had glorified Him
and would glorify Him again. (John 17:5;
12:28. Vatican MS.) The Scriptures also assure us that our Lord in His glorified condition
is far above angels, principalities and powers. (Phil. 2:9, 10.) When he was a man, He was
'a little lower than the angels.' (Heb. 2:6-9.)
The Scriptures declare that the Lord is now the express image of the Father's person (Heb.
1:3), and also declare of Him, 'Whom no, man hath seen nor can see.'
"Another Scripture tells us that the looming of Christ will 'be
-for the blessing of the world. The very object of His coming will be for the lifting up
of the poor and fallen rate. St. Peter tells us that there will be 'times of refreshing,'
'Times of Restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His Holy Prophets since the world began.' -Acts
3:19-21.
"How shall we harmonize this last statement with that of our
text, which says that He shall come with clouds; that every eye shall see Him; and that
all mankind 'shall wail because of Him'? The answer is that in harmony with other
Scriptures the coming with clouds would signify 'the coming in a period of trouble-the word 'clouds' being used to signify
trouble-in the dark Day., He is coming in clouds, in that the time in which He will first manifest Himself to the world will be a very dark
Day to the world-'a time of trouble such as
never was since there was a nation,' and, we are told, never shall be again. (Matt. 24:21.) That will be a
dark, cloudy Day.
"In that Day, ultimately all eyes shall be opened; and all
mankind shall see Him with the eyes of their
understanding -- see Him in the sense that we [the
Church] see Him now, and have knowledge of Him and of the Father. A blind man sees in the
same sense. He says, 'I see now'--meaning that
he sees with his intellectual sight. It is far better to see with the intellect than with
the natural sight. . . .
"There is first of all to be a parousia, or presence, of Christ, -which will be
known only to the Church, His, Bride class. The culmination of His work in the parousia will he the gathering of the Church to
Himself in the First Resurrection. The Scriptures go, on to say that He shall be revealed in flaming fire, taking vengeance.
"The 'clouds of heaven' will represent the confusion in general.
The world for a time will be in ignorance of His presence. But gradually they will come to
know that they are in the time of trouble, the Day of wrath, in which this Age is to
close. Then they will mourn. The whole world, will be in mourning. If the world has
mourned in the past, much more shall we expect it to do so when the trouble will be
general. In the midst of that trouble, they will gradually learn of the grace of God.
Human selfishness, they will find, has been so overruled as to lead up to the glorious
Kingdom of Messiah, through which are to come all the blessings which God has
promised."--Z '13-200, 201.
"THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA"
"'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, the One who
Is, and the One who Was, and the One who is Coming-the Omnipotent [Almighty]." -- V.
8.
Commentators differ in their interpretation of this passage, some
applying it to the Lord Jesus, others to the Father. MR. BARNES has said, "As there
is . . . a difference of reading in this place in the Greek text, and as it cannot be
absolutely certain that the writer meant to refer to the Lord Jesus specifically here,
this cannot be adduced with propriety as a proof text to demonstrate His divinity."
As we find the same expression in Rev. 22:13 applied to the Lord Jesus, also practically
the same in 1:17, we see no reason why it does not refer to the Lord Jesus. Alpha and
Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. And the thought of their use
here is explained to mean that Christ was the first and the last. In the light of other
Scriptures we learn that reference is here made to the fact, as stated by St. Paul, that
He was the "first born of every creature" (Col. 1:16), and by. St. John,
"the beginning of the creation of God." (Rev. 3:14.) This is also what is
implied in the expression so frequently employed in the Scriptures concerning Christ, that
of His being the Only Begotten Son of God, meaning evidently that He was the only direct
creation of God, all other creatures and' things being created by the Son, as, stated by
St. Paul, "for by Him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers, all things were created by Him and for Him."--Col. 1:16. "Our Lord's
great honor is shown in that He was not only the first of God's creation, but the last.
From this we are to understand that the great Jehovah did not directly employ His own
power in creating either men or angels; but that He delegated His power to His
Only-begotten Son."--Z '93-115.
The title Almighty is properly explained, we believe, as "an
appelation often applied to God, meaning that He has all power," and used here with
reference to our Lord Jesus to denote that He is able to accomplish what is disclosed in
the book of Revelation. "It is since His [Christ's] resurrection that the message has
gone forth--'All power in Heaven and in earth is
given to Me.' (Matt. 28:18.) Consequently it is only since then that He could be
called the Almighty."--Z '93-115.
--JULY 24-ACTS
9:19-30--
Golden Text.--"Thou art
the Christ, the Son of the living God."--Matt. 16:16.
SAUL the zealous Pharisee, loyal and appointed to the putting down of
heretics, who so prided himself upon his zeal for the Lord, in one moment was humbled to
the dust, not only literally falling to the ground, but crest-fallen in his mind and self
esteem. The city of Damascus, which he had expected to enter with great dignity as the
representative of the Jewish High Priest, the head of the Jewish religious system, he
entered very differently. Opening his eyes after the voice had told him to go into the
city, Saul found himself totally blind, so that he required to be led by the hand. So
overwhelmed was he that for three days he did neither eat nor drink. He was doubtless
acquainted at Damascus or possibly stopping at a hotel, but evidently on the most
aristocratic street of the city, called "Straight," because, it was really
straight, as were so few of the streets of old-time cities. It was a. very noble
thoroughfare for those times of narrow streets. Its width was one hundred feet and it had
a colonnade of marble columns separating the roadway from the building.
ANANIAS GOD'S MESSENGER
If one mentioned Ananias in the Scriptures was convicted of falsity
toward the Lord, another of the same name was found faithful. He resided at Damascus. To
him the Lord appeared in a vision directing him fully as to
how he should find Saul and what he should do to him for the opening of .his eyes. Ananias
protested that there must be some mistake, because this man Saul had done much evil to the
saints of Jerusalem. He knew also the purpose of his visit to Damascus.
The Lord's commendation of Saul to Ananias was, "Behold , he
prayeth!" Ali! how much of a story is told in those three words! How sure we may be
that those who similarly humbly address the Almighty are in no injurious mood! True, there
are hypocritical prayers, just as our Lord illustrated in the parable of the Pharisee and
the publican, but, taken as a whole, private prayer may be considered a sure index to an
honest, contrite heart. In our estimation, only the praying ones, even of the Lord's
consecrated people, are at all likely to win the prize. If they do not love the Lord
enough to render thanks for His mercies and to approach the Throne of heavenly grace and
obtain mercy and strength to help in every time of need, then they are not likely to have
sufficient strength to stand the trials and tests. We wish that we could feel sure that
all who read these pages are faithful and earnest in the practice of prayer. We are sure
of many of them, but as we long for their progress, we urge them to embrace this great
privilege heartily.
Ananias is the first one accredited with the use of the word
"Saints" in connection with Jesus' followers. As we well understand, the word
signifies "holy ones,", "sanctified ones." Surely it is a fitting name
for all who profess and endeavor to follow in the foosteps of their Master. Let us each
try to be worthy of the, name, whether it ever be applied to us or not.
ST. PAUL'S THORN IN THE FLESH
Although the Lord, at the hands of Ananias, performed a miracle on
the eyes of Saul, so that scales fell from them, and he was able to look upon Ananias,
nevertheless, we have every reason to believe that his eyes were never restored to their
former strength, and -that it was for this reason that the Christian brethren would have
gladly plucked out their own eyes for him (Gal. 4:15); for this reason also, that although
a learned man, he wrote very few of his own epistles, and was largely dependent upon his
companions, though himself invariably the chief speaker and writer.
This was the "thorn in the flesh," which the Lord was no
pleased to remove entirely, and which the Apostle learned to rejoice in ultimately, when
he came to know that through this God's mercy and grace would abound toward him the
more.--Gal. 6:11; 2 Cor. 12:7-9.
And so with us: we might be
inclined to think that if we had greater talents and abilities, or we were relieved of
certain weaknesses of the flesh, it would be better for us an for the Lord's cause; yet we
are to remember the Master' words again, that we are to "seek first the Kingdom of
heaven," and that all things needful of an earthly kind will be added to us. Our
desires and prayers are not to be for the earthly things after which the Gentiles seek,
but are to be chiefly for the spiritual things. We are to remember that as respects our
earthly interests they have all been committed to the Lord, and that He knoweth what
things we have need of before we ask Him, and that He has promised to do for us in every
matter exceeding abundantly better than we could ask or -think, as viewed from the
standpoint of our spiritual and eternal interests. We surely would not want temporal
blessings which would in any degree hinder our attainment to the exceeding great and
precious promises -- the spiritual things which God hath in reservation for them that love
Him.
Let us note carefully the message God sent to Paul through Ananias
"The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that
thou shouldst know His will, and see that just One, and shouldest hear the voice of His
mouth." Ah! how few indeed realize the truth of the Master's statement, "No man
can come to 'Me except the Father which sent Me draw him." How few realize that God,
during this present time, is not attempting to gather the world into His arms, but merely,
as the !Scriptures abundantly declare, is taking out from amongst the people a peculiar
people, a little flock, to constitute the Bride, the Lamb's wife and joint-heir. If all
who have heard the voice of Jesus speaking to them through His Word, and who, with the eye
of faith, have seen Him, and into whose hearts the light of the glory of God, above the
brightness of all earthly light, has shined, could but realize how great a favor has come
upon them, it would indeed be a great stimulus to their appreciation of the privileges
thus put within their grasp. They would see that all this signifies that we are called to
be co-workers together with God, to be fellow-sufferers with Jesus in this Gospel Age of
sacrifice for righteousness' sake, and to be fellow-heirs with Him in the coming Age, in
which the reign of righteousness shall prevail to the blessing of all the families of the
earth, and the subjugation of Satan and sin.
GREAT THINGS HE MUST SUFFER
This was the thought conveyed to Paul: that the meaning of the
experience which had come to him was, that he had been found of such condition of heart as
to be worthy to be a witness for God and for Jesus respecting the things he had seen and
heard. And so with each of us; we are not to attempt to tell to others things, which we
have not seen and have not 'heard ourselves; but first of all the eye. of appreciation and
faith must- be opened, and the ear of understanding unstopped, and then out of that which
we ourselves hear from the Lord, through His appointed agencies and ministers, we are in
turn to repeat to others-dispensing the Divine favor according to our capacity for
appreciation and for utterance.
The Lord's declaration to Ananias respecting Paul was, "He is a
chosen vessel unto Me. . . . I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's
sake." (Acts 9:15, 16.) Thus it is with all of the Lord's chosen ones, like the
Captain of our salvation, Jesus, each and all must learn and prove their obedience and
loyalty to the Divine Plan by suffering in this present time, that they may be thus fitted
and prepared for the glory, honor and immortality of the Kingdom. And to be chosen to
suffer much implies qualification for the higher glory hereafter. Thus it was with our
Lord and with the Apostles: and thus it is written, for our encouragement, that the
sufferings of this present time work out "for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory."--2 Cor. 4:17.
Saul was peculiarly fitted by birth, by education and by temperament
for the service for which the Lord chose him. He was a chosen vessel, and one of large
capacity. And yet he was only a vessel. The good things that vessel was to carry were the
Divine message of love and mercy. So it is with all the called "members" of the
Church. We are merely vessels. The excellency, the merit, the worth, is of our Lord. We
are merely servants to Him and to His Church. We are not to understand that Saul was
chosen to go to heaven, but chosen to be a vessel of mercy. But even in this respect his
choice was dependent upon his own willingness. Speaking of the matter himself he declares,
"I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision." Elsewhere the Apostle tells us
that the "Lord called me from my mother's womb." Presumably he meant that the
Divine providence evidently had ordered and arranged that he should be born under certain
conditions and environments which tended to make of him just such a vessel for the Gospel
as he now was. This choice did not interfere with his free agency, however. He himself
declares that he might still become a castaway, even after he had preached to others. The
same lesson is appropriate to all of us. The Lord may order our affairs so as to give us
special opportunities and privileges in connection with His work, but He never interferes
with our hearts-to be in His service against our will. We may at any time draw back from
the service, "But," said St. Paul, "if any man draw back, my soul shall
have no pleasure in him."--Heb. 10:38.
The chosen vessel was to bear the message of grace
(1) To the Gentiles;
(2) To Kings;
(3) To Israel.
We can see the propriety of preaching to the Gentiles first in order.
We can see also that such a person as St. Paul had special opportunities for serving the
Truth, on such occasions as those in which he appeared and reasoned before Felix,
Augustus, Agrippa and others-possibly before the Emperor Nero. (2 Tim. 4:16, 17.) His
commission also mentioned Israel, and we remember how his preaching in various quarters
was "to the Jew first."
How strangely it sounds, "For I 'will show him how great things
he must suffer for My name's sake!" Is any other service than that of our Lord ever
entered on these termspromises of suffering? Surely not. Yet how honest for the Lord not
to call His disciples under any misapprehension of the facts! We are called to suffer with
Him-to sacrifice ourselves, our earthly interests-to share His Cross and, by .these
experiences, to prove that we have been begotten of His Spirit, and that it has been shed
abroad in our hearts and constituted us copies of God's dear Son. Faithfulness to this
cause insures the reward of joint-heirship with our Redeemer in His Kingdom; nor can those
Kingdom honors be hoped for on any other terms. The Apostle understood this and seems to
give the -thought, also, that the more any of the Lord's followers can share of the
sufferings of Christ, in the flesh, proportionately will be his share in the glory which
by and by shall be revealed to us-in the "members of His Body."
The expression, "For my name's sake," is comprehensive. It
includes everything connected with the, Divine Plan, of which Jesus, the Messiah, is the
center. It includes sufferings for the Truth's sake, because the Truth is vitally
connected with the "only Name." It includes the brethren because they have named
the name of Christ and they are under His name as members of His Body. It includes all the
work of the Millennial Kingdom because He is the Head of it all, and His name, His honor,
is associated with it all. Let us, therefore, be glad of any sufferings which come to us
directly or indirectly, because of our faithfulness to the "precious name" and
these various interests which are associated with it.
"APPEARED TO THEE IN THE WAY"
Assured by the Lord's leadings that the way was open to him to serve
the Truth, Ananias hesitated no longer. In full confidence of faith he addressed Saul in
the most kindly terms, saying, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared
unto thee, in the, way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight,
and be filled with the Holy Spirit." (V. 12.) Promptly there fell from Saul's eyes
something resembling fish scales. Evidently the intense light had destroyed the surface of
the eye, which now peeled off. His sight was restored, though, to what degree of
perfection is questionable. It seems evident that for the remainder of life he was
afflicted with weak eyes, which hindered his writing his own epistles, except one which he
remarked was written in large characters. We can fancy the disadvantage he would be under
in some respects by reason of this affliction, that his bodily presence would be much less
attractive than before, and that nothing but the Truth behind his words could longer
influence his auditors.
Saul had been praying and fasting for three days and nights and now
realized the Lord's forgiving love, as manifested in the sending of Ananias, in harmony
with his dream, and with a recovery of a measure of his sight. With this evidence of
Divine favor he would start. afresh. First he would be baptized and thus symbolize his
allegiance to the Crucified One. Then he would eat for the refreshment of his body that
the strength might be used in-the service of his new Master.
We read that forthwith Saul preached Christ in the synagogue of
Damascus. We admire his courage, his honesty! We do well to let the illustration quicken
our own minds and hearts with appreciation that we may be fortified for similar and all
emergencies-to use every opportunity to serve the Lord and to undo anything that we have
previously done amiss. Presumably the Apostle felt his need of special preparation for the
ministry of the Cross of Christ. At all events it is presumed that it was shortly after
his conversion, shortly after his preaching at Damascus, that he turned aside into the
desert of Arabia. It is possible that those three years were spent studying out the
various features of the Divine Program. Doubtless there he received visions which filled
him with enthusiasm for the work of his great message, the blessings of which have come
down through all the Age and are still with us.
"Lives of great men, all remind us,
We should make our lives sublime;
And, departing, leave behind us,
Footprints on the sands of time."
____________
O! how precious, dear Redeemer,
Is the love that fills my soul.
I am thine and have this token
While I'm running for the goal.
Lo! I a new creation dawning;
Lo! I rise to life divine;
In my soul an Easter morning;
I . am Christ's, and Christ is mine.
--JULY 31-ACTS
11:19-30; 12:25--
Golden Text.--"For a whole
year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people."--Acts
11:26.
ANTIOCH, at the time of our lesson, was the third city in the world
in rank of commercial importance and population, the latter being estimated at 500,000.
Its situation was about 300 miles
north from Jerusalem--a long distance in those days of foot and camel and sailboat
traveling. It is noted as being the first city outside of Palestine in which a Christian
church assembly was formed; and indeed, we might say that as Jerusalem was the center of
influence in Palestine, so Antioch became a center of influence as respected the Gospel
amongst the Gentiles. It seems that the start of the work of the Lord at Antioch, the
little spark of light and truth which started that important work, resulted from the
persecution at the time of Stephen's death. Some of those forced out of Jerusalem by the
persecution settled in Antioch, and, of course, they could not live and walk in the light
of the Gospel without letting the light shine out for others. This at first was done only
toward those who were of the Jewish faith, for in a large commercial city such as Antioch
there were sure to be large numbers of Jews. We know not how many of these were reached
with the Gospel; but it was confined to them, surely, until the end of Israel's seventy
symbolical weeks-until A. D. 37. At
the same time that the Lord was sending Philip to the Samaritans and to the Ethiopian
eunuch, and opening the door to the Gentiles through the Apostle Peter, He was ready to
open the door to the Gentiles everywhere; and under the leading of Divine providence some
of the Christian Hebrews got the proper thought at the proper time-that a Gentile who
would receive the Lord Jesus, and conform his life to His teachings, could -be classed as
a disciple equally as though he had been born a Jew. The work thus started amongst the
Gentiles at Antioch Spread considerably, the Gentiles seeming to take more notice of it
than had the Jews to whom the Gospel was first preached. There is a lesson here, to the
effect that while the Lord made clear to the Apostles first the matter of receiving the
Gentiles into the Church, He, nevertheless, did not confine His message to them, but was
willing to use any convenient disciple, no matter how humble, as a mouthpiece for the
Truth, and was pleased to bless the consecrated ambassadors and their service. So today
let each and all of the Lord's people be alert to notice opportunities for service, and
let those who occupy a position as teachers in the Church emulate the example of the
Apostles, who manifested no spirit of jealousy in respect to this broadening of the work -rejoicing,
rather, at the spread of the Good News by whatever instrumentality the Lord might be
pleased to use. This is the true spirit of discipleship, the spirit of humility. It is in
accord with the Apostle's words, "In honor preferring one another;"
"Rejoice not in iniquity, but rejoice in the truth."
BARNABAS SENT ON SPECIAL MISSION
The news of the Gospel going to the Gentiles at Antioch, and that
large numbers were turning to the Lord, reached the Church at Jerusalem-the head-center of
the Christian, work, so to speak. The Apostles and all of the -brethren had already been
prepared by the Lord's manifest dealing in the case of Cornelius, and this, undoubtedly,
would take away from their surprise and largely correct any prejudice on the subject of
the Gentiles as fellow-heirs of the promises, which had previously pertained to them
alone. Nevertheless, we note that the record -does not say that this news caused rejoicing
in the Jerusalem Church. We may infer, therefore, that they heard with some considerable
trepidation that large numbers of the Gentiles were attaching themselves to the faith, and
may have reasoned that this would have an injurious effect upon the cause they loved to
serve--inasmuch as the Jews would say, Yes, your message is good enough for the barbarians
or the Gentiles; it takes hold of the non-religious; but it attracts very few of the
deeply pious of God's chosen people, to whom belong the promises and the covenants of the
Lord, etc. It would appear, then, that the original motive in sending Barnabas to Antioch
(visiting other intermediate churches en route) was that he might see and judge of the
true condition of things, and give some report as to whether the new converts were worthy
in their lives and characters to be ,recognized as -fellow-heirs with the saints.
Barnabas, when he had come, took note of "the grace
of God," manifested amongst the believers at Antioch-it must have been manifest
not only in their faith in the Lord as their Redeemer and Master, but also in their
conduct as disciples or followers of Jesus. It is written, "He that hath this hope in
him purifieth himself even as He is pure," and we may suppose that Barnabas quickly
discerned the cleansing and sanctifying power of the Truth amongst these believers at
Antioch, and thus realized that the cause, instead of being hindered by such accessions,
would be honored. We read that he was glad; and we may assume, although it is not stated,
that he promptly made a report to the brethren at Jerusalem, and that they were glad also.
A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, is always made glad by evidences of
God's grace operating in himself and in others. It is one evidence of the possession of
the Holy Spirit, and that in good measure, when we rejoice in all good
things--"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are
of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things." -Phil. 4:8.
Barnabas at once overflowed toward the Antioch brethren, and in the
same comforting and helpful manner as at Jerusalem he exhorted them all. The Greek word 'here is from the
same root as his name, and signifies comfort, stimulation, assistance. No doubt he saw
various things needing to be corrected; but instead of beginning with fault-finding,
instead of lacerating their feelings and chiding them, he began, properly, by
acknowledgment of what he saw in them as a cause for rejoicing. His comforting message was
to the effect that they should cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart. The word
"cleave" here in the Greek signifies to glue, to adhere. He wished the dear
brethren, new in the Truth, to see to it that their hearts were firmly united unto the
Lord, that their minds were fully made up, that their consecration to Him was complete.
This was the matter of first importance. Later on he might show them kindly, gently,
certain weaknesses of the flesh to which they were' addicted; or their hearts being more
firmly united to the Lord they might very speedily see these inconsistencies of
themselves, without a word being said. The point we would impress is that it was not a
restraining of the flesh, nor a perfecting of it, that was sought, but a much deeper work
of grace than this; a purity of heart, of intention, a heart-adhesion to the Lord.
MISSION OF A FAITHFUL PASTOR
We today cannot do better than follow this same course in our
endeavors to do good unto others as we have opportunity. The brethren need strengthening
rather than tearing. They need building up in the most holy faith and love. They need
encouraging in heart-adhesion to the Lord; criticisms of the flesh come in afterward
gradually and very carefully and kindly. There were three elements co-operating which made
Barnabas so suitable a person for this service, and the same three elements in any of us
today will surely make us able ministers of the Truth. Those elements are stated here;
viz., "He was a good man [moral, upright, reverential] full of the Holy Spirit [he
had not received the grace of God in vain; it was in him a living power, the new mind
guiding and controlling in all of his affairs] and of faith." ' However good a man
may be, and however much of the Lord's character and spirit he may have, faith is
essential. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Let us strive to have
all of these qualifications in our ministry, that we may be true sons of consolation,
helpful in the Lord's service, and to His people wherever we may be: No wonder we read
that as a result of his labors at Antioch much people was added unto the Lord!
The last we heard of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:30) was that after the
opening of the eyes of his understanding, after he became the disciple of the Lord. Jesus,
he had preached in Damascus, and then in Jerusalem; then his life being endangered, the
brethren sent him down to Caesarea, and then probably by ship to his native city, Tarsus.
We are not informed regarding the nature of his work in his home city, but can readily
suppose that one of his character and disposition would not long remain idle. And if the
sphere of outward activities was a narrow one we may be sure that his mind was active in
the study of the Divine Plan, and that his great heart was active too, in comprehending
the Divine grace and considering ways of service. He was in Tarsus while Barnabas was at
Antioch, and the latter now had in mind the talents, the force, the logic, of Brother
Saul, whom he had met in Jerusalem, and he concluded that Tarsus being not very far from
Antioch, !he would look him up, interest him in the service of the Antioch Church, etc. He
probably remembered that Saul's ideas were extremely broad in respect to the Gospel--too
broad, perhaps, for the brethren at Jerusalem to fully appreciate him when he was amongst
them. But by this time all the brethren, and especially large-hearted Barnabas, had come
to see the Divine Plan in a broader light-more nearly as Saul of Tarsus had comprehended
it. Barnabas concluded that the conditions at Antioch were just such as would deeply
interest Saul, and that the brethren there would The greatly profited by his assistance.
He found him; he brought him to the Church at Antioch, where his influence was no doubt
great for the good of all. We rejoice in noting the heart nobility of Barnabas. Many
Christian men of smaller caliber would -have reasoned themselves into a different course,
and a wrong one; saying, As it is, I am the chief one amongst the brethren here, having
had larger opportunities than the others, and having had close contact with the Apostles
at Jerusalem; but if I bring Saul into our midst his superior abilities as a logician, as
an expounder of the Scriptures, will cast me quite into the shade, etc. Brethren who
reason thus are misguided by their own selfishness. They forget that the Lord's work is in
His own hands, and with such a spirit they could neither please Him nor be prospered in
His service, and that the reactionary effect upon their own hearts would be a serious one.
All of the Lord's people should be noble and unselfish; and the closer any of us
approximate this character the more will we be loved of the Lord, the more will we be
loved of the brethren, and the more useful will be our sphere of influence for
righteousness, for truth, for the Lord.
THE SECTARIAN SPIRIT NOT OF THE LORD
It is noteworthy that our Lord never gave any name to His people,; He
called them disciples, which signifies pupils, learners. The Apostles have applied to the
Church various terms, "Church of the living God"; "Church of God";
"Church of Christ"; "the! Church"; but gradually the name
"Christians," identifying God's people with their Redeemer and Leader, came to
be the general name throughout the world. It is a pity that any have thought it necessary
to adopt any other names than these; common to the
entire Church of Christ, or to use these names in a sectarian manner. Evidently the
name Christian should represent one who trusts in Christ as the Messiah-one, therefore,
Who trusts in Him also as the Redeemer, and who accepts all the fundamental doctrines of
the Scriptures, based, -as they. are, upon these two declarations--(1) that men were
sinners, needing to be redeemed before they could be acceptable to God, and that they were
redeemed -by. the precious blood of Christ; (2) that they have accepted the name of their
Redeemer, and are seeking to walk in His footsteps. There was a start toward sectarianism
in the early Church, some saying, I am a Christian, -but of the order of Paul; others, I
am a Christian, but of the order of Apollos; others, I am a Christian, but of the order of
Peter, etc. But the Apostle promptly rebuked this spirit, assuring them that the
relationship in Christ was all that was necessary; that neither Peter nor Paul had
redeemed them, and that neither, therefore, could occupy the place of a head to -the
Church. The Apostle, furthermore, calls our attention to the fact that such a spirit on
their part was an evidence of that much of carnality still remaining.; that much of a
worldly partisan spirit contrary to the thought and teaching of the Holy Spirit. As the
sectarian spirit was wrong in St. Paul's day, it is still wrong and we should deplore it
as he did, and break away from all disposition to follow others except as they follow the
Lord. Nor are we to halt in the path of 'light and gather around any one whom the Lord has
used and refuse to advance or make progress into a clearer understanding of the Divine
will.
It is to be regretted that ever since the Reformation times this
spirit has prevailed to a large extent, some taking the name of Luther, others of Wesley,
others of Calvin, others non-personal, but, nevertheless, sectarian or party names, as
Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational, Baptist and others. We are not claiming that
those who do these things are wholly carnal, without the Lord's spirit, but we do claim
with the Apostle that a disposition to such a partisanship is contrary to the spirit of
the Lord, and to that extent is carnal, fleshly, and should be overcome by all who would
be recognized of the. Lord as overcomers.
Let no one misunderstand us to advocate one sect or party as instead
of many. On the contrary, we know that if there must be sects there is an advantage in
having many,' as they serve to keep each other within more reasonable bounds, serving to
some extent to hinder gross arrogance and persecution. What we ought to have is one
church, one household of faith, accepting the plain fundamentals of Scripture, and with
limitations as to acceptance of more or less conjectural views outside of those
fundamentals-all fraternizing, fellowshipping each other, and all known as Christians, and
thus separated from all who deny the atonement, from all who deny the results of the
atonement, !in the resurrection, and from all who deny the propriety of a newness of life
in the present time. In this view of the matter each individual Christian would have an
independence as respected his own thought, aside from fundamentals which are clearly
stated in the Scriptures.
BENEVOLENCE A FEATURE OF PIETY
In view of the fact that the condition of the Antioch Church made
Barnabas. glad, and in view of the instruction and I assistance
rendered it by Paul and Barnabas, we are not surprised that it was a living Church,
instead of a dead one, and we are not surprised that, an opportunity offering through a
famine especially affecting the vicinity of Jerusalem, this congregation of believers at
Antioch was prompt to make up- a relief fund and send it to -the Church at Jerusalem, as
an expression of its love and sympathy and oneness of spirit. It is more blessed to give
than to receive, not only as respects the sentiment of the matter, but the results are
still more blessed. No doubt the contributions sent were a comfort and a help to the
Jerusalem brethren, but the blessing to the givers we may be sure was far greater, The
Lord would reward them, and that in proportion as they had given, at some sacrifice as
respects. earthly things, luxuries, etc.
"Is thy cruse of comfort failing?
Rise and share it with another,
And through all the years of famine
It shall serve thee and thy brother.
Love divine will fill thy storehouse,
All thy handful still renew;
Scanty fare for one will often
Make a royal feast for two."
We do not mean to say that this principle could be worked out now,
under present conditions, with the :nominal church full of "tares," and
thoroughly soaked in false doctrines. What we do mean to say is that had it not been for
the sectarian spirit which early crept into the Church after the death of the Apostles,
there would not have been the present number of tares, professed Christians, nor the same
amount of false doctrines discounting the true. Ambition for numbers and for influence led
to the formulation of doctrines which attracted the tares into the Church. Without these
false ambitions, and with the fundamentals of the ransom and full restitution clearly
recognized by all, the nominal Church today would be amazingly smaller than it is, but it
would be comparatively pure, and it would be at one with itself, and there would be no
desire for any other name than that of the one Lord and Head.
Our proper course is to separate ourselves from all the Babylonian
systems and to "stand fast in the liberty where with Christ has made free,"
and to own no other name than His, and to accept no other standards than those of His
Word. Our duty, after coming ourselves into this position, is to help others into the same
liberty, and to avoid putting restraints upon the brethren, or making tests of any kind,
except such as are fundamental-faith in the ransom and full consecration to the Lord,
which would include an honest desire to know the meaning of His Word. There can be no
danger amongst such as are taking this position, and where only this class is recognized
as the Church, and where this liberty wherewith Christ has made us free is strictly
observed.
STUDY LXX--JULY 3
THE VISION OF THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST (CONT.)
(446) What special organization and movement amongst Protestants
appears to represent the early stages of the symbolical Image, and when did this commence?
What bodies of Christians took part in the movement? Give a brief description of their
object and work. H '20-55.
(447) What was the attitude of the true sanctuary class toward the
Evangelical Alliance? What timely and appropriate remarks did PASTOR RUSSELL make
regarding this matter ? H '20-56.
(448) What is implied :and signified by the expression that the Image
should "both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast
should be killed"?
(449) How may we expect this "life" or power to be given to
the Image as suggested by PASTOR RUSSELL, and what recent incidents would confirm his
interpretation? H '20-56, 57.
(450) Is the "worship" and the "killing" to be
understood literally? What should be the attitude of the Lord's people when these
conditions obtain? H '20-57.
STUDY LXXI--JULY 10
THE VISION OF THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST (CONT.)--REV.
13:14-18
(451) In what way has the two-horned Beast caused the formation of
the Image? Has Papacy in any way ever recognized the Evangelical Alliance, thus confirming
the thought of its resemblance to Papacy? H '20-57.
(452) What is the "Mark of the Beast"? and what lesson may
we draw from this? To what do the terms "buy" and "sell" of verses 16
and 17 ;refer? H '20-58, 59. ,
(453) What should we understand by the statement, "Here is
wisdom. Let him who has understanding compute"? In the expression, "Number of
the Beast" which Beast is referred to? What reasonable inference may we draw as to
the significance of the statement, "It is a man's number"? H '20-58.
(454) What helpful suggestions have we from the expositor NEWTON as
to the significance of the number 666? and what 'would Appear to have been PASTOR
RUSSELL'S view? H '20-58, 59.
(455) Give a brief review of the significance of the terms Beast,
Image of the Beast, Mark of the Beast and Number of the Beast.' H '20-59.
STUDY LXXII--JULY 17
THE VISION OF THE LAME ON MOUNT ZION--REV. .14:1
(456) Give a brief review of chapter 13. To what period of time are
we brought in the closing verses? H '20-69.
(457) What important event is -depicted in the opening verses of
chapter 14? ' What is the general symbolical significance of "Mount Zion," and
with what particular incident in the Scriptures may we reasonably associate this vision? H
'20-69, 70.
(458) What phase of our Lord's presence seems to be described by the
Lamb standing on Mount Zion? What is the distinction between the parousia, epiphania and the apokalupsis as given by PASTOR RUSSELL? H '20-70.
(459) In what sense can the 144,000 be said to he with our Lord
during all the period covered by the Lamb standing on Mount Zion? and does their being
"with" Him signify that the Marriage of the Lamb has taken place? H '20-71.
(460) How are the Lord's followers, the 144,000, distinguished in
this vision from those of the preceding vision who-are associated with the false religious
systems? What is the significance of having His Father's name written in their foreheads?
H '20-69, 71, 72.
THAT WE MAY BE LIKE HIM
Dear Brethren:
Greetings in. His Name! Twelve of the friends met the evening of the
21st to commemorate our dear Redeemer's death for us; to realize afresh His sufferings and
His sacrifice for us. We rejoice in the wonderful privilege which is ours of filling up
that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, of drinking of His cup, and being
broken with Him as part of the one loaf, that in the, future we may be with Him and be
like Him and see Him as He is. . . .
We are very much interested in the chronology article. We have given
it careful study, and it seems, both reasonable and logical as well as strong
Scripturally. I mean to study it further in comparison with the Second Volume and shall
await further chronology articles with a great deal of interest. I agree that it is time
our chronology was looked into, and I thank God you have the courage and the faith to
attempt it. I am praying that the Lord may guide and direct your minds, and that thus He
may supply through you all needed help, assistance and encouragement to the Israel of God
everywhere.
We are hoping Brother Blackburn will return East by way of
Hutchinson. We feel that we need a Pilgrim very much. With much Christian love to, all the
dear friends,
Yours in the service of the King,
E. M. A.-Kans.
OUT OF DARKNESS INTO LIGHT
Gentlemen:
I note in the HERALD that you are willing and anxious to send the
paper to anyone who is an earnest seeker after the Truth, and who is not able to pay for
same. My wife and I have for a long time, even since early childhood, been earnest seekers
after the Truth, and have tried to lead the life which we thought would -be approved by
the Master, but we have all the while been listening to such a babel from different
denominations that we did not know what to do, and have on more than one occasion thought
of connecting ourselves with some church, but we feel very thankful today that we never
have.
Brother V. first brought our attention, to the Truth as taught by the
INSTITUTE and we have had the pleasure of reading a few copies of the HERALD now and then,
and it has increased our faith so much. We realize more fully the goodness of God, and His
Divine Plan seems so grand and gracious. We can now love and trust Him more fully and are
happier. As we are poor and unable to pay for a subscription to the HERALD, please enter
my name on your mailing list and if we ever get in a position to pay you, which I think we
will soon, we will remit up to date.
Thanking you in advance for the favor, I am,
Yours gratefully,
J. P.-Ala.
HEARS VOICE OF GOOD SHEPHERD
Dear Brethren:
I am enclosing N. Y. Exchange for $--, to be used in the Good Hopes
fund, and it is my prayer that the dear Heavenly Father may direct you not only in the use
of this, but of all funds coming into your hands. I assure you, dear brethren, that it is
a genuine pleasure to send along this small contribution to further the promulgation of
the Glad Tidings for I am in hearty sympathy with your views as expressed- in the
different issues of the HERALD and I am persuaded that our dear Lord and Savior is
directing you in the message you are sending forth. I often think of His statement
"My sheep know my voice" and I just feel that I can hear it time and time again
in each issue of the HERALD for it is perfectly clear to me that the brethren who are
editing it are being led by the spirit of a sound mind and are not being carried off of
their feet by speculation, fanciful interpretations, etc., etc. It is my most earnest
prayer that you may continue in that attitude of heart and mind that will make it possible
for our dear Master to continue to use you in ministering to us, which will, of course,
result in a blessing to you as well as to us, for has He not told us that, our greatest
blessing will come as a result of our being spent in His service?
Please remember Sister G. and myself in your prayers; in fact I will
just include all of the Class in this request as I know they would want me to do so if
they knew I was writing.
Your brother by His grace,
P. A. G.-La.
HOPES GOOD WORK WILL GO ON
Dear Brethren:
I am enclosing $-- for the Tract Fund. I want to tell you that I
certainly enjoy the article in the last HERALD under the heading "Watchman, What of
the Night?" I think it very convincing and stimulating to faith. I hope the good work
will go on. I for one want to be influenced by the Truth wherever it is found, and I am
glad to see that there is no speculation mixed with it.
I also wish to say that we enjoy the monthly visits of the brethren
sent by the Institute to our little class. We wish for you all the Lord's rich blessing
and guidance.
Very sincerely, D. S.-N. 1.
WORDS FAIL TO EXPRESS COMFORT RECEIVED
Dear Brethren -
Enclosed please find 25 cents. Please mail me four copies of the
HERALD containing the article on the Jubilees. Words cannot express the comfort
experienced from the two articles on the chronology.
I hope you intend publishing the Revelation Series in book form. I
will take five copies, if this is the ease, and will remit this amount; i.e., your
estimate of the cost of the volume -in advance, on word from you that you contemplate the
work. It would be splendid to have the series in a convenient form, and one that could be
distributed to those interested.
Your brother in the Truth,
J. F. G.-N. S.
PLENTY OF GOOD SPIRITUAL FOOD NEEDED
Dear Brethren:
Loving Christian greetings. It was with much pleasure that I received
the two parcels of HERALDS (from January 1, 1919, up to date) this morning, and I thank
you for your prompt answer to my request sent through the BIBLE STUDENTS COMMITTEE: of
London. I am remitting the money in payment direct to the BIBLE STUDENTS COMMITTEE, which
I presume will he in order.
I have taken a rapid run through each of the issues, and am very
pleased to note how much they are like the "Watch Towers" issued by our dear
BROTHER RUSSELL. As I go into each article carefully, I know a great blessing awaits me.
At such a time as the present it is needful that there be plenty of good spiritual food
for all the Household, and I am convinced that the HERALDS are performing an active work
in this direction.
Being much interested in the Revelation, I find personally that the
articles give a very satisfying solution of the symbols of that book, and it is gratifying
to find some one able to bring to light some of the truths that BROTHER RUSSELL gave us
long ago. I know you do not wish praise, so I just thank my Heavenly Father for keeping
the Truth and the spirit of the Truth still alive, and in His own due time, bringing me
into touch with the food of His providing. Mother and I have for some time past sadly
missed the spiritual upbuilding. . . . Now, in our extremity, we realize the Lord's
leadings, and by His grace, intend to use these blessing& wisely and to His glory.
We wish to assure you, dear brethren, that we appreciate your loving
zeal on behalf of Zion and that we are with you in spirit. We pray for you daily, that our
Father may guide you in wisdom and make you truly a. blessing to His people. What I have
already read of the HERALDS has spurred. me on to greater earnestness and zeal to
"make my calling: and election sure."
With much love in the Lord from us both, and praying God's richest
blessing upon you, I remain,
Your brother by His grace,
A. L. M.-Scot.
VOL. IV. July 15, 1921 No. 14
"I write unto thee that
thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God,
which is' the Church of, the
living God, _the pillar and ground of the truth."--1 Tim. 3:14, 15.
[Reprint from Pastor
RUSSELL--1907]
IT is one thing to make our consecration to the Lord, to be His and
to serve Him even unto death, and another thing to carry out that service day by day in
all the little details of life. Our. Lord's words-that he that is faithful in that which
is least would be faithful also in greater things--is well illustrated by the fact that it
would be comparatively easy, for us to finish
our sacrifice by suicide, or even by going to the stake, and a: much more difficult thing
to. day by day hold- our sacrifice on the altar in all the little affairs of life -- in
self-denials, in patience, in perseverance, in brotherly kindness, in gentleness--to
receive reviling and revile not again, to be smitten mentally or physically and not to
retaliate; this endurance of a lingering crucifixion--death--is much more difficult. But
we can readily see that the Lord's Plan is greatly to our advantage, in the sense that
while the 'consecration evidences a right spirit, will or intention, the gradual carrying
out of that consecration tends more and more to develop the character-likeness -of our
Lord in us. Hence the Apostle urges that we leap to rejoice even in tribulations, knowing
that they will work out in us the various fruits and graces of the Lord's Spirit, as we
receive them in the proper attitude of heart and seek to learn the. lessons they teach.
GOOD BEHAVIOR IN THE CHURCH
Recognizing that we are all defective according to the flesh) that
none, of us come up to the Divine standard of perfection, and that our only perfection is
that of the heart, the will, we must not wonder if occasionally we have trials and
testings, aggravations, one from the other, though it must be the will, the desire; the
intent of each to provoke one another to love and good works and hot to anger, hatred and
evil works. (Heb. 10:24.) For ourselves we must recognize the very highest standard of
God-likeness, and as for others of the ' Body, we must be prepared to allow, our love for
them and for the Lord to cover a multitude, of blemishes should they appear to us. And
each one, in proportion as he or she follows this course, is pleasing to the Lord' is pure
in heart--a copy of God's dear Son--and, covered with the robe of the Redeemer's merit, is
considered from God's standpoint, not ac cording to his imperfect flesh, but according
to his perfect-intentioned heart or will. To us, "in the Church" does not
signify in a meeting-house, but amongst the Lord's people. Neither does it mean, merely
when we are assembled together, but it, includes All of our dealings with them, every day
and all the time. And we all should desire to learn the lesson how we ought to conduct
ourselves in or amongst the members of the Church, the Body of Christ, the tabernacle of
the Holy Spirit. amongst men.
Everywhere in the Bible the Lord sets before us perfect Love as the
standard, and we must therefore suppose that all who have passed the standard of babes in
Christ, and have come to some measure of, knowledge of the Lord through His Word and
Spirit, recognize this love standard and are seeking to conform to it. We must therefore,
suppose that the difficulties which from time to time arise amongst such are largely be
cause of imperfect development of knowledge and experience in applying the love
standard, as: well as because of imperfections of the flesh.. Hence the Scriptural
exhortation that we grow in grace as well as in knowledge, and that we be more and more
filled with the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of love, the spirit of a sound mind, the
spirit of brotherly kindness, the spirit of meekness, the spirit of patience-the Holy
Spirit.
ARE CONTENTIONS NECESSARY?
We reply that they are sometimes, but not, nearly so often, as they
occur. There is just one ground of contention authorized, and we find it in the words,
"Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to The saints." (Jude 3.) But
since the spirit of contention is everywhere in the Bible reprehended, we must under
stand the Apostle to mean that only the important points of our faith are to be 'Contended
for. We must not give place to any who deny the personality of the Heavenly Father, and
who would teach in the Church that God is a great big nothing, merely, a principle of
good; and if there is anything good in the sense of useful-\ in the piece of, iron or wood
or stone or in any other substance, there is that much of God in it.. We must contend
earnestly against such vain philosophies, as being not only foreign to the faith I once
delivered to the. saints, but antagonistic to it to -the last degree. We must contend also
for the ransom, because it is the very foundation of the faith once, delivered to the
saints--that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that He rose for our
justification. This would imply a contention against various false claims, such as that
our Lord was not made flesh but remained a spirit being, to. whom death was quite
impossible that He merely assumed for a time the human body, pretending that it was
Himself, and pretending that He died when it died.
We must hold to the faith once delivered to the saints, that our Lord
left the glory which He had with the Father before the world was, that He humbled Himself
and was made flesh, and that He. did this not as an example, but that He by the grace of Goa "tasted
death for every man"--that He might die the just for the unjust to bring us to God.
This means additionally that we must Contend that His death was. a real death, the just
for the unjust, else. our faith in Him as a Savior and Redeemer would depart. Furthermore
if we did not believe that He really died, really gave Himself as a corresponding price,
for father Adam,. thus, purchasing him and his race, how could we believe in His
resurrection from the dead? How could anyone be resurrected from death if he had not gone
into it? We, must also hold to and contend earnestly for the great fact that God's work
during this Gospel Age is the selection of the Bride of Christ the Church of the
First-born--and that this election, completed at our Lord's Second Coming, will have its
consum-mation in the resurrection of the Little Flock to glory, honor and immortality in
the Kingdom, as the Royal Priesthood under Christ their Royal Head, and High Priest, that
as the Spiritual Seed of Abraham they may. fulfil the Abrahamic Covenant, "In thy
Seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." For all these fundamentals of
our religion, including the declaration. that sin entered into the world by Adam's
transgression and that we are all partakers of his sin and of its penalty; and all need
redemption--all these first principles of the faith we must stand for, contend for. To be
indifferent to these and to allow, error to creep in and to be promulgated, taught in the
Church, would be a serious sin and show unfaithfulness on the part of those who had
pledged themselves as soldiers of the cross to defend it.
But aside from such fundamentals, the Lord's people should., seek to.
exercise great moderation. amongst themselves upon any point of doctrine riot clearly
enunciated-upon the meaning of any parable not explained in the Scripture, itself. Neither
-should 'there be any dispute or division as respects BROTHER RUSSELL or any other
brother. Each should be allowed to exercise his own judgment in respect to things not
specifically stated in the Word of God. Each should feel a delicacy or reserve about
promulgating any doctrine or matter not specifically and clearly taught in the Scriptures,
and above all, he should be sure never to teach or attempt to teach speculations if he
himself is not thoroughly convinced respecting the same. Each one has, enough to. contend
-with in the twists and kinks of his own imperfect judgment without having others add to
his difficulties by the rehearsal of matters which they admit they do not clearly
understand. There is so much in God's Word that is simple and plain and well substantiated
that we can talk. about and think about, that we are well nigh inexcusable for far-away
speculations. The Scriptures. declare, "The secret things belong unto God, but the
things revealed belong unto us."--Deut. 29:29.
PATIENCE AND FORBEARANCE COMMENDED
If some dear brother has a peculiar theory or hobby ,and feels that
he cannot rest until be has presented it to the, Church, there should be some opportunity
given him to let off steam--even if it would not be advisable to hear him in the most
public manner lest visitors should conclude that his fancies represented the general
thought of the Church. But if after he has been heard on some occasion, and it be the,
judgment of the Church that his theories are unreasonable, unscrip-tural, he should be
content with having given his view; and if he be not content, but desires to ride his
theory continually as a hobby, to the annoyance of, others and to the interference with
the general spirit of worship and progress in study, it would seem to be the duty of the
elders to call his. attention to the fact, and to remind him that he has been heard, and
therefore' his urging the, matter is in the nature of a contention, not for a fundamental
of the Truth, but, for a theory, and that such contention is reproved throughout the
Scriptures as contrary to. the will of the Lord and to the good of His people, themselves
included, and that therefor ' e they. cannot permit the matter to continue.. -- Titus 3:9.
The Apostle speaks of those who are "contentious and obey not
the Truth." (Rom. 2.8.) The intimation is that the contentious spirit or disposition
is generally found amongst those who are not living up to the spirit of the Truth which
they have already recognized. They have been attempting to grow in knowledge without
growing in grace--in love, in kindness, gentle ness, meekness, patience, etc.; and those
who are right at heart will be pleased to note this as their difficulty, and to correct
the same, because what would it profit us to contend for our theories and cause confusion
in the Church I of
God, and be ultimately reprimanded by the' Lord and be unable to pass the examination for
per fect love and Christ-likeness, and therefore be counted unworthy 4 place in the
Bride class. Surely such contentions, such theorizings, are well worthy of the Apostle's
reprimand,' and. well worthy to be heeded by us all.
The Apostle's exhortation that "nothing be done through strife
or vain-glory" gives another suggestion, along this line, namely, that some have
naturally the spirit of strife, and therefore more to overcome along this line than have
some others. Some, it is intimated, have a vain-glorious spirit, the spirit of pride and
ambition, which gets themselves and others into difficulty. But are we to reject those who
are naturally ' combat ive, naturally ambitious? Are we to say.
that they therefore are not of, the Body, and cut them off? By no means; rather we should
seek to so exemplify the proper course in our own conduct as to impress' a lesson upon
them and upon all with whom we have contact. Wherever we see a wrong spirit in another our
first thought should be, Have I any of that disposition myself ? and our first correction
should be in our own hearts and conduct. Thus casting the mote or beam out of our own
eyes, we would be the better prepared to approach our brother with gentleness and
kindness, and unobtrusively to render him assistance in getting the better of his
difficulties.
BEREANS WHO "FIGHT TO A FINISH"
Some of the Lord's dear brethren of excellent heart and noble,
intention seem to get the improper thought in connection with the Berean studies. They
seem to say to themselves, There can be but one right thought on this subject, and that
one the truth;, and everyone else here, should want the truth, and we "should contend
and dispute on this question if. necessary all night
and fight the matter until some one gives up and sees that he is wrong. This is an evil
thought entirely, and is productive of great discomfort and disadvantage, and a hindrance
to spirituality in various classes. On the one hand we are to appreciate more those who do
some thinking of their own about a subject than those who do no thinking, and who merely
swallow a statement set forth by others. But there is a proper limit to be observed: the
Lord has had great patience with us all in our slowness to learn, and surely we 'should
be' patient with each other. He lays down line upon line, precept upon precept, and is
slow to anger and plenteous of mercy, and very generous toward all those who give evidence
of desiring to' do His will.
We certainly are not
authorized to do less than this in His name, and as His representatives. Rather our
realization of our own obtuseness in the past should make us very sympathetic with others
who are slow to see, slow to hear, slow to, understand. Each, there fore, should be
content' if he have a reasonable opportunity for presenting his view on any question, and
should not attempt to enforce and crowd it in upon another. If the Editor has stated his
view, and one or more do not see the, matter exactly so, and the question is not
fundamental,,, then it, would be the proper course to let the matter rest there, and to
allow the Lord eventually as. the great Teacher' through His providence, to gradually
bring us 'to where we could the more completely see eye to eye. In this we have the
opportunity for learning the lesson of patience and forbearance, brotherly kindness,
meekness, gentleness, -Love.
"CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER TO PROVOKE"
If anyone of a contentious mind would set himself, about it, he would
have no difficulty in provoking in others resentment' and evil, works; but the Apostle
'urges,. that having the Holy Spirit of love dwelling in our hearts, we should consider
one another to provoke unto love and good works. We should study one another's natural
dispositions from a sympathetic standpoint, with a view to helping, each other over
difficulties and weaknesses. And how much of this is, possible! Frequently it is possible
by speaking a kind word, gently, sympa-thetically, lovingly, to help some dear brother or
sister to keep balanced – to overcome some of
his or her weaknesses, the expression of which would be injurious to himself as well as to
the Church or others. How we should all study this spirit of helpfulness and recognize it
as the spirit of love, the spirit of the Lord! Let us remember that a soft answer, a kind
and gentle Word, may be helpful and turn away anger, but that grievous words. and
strifeful words, cutting words, sarcastic words, are almost sure to stir up anger. (Prov.
15:1.) Let us therefore study more and more to be gentle toward all, and kind and
affectionate one toward another, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake
hath forgiven you.--Eph. 4:32.
Another point upon which forbearance and consideration seem very
necessary is in" respect to the choosing of leaders. Some very devoted brethren seem
to get the impression that they should have no part in electing as an
Elder anyone they could not endorse in every particular. We agree that no immoral person
should be chosen to eldership under any consideration, and that if an Elder be found to be
immoral his resignation should be immediately called for. But usually this is not. the
ground of difference: the Lord's people would never knowingly choose an immoral person as
a standard-bearer or leader in spiritual things. But suppose that in a congregation, there
be one person whom the majority may consider vastly superior and better qualified every
way than any other of their number to be their- Elder or leader, and suppose that a
minority of the congregation have a liking for the presentations or manners or what not of
another brother, and suppose that another minority have a preference for still another
brother, or at least a desire to. see him brought forward into the public service of the
Church, believing that he has talents that could be used of the Lord to His glory. What
shall each party do? -- fight it out on political, lines and say, We have power, and
therefore authority to elect our man, and you must: either join in this or quit the
company? By no means!
This might be "'good politics" amongst the worldly, but it
would be quite out of harmony with the spirit of love which must govern in the Church. 'In
gaining such a victory we might wound one or more of the Lord's brethren, might offend our
Lord, and do ourselves incalculable' injury in our race for the great prize. Such a
"victory" would be a defeat of our
real aims and aspirations--a victory for our great Adversary. Are we not to consider one
'another, and seek not every man merely his own preferences, but seek to build one
-another up 'in the most holy
faith? The spirit of love would therefore seem to dictate that more than one Elder
should be elected in such a case -- two or three or more, as the supply of material and
the desires of the company could be reasonably interpreted, without violating the general
directions of the Lord's Word. A fair and reasonable decision should be such as would be
proportionate. to the number of the brethren. Some might be found specially well adapted
to the leading of one kind of meeting and .others to the leading of another kind, and the
Apostle points out that we have need of every member of the body, so that the eye cannot
even say to the hand or the foot, "I have no need of you." The thought we should
have in mind is that there is plenty of room for all of the Lord's people to do service.
When the Apostle points out the. qualifications of an Elder he,
mentions the ideal, just as our Lord mentions the ideal to us all when He says, "'Be
ye like unto your Father which is in heaven," We cannot be like the Heavenly Father
fully, completely, but we can have Him as. our standard or pattern to which we are.
striving to attain. Similarly, few Elders may come up to the standard of qualification
mentioned by the Apostle, but these qualifications should not be overlooked by any in
their expression of a choice, or rather in their expression of what they believe to be the
Lord's choice in the matter. "Forbearing one another in love," says the Apostle,
0, how this forbearance' and consideration of one another's preferences, tastes, views,
would help to make us all more and more like the glorious Lord Himself, and how it would
smooth many of the wrinkles and difficulties, and bring peace in every little company of
the Lord's people! We are not thinking of nor striving for the kind of peace and quiet
that prevails in the graveyard or which prevails in the sleeping room, but the kind which
the Lord would approve amongst those who are awake and alive and thoroughly consecrated to
Him, and' forbearing and considering one another because of their love for the Head and
for all those who are seeking to walk in His steps.
"LOVE SEEKETH NOT HER OWN"
All of the Lord's people should gradually come more and more to be
ashamed of a self-seeking 'spirit and disposition and to appreciate more and more the
spirit of love which thinks not of personal interests but of the good of others,
especially those of the household of faith. If a brother thinks that he has some talents
which he would be pleased to use in the. Lord's service in the Church, it is proper for
him to be on the alert for opportunity to use these, but also proper for him to avoid
imposing himself or his services on the Church. While glad to serve the Church freely,
without money or price;
while glad to give time, strength, energy and every talent to the service of the Truth,
the spirit of meekness as well as the spirit of wisdom should hinder him from crowding his
services upon the Church more than the latter could appreciate., Better' go gently, and
trust to the Lord to guide and to eventually indicate who shall serve the Church and to
what extent they shall serve and in what capacity. This, the Lord's way, the Scriptural
way, will be found to be. the wisest one--any other course will sooner or later bring
difficulty to all concerned.
"WHOM THE SON MAKES FREE"
It is difficult for many of us to keep balanced respecting our
personal liberties: we are largely influenced by the customs, and practices of those
surrounding us, and need continually to hearken to the voice of the Lord in His Word.
Because in Babylon it is customary that nothing should be done without ordination, a feeling
sometimes creeps in amongst those less developed in grace and truth that is somewhat in
accord with that: the feeling, for instance, that no meetings must be held except as. they
are appointed by the Church and conducted by one of the elected Elders.
There are advantages coming from a recognition, of the oneness of the
Church, and the appointing of meetings when and where they may be most helpful and to be
led by those esteemed to have superior qualifications. But we must never lose sight of the
fact that neither the Lord nor the Apostles placed any limitations upon the liberties of
individuals; and hence we may not do so.
Note our Lord's words--"Where two or three are gathered together
in My name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matt. 18:20.) That promise is as true
today as it ever was, and places no restriction upon any of the Lord's people.
If, therefore, any of the Lord's flock feel that their best spiritual
interests are not served by the arrangements already made, by the, Church, -- they are
fully at liberty to start a meeting that will be more helpful to them--any kind of a
meeting not in conflict with the provisions of the Scriptures. In case of such a necessity
seeming to present itself to any, our advice would be that they seek to appoint such
meetings at a time and place that would not be in conflict with the appointments of the
general congregation. If then it be desirable, as we hold that it generally is, that the
Church should take a general supervision of such matters, it should recognize its
responsibility and, appoint a sufficiency of meetings and of the desired kinds, and under
such leadership, as will meet the necessities of the dear people--that all may be fed,
that all may be strengthened, that all may progress, and that all may be maintained in
unity of heart and in love and fellowship and co-operation.
ADDED to the other general Conventions of the season is now that of
Toledo, Ohio, held July 2-4. Our hearts are indeed assured-that it was a blessed occasion
and that it meant much of spiritual joy, love, peace, to all those present. The evidence
is that all the brethren more than realized -their expectations in this regard.
Although in some respects the weather was most unpropitious on
account of the extreme heat, yet even this unfavorable feature seemed not to prevent the
friends from enjoying a large measure of -convention blessings. True enough, as is usual
in these days, the gathering was a comparatively small one-probably not more than 70 of
the brethren were present at the largest session; several States were, however, therein
represented. But of course from a worldly viewpoint, from the standpoint of those who
-believe that the Church's present mission is one of vast Magnitude and that she should
now be pushing forward a movement backed by large finance and numbers-from such a
standpoint, our assembly would indeed appear to be a despised company, so that one could
hardly fail of being reminded of the words of the Poet:
"What poor, despised company
Of travelers. are those,
Who walk in yonder narrow way,
Beset by, many foes?"
And how true it is today, as it has been from the beginning of the
Church's career nearly nineteen centuries ago, that followers of the Lamb have been a most
limited company; misunderstood and misrepresented, despised and rejected of men, as was
their Head; and as reported by St. Paul early. in the Age, so likewise today they are
counted as the filth, and offscouring of all things. But the Heavenly Bridegroom bids all
His followers be strong and of good courage to set their faces like flint Zionward, for
soon He will appear to the glorification of all the faithful. Then shall they shine forth
as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father and all their enemies shall be confounded and
ashamed.
The new-life in Christ, the life of faith, and that which essentially
relates to Christian development- and preparation for the Heavenly Bridegroom's presence
was indeed the substance of the discourses of the brethren at Toledo. It was observed that
the Master's words, "Be thou faithful unto death," ring clear and strong in the
ears of all those who give evidence of spirit-begetting, and it was, recognized that
faithfulness unto death signifies bearing the cross unto the end of life, in connection
with which the fruits of the spirit--joy, peace, humility, long-suffering,, brotherly
kindness and love, are appreciated as being most essential to enter the Kingdom, in
harmony with the Master's words, "Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much
fruit."
All the brethren gathered at Toledo testified of the Lord's goodness
and keeping power in these days of fiery trial, 'and, signified their intention of keeping
the. Lord always before them. The dear ones of. the home Class in Toledo surely fulfilled
their part well in warmly welcoming the friends ' and in caring foe all their needs.
The public meeting was not all that we might have expected in
numbers, on account, it. would seem, of the extremely hot weather. However it was
estimated that there 'were between 150 to 175 present. 'The attention paid to the address
on the subject, "Beyond the Grave," was encouraging, and we trust indeed that
with the Lord's blessing some good was done. It was with- hearty thankfulness and worship
to the Giver of all good that the friends separated, earnestly bidding one another
God-speed until they should meet again.
--SERIES II--
A ST. JOHN'S VISION OF CHRIST.,
"I John, your Brother and
Co-partner in the Affliction, and Kingdom, and Patient waiting for Jesus, was in That
Island which is Called Patmos, on account of the
Word of God, and the Testimony of Jesus.
I was in Spirit on the Lord's Day; and 'I heard behind, me a loud Voice as of a
Trumpet, saying, 'What thou seest write in a Scroll,
and send to Those Seven Congregations; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to
Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.'"--Rev. 1:9, 10, 11.
HAVING concluded his salutation to the Churches, St. John proceeds to
address them, and at once states the circumstances and the conditions that surrounded him
at time when he beheld the vision of Christ described in the succeeding verses. He begins
by identifying himself with his, fellow-Christians, us ing the unassuming term of
brother. He announces himself as simply a companion with his fellow-Christians in
affliction, and as possessing the one hope, and . patiently waiting with them for the
realization of the reward at the appearing of Jesus Christ. It is well, known that St.
John had been already severely persecuted, but he modestly refrains from making mention of
this only as it is implied in his statement that he was a prisoner on the lonely Island of
Patmos because of his faithfulness in proclaiming the Word of God, the Gospel of Christ.
With becoming humility, the beloved John avoids mentioning his previous testimony for the
Truth, which had brought him this- persecution, and also lightly passes over the
persecution itself. .
It appears to be a well established principle, observed in God's
providence, that faithfulness to Christi while it often brings persecution in some form,
brings also clearer revelations of the, Divine plans and purposes, and 'though it may even
mean imprisonment, the service to others is not hindered thereby, but rather increased.
Joseph in prison became the "revealer of secrets."' Luther translated the
Scriptures into his own tongue while in prison, and gave to his fellow-ountrymen their
first privilege of learning their contents, thus breaking the chains of superstition that
bound them to Papal idolatry. John Bunyan wrote his world-famed "Pilgrim's
Progress" while in prison. Likewise, St. John, while in his, lonely prison, was
chosen to be the medium to complete the Divine canon of Scriptures. And those who have
faithfully followed as he did in the footsteps of Christ have had, as a rule, given to
them clearer unfoldings and understandings of the Divine Word.
IN THE SPIRIT ON THE LORD'S DAY
St. John informs us that he was in the spirit on the Lord's day,,
when he beheld this sublime vision of Christ. The word spirit may refer, as some think, to
either the Holy Spirit, or to some state of mind such as the Holy Spirit produces-a spirit
of elevated devotion--a state of high and uncommon religious enjoyment. A very worthy
commentator, we believe has given a much better translation and interpretation of this
expression: " 'I became in the spirit on the Lord's day.' It was- 'not simply in the
right and, nor mal Christian state in which John found himself, as so many think, but
carried out of himself by the power of the spirit; his senses closed to other things, his
spirit awake to behold the things presented to him, and hear the voice that speaks to us
also in him." Still another has very properly urged that "the visions granted to
St. John, recorded in the book of Revelation, are in no sense and in no part to be
understood as realities,, and this is the significance of St. John's statement in our
lesson, 'I was in the spirit on the Lord's day.'" I
I would seem. then that the statement that the. Apostle John was
"in the spirit" teaches us that the things he saw, in the visions were not
realities, but symbolical representations of great facts and realities. The expression
"on the Lord's day" is variously interpreted: "'On the Lord's day does not
mean, as some suppose the prophetic. 'day of the Lord," for which there is a
different expression, and which would not really apply at all to this first vision and
what follows it. It is the Lord's day, the day of Christian privilege, in which in the joy
of His, resurrection we look back upon His death. Yet this does not surely shut out the
looking forward to His coming: 'Ye do show forth the Lord's death till He come."'
The word here translated Lord's
occurs in only one other place, namely, 1 Cor. 11:20, where it is applied to the
Lord's Supper. It properly means pertaining to the Lord, to the Lord Jesus. It is,
therefore, apparent that the expression refers to some particular day distinguished from
all the other days of the week, a day particularly devoted to the Lord Jesus, for this is
the natural meaning of the word Lord,, as used in the New Testament.' If the Jewish
Sabbath was intended, as some Christians believe, the word Sabbath would have been used.
The term Lord's day was generally used by the early Christians to refer to the first day
of the week. Supplementing 'this thought further it is explained that "although the
words, `,on the Lord's day,' might not unreasonably be understood to signify that St. John
in vision was carried down the stream of time to the great Millennial Day, the Day of
Christ, the Lord's Day, nevertheless, we think it reasonable to understand him to mean
also that he saw this, vision on the first day of the Week., And how appropriate it was
that our Lord, who arose on the- first day of the week, and who most frequently manifested
His resurrection powers on that day, should on the same day reveal Himself and certain
great instructions to the Church through St. John, honoring the same. day of the week. It
is no wonder, therefore, that Chris-tian people from the very earliest times have held the
first day of the week in special reverence as the symbol of the fulfillment of all our
hopes, whereof God gave us assurance in the resurrection, of our Lord Jesus on this day. .
Besides, to confine the meaning of the expression to the Millennial Day exclusively, would
be to ignore the fact that the larger proportion of St. John's vision related not to the
Millennial Day, but to the intervening time."--Z '01-1187.
THE VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET
The fact that St. John's attention was first called in this vision by
hearing, a voice behind him would suggest that,
the beginning of the message was not in St. John's day nor from some future time, but that
the things to be revealed had already commenced
and were, already to some extent in the past. As an evidence that 'this is the correct
thought the reader is asked to consider the statement in Revelation 5, in which Christ is
shown receiving the scaled Scroll from the Heavenly Father, symbolical of what took place
after His resurrection nearly a half century before St. John had the vision,. namely, His
receiving the full knowledge concerning the history of the witnessing, suffering Church,
etc, as well as His Divine commission to carry out and execute the eternal purpose of God.
The "Voice" that St.- John heard was "like a
trumpet," which may either mean that its tones resembled' a trumpet or as though the
voice spoke through a trumpet, seeming to imply that 'it was clear, distinct and loud.
The-Hebrew trumpet is often referred to as employed on account of its clearness to summon
people together upon public occasions, as well as for, the marshalling of hosts for
battle. Thus the symbol would seem to teach that St. John as well as the entire 'Church of
' Christ whom he in some respects represented were being officially summoned by Him in
no uncertain announcement--but by a message of great importance.,
VISIONS ARE NOT REALITIES
In addition to the words, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and
the last," (already mentioned in verse 8), the Apostle was instructed by the Voice to
write down or make a record of what he saw, and of what he was to see, and to send the
same to the seven Churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, etc. St. John immediately', turned to see
from whom the 'Voice proceeded and beheld: "Seven golden 'Lampstands, and in the
Midst of the Lampstands one like to a Son of Man, invested with a garment to the foot, and
girded about at the Breasts with a golden Girdle; and His Head and Hairs white as white
Wool, as Snow; and His Eyes as a Flame of Fire; and His Feet like to fine Brass glowing
with fire, as in a Furnace -, and His Voice as the Voice of many Waters; and having in
His/ Right Hand seven Stars; and out of His Mouth proceeding a. sharp two-edged broad
Sword; and His Appearance as the Sun shines in his Strength."' Vs. 12-16.
Most commentators have understood that the vision was an actual
appearance of Christ Himself; in other words, that 'Christ actually appeared to St. John
on the Island of. Patmos, instead of its being a vision of Christ. A vision is not a
-reality, but rather, something which is designed to picture, to symbolize, to represent
the reality, As one has truthfully said: "Visions are not realities, though they
symboli-cally represent them. This is true, whether the visions come, as Daniel describes
his, as 'visions of my head upon my bed,' or whether they come in broad daylight, as with
the transfiguration scene, which our Lord declared was, a vision. (Matt. 17:9.)"
"We are not to regard the word-picture of verses 13-16 as a portrait of our Lord in
glory; for it is merely symbolical. When we shall see Him in glory He will not look as,
here described. Nevertheless this symbolical picture 'has precious lessons for us, more
valuable than an attempt to describe to our minds the appearance of our Lord as a spirit
being, 'dwelling in light which, no man can approach unto,', and which we cannot
appreciate -until, we shall be changed to 'be like Him and to see Him as He is.'--1 'John
3:2; 1 Cor. 15:50-53."---Z '01-7187; 'i 6-344.
The principal and most important symbols of this vision are
interpreted by the. "Voice" that St. John heard, i. e., those of the "seven
golden candlesticks", (Lamp-stands) in the midst of which the One like unto a Son of
Man was standing, and the "seven Stars", which were held in, His right -hand.
'The explanation was made that "the seven Stars are the Angels [messengers] of the
seven Churches .- and the seven candlesticks [Lampstands] are the seven Churches."
This Divine explanation assists us to grasp the meaning of some of the other symbols; and
other Scriptures where similar symbols are employed enable us to understand others of the
vision.'
The appellation "Son of Man" is used. by the Prophet Daniel
(Dan. 7) and is appropriated by Christ. to Himself, as we learn from frequent references
to the same in the Gospels. This alone would be sufficient to prove, that the personage of
the vision symbolized Christ. . I Thus
the description that "His head and His hair as white as wool and snow tells us of His
wisdom, His splendor and His glory.' His eyes like a flame of fire tell us in symbol that
our Master is all-seeing, omniscient; that He is not deceived by outward forms and
ceremonies; but that He can, and does, read every, thought and intent of the heart. The
contemplation of His glance should of itself purge and, purify our hearts to the extent
'of our, ability, to put far from us everything which would have His disapproval.
"Having described the head, St. John mentions the hands and the
feet. The remainder of the body was covered with a garment reaching from the head to the
feet. This may possibly represent the fact that the glory of Christ Was manifested in His
own person, in His own ministry, and in that of His twelve Apostles, His representatives
-- St. Paul taking the place of Judas; and that with their death the body of Truth was
almost veiled throughout the eighteen centuries intervening, until now, in the end of the
Age, the feet members of the Body of Christ will be illuminated by the Truth and will
shine forth--not like the Head, but as polished brass."
"The' feet, described as like -furnace-refined copper would
represent those members of the Body of Christ who serve in the sense of carrying forward,
financially and otherwise, the Lord's work. Copper is a symbol of' humanity, and this
copper being furnace refined would seem to say that those who belong to the Body of
Christ, and whom the Lord would use in His service, 'the feet' members of the Body, must,
in their contact and dealings with the world, be refined, purified, clean--'Be ye clean.,
that bear the vessels of the Lord's house.' The feet would thus represent the' living
members , of the Body, all down through this Age-, and the refining process to each and
all will be fiery trials.. i
"Thus, understood, the figure of a Son of Man (a human figure)
in the midst of the seven candlesticks, etc., symbolically represented Christ standing
criticizing, judging, directing, in the midst of His Church, upholding His chosen stars
or, ministers,, and represented in the, various, members by His people, is an impressive
picture- or symbol, full of instruction, leading us to expect the Lord's guidance in all
the affairs of His Church and to realize that things are not happening to her haphazard.
To so recognize that the Lord's people in every part of this Age have been 'feet' members
of the Body,, carrying forward His work, is not to, contradict our previous application of
Isa. 52:7, which merely represents the 'feet' members of the present time and identifies
them as the ones who declare unto Zion, 'Thy God reigneth'--in this manner distinguishing
these from their predecessors in the pilgrim--way."--Z '16-344; '01-188, 189.
THE TWO-EDGED SWORD
Commentators as a rule see no special symbolical significance in the
expression, "and His voice as the voice of many waters." The suggestion offered
by one presents the thought that there is a deep significance associated with it:
"Waters tell of nations and peoples. The voice of men may have been flattering to the
assembly [Church], but here is one voice equal to all. What shall be His verdict?"
An interpretation that seems to properly meet all the requirements
is, "that, the Lord could and did speak to His Church sometimes as the voice of
musical rippling waters of the brook, and sometimes as the roaring of the sea; or the many
waters might be, understood as signifying peoples, nations and languages, as elsewhere'
explained in this book, and that thus our Lord, present with His Church, would speak to
her and through her by many tongues, in many languages." -Z '01-18.8.
We are next informed that St. John beheld proceeding out of the mouth
of this 'symbolic personage, a sharp two-edged. broad Sword. "No part of the
description could more thoroughly convince us that the description of our Lord given here
is a symbolic one than does the statement that out of His mouth proceeded a two-edged
Sword. As a symbolic picture, however, it is full of meaning, speaking to us of the Word
of the Lord, the Sword of the Spirit, 'sharper than any two-edged Sword.' (Eph. 6:17; Heb.
4:12.) It reminds us that our Lord's words are not one-sided, not directed, merely against
sin in one class, hut that. His Word is sharp, cutting in every direction, that sin is
reproved . by Him as much when found in His most earnest followers as when found
elsewhere."--Z '16-345.
The two edges of the sword cutting both ways is a striking symbol of
the penetrating power of the Truth, or of the Word of God, proceeding from the mouth of
God's messengers. In Isa. 49:2, a prophecy referring to Christ, it is said: "'And He
hath made my mouth like a sharp sword," and in Hebrews we read, "The Word of God
is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword."
"And His countenance as the, sun shineth in His strength."
The overpowering splendor of the sun is here used to describe the majesty and glory, of
the appearance of the countenance of Christ. This figure is employed frequently in the
Scriptures. "Let them that love Him [the Lord] be' as the sun when lie goeth forth in
his. might." (Judges 5:3 1.) "And He shall be as the light 'of the morning, when
the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds."--2 Sam. 23:4. ,
Thus closes the description that St. John gives of the glorious
personage of the vision which symbolized our Lord in His conduct and office as these stand
related to His followers, the members of His Body, and their experiences throughout this
Gospel Age. It is probable, too, that the vision was, designed, to impress upon the. mind
of St. John and all of Christ's followers a sense of the glory and majesty of His person,
and thus prepare the way to. appreciate the authoritative character and importance of the
messages he was to receive and which he was to send to the seven Churches, particularly
named by the. "Voice" he heard. And the full significance of the symbolical
personage can only be understood by viewing it in the light of and in connection with,' the history
of the, true Church symbolized by the golden Lampstands.
ST. JOHN OVERWHELMED
St. John next describes the first effects that the seeing of the
vision had upon him: "And when I saw Him, I fell at His Feet as dead" (.v. ,
17), that is, as if he were dead-deprived of sense and consciousness. 'He was -completely
overwhelmed with a sense of his own littleness. It is not probable that he would
immediately recognize who was represented by the personage of the vision-not at all
probable that the personage looked at all like the One whom he was accustomed to seeing
and conversing with sixty year's before. The effect upon St. John was the same as that
produced upon Daniel when he saw a. heavenly, spirit messenger; the same also as that
produced upon Saul of Tarsus as he beheld a vision of the, same. Divine One,, "So it
is symbolically, with the Christian, when once he gets a glimpse of the glories of the
Divine character. When once we get a true view of Him with whom we have to do, as the
great Heart-searcher and caretaker of His Church, we fall before Him, humbled to the dust,
realizing that we are imperfect, that we cannot stand before our Master, that we are
unworthy of His favor and blessing. But as our Lord [the One who represented Him] touched
St. John gently, raising him up, so He has spoken to us com fort, peace and love,
assuring) us that we have a High Priest that can, be touched with a feeling of our
infirmities', One 'Who is able to sympathize and merci fully to assist, One who has
bought us with His own precious , blood, and who has accepted us and will number us as His
Body members as long as we abide in Him, seeking in our hearts to know and to do His will.
To us His comforting assurance is:
"'Fear not.' The same message the Father has sent, us through
the Prophet, saying, 'Their fear of me is pot of me, but is taught by the precepts of
-tpen.,' (Isa. 29:13.) This is one 'of the first lessons which we must learn. We cannot,
come into close sympathy with our Lord and be taught of Him respecting other features of
His Plan until we learn to fear not, learn to have confidence in Him as the One 'who loved
us and bought us with His own precious blood,' and whose purposes toward us continually
are for our welfare and, if we submit ourselves to His guidance, will bring us off
conquerors and more than conquerors."--Z '16-345.
The expression, "I am the first and the last," -- having
already been considered we pass on to the Words, "I am the Living One: I was even
dead, but, behold, I am living for the Ages of the Ages"; this language would
immediately identify Him in St; John's sight as representing the -Lord Jesus Christ; for
to no other personage', could these words apply. He knew Christ had been put to death, and
he also knew-that He was, raised from the dead by the Divine Father. This Was also
designed to allay St. John's fears,. We are not to forget that While this was a vision of
- Christ, it was as real to St. John as though the real Christ in His glory stood before
Him. To him it would be as real as if the Savior -whom he had known in person sixty years
before, the One whom he had so tenderly loved when in the flesh, the One whom, he -had.
faithfully served for those long years since he beheld Him ascend out of their sight, was
before him. To him it would be the same. as if he saw that One whom he had seen laid in
the tomb ; the One who was to live forever.
Likewise all the faithful, catching the inspiration, of their
Master's words to St. John, gladly Acknowledge Him as the One who was dead, "the One
who really died for our sins, but who was as really raised out of death, by the Father.,
We must realize that He is -alive forevermore, that death has no more dominion over Him,
that the work is finished, that neither sacrifices of the Mass nor death in any sense or
form ever will be needed. His work is perfect; and, as He cried on the Cross, 'It is
finished!'
"We must recognize that He has the keys, the authority, the
power over the tomb, to deliver from it all who- are therein imprisoned. - We must also-
realize that He has the key, the, power over death, in order that those whom He liberates
from the prison-house of death, like those who have not yet gone, into the tomb, but who
are under the death sentence, may all be ultimately delivered, set free from the dominion
of sin and death, delivered into the full liberty of the Sons of God-righteousness and
life everlasting. -- Rom. 8: 21."--Z '16-345.
THE VISIONS TO BE RECORDED FOR CHURCH'S BENEFIT
.In view of all this St. John was instructed: "Write therefore*
the things thou sawest, even those which are, and the things which are about to transpire
after these."--V. 19. This is undoubtedly a better translation of the original text
than that of the Common Version, and. it makes clear the division or plan of the whole
book of Revelation:,
____________
*There appears to be no excuse whatever for the translators of our
Common Version to omit the word "therefore,"
from this text an omission that no previous translator had made. No question has ever
been raised as to the right of this word to a place. in the text. With what intention the
illative particle is used is perhaps best referred to what immediately goes before: Seeing
that I am this mighty One, the first and the last, who was dead and am alive, do thou,
therefore, write; for the things declared by me are all steadfast and sure.
___________
(1) "Write therefore the things thou sawest, even those which
are, and
(2) "The things which are about to transpire after these."
The first, evidently, refers to the vision of Christ walking amongst
the Lampstands, the significance of the Lampstands and the messages to the Churches, all
of which are contained in the first three chapters; and the second-the things that are
about to transpire after this-referring to the prophetic visions from chapters 4 and 5, on
to the end of the book.
MR. BARNES interpreting the words- as rendered in the Common Version,
has thus, we believe, very ably explained them as signifying the division of the book into
three parts:
"(1) Write the things which thou hast seen. An account of the
vision which thou hast had.
"(2) And the things that are. Give an account of those things
'which thou has seen as designed to represent the condition of the seven Churches. He had
seen not only the Savior, but he had seen seven Lampstands, and seven Stars in, the hand
of the Savior, and he is now commanded' to record the meaning of these symbols as
referring, to things then actually existing in the seven Churches. This interpre-tation is
demanded by verse 20.
"(3)
And the things which shall be hereafter. The Greek phrase rendered hereafter, means "after these things'; that is, he
was to make a correct representation of the things which then were, and, then to record
what would occur 'after. these things': to wit,
of the images, symbols, and truths, which would be disclosed to him after what he had
already seen. The expression refers to' future times. He does not say for how long a time; but the revelations 'which
were to be made' referred to events which were to occur beyond those which were then,
taking place. Nothing can be argued from the use of this language in regard to the length
of time embraced in the Revelation -- whether it extended only for a few years or whether
it embraced all coming time. The more natural interpretation, however, would seem to be
that it, would stretch far into the future years, and that it was designed to give at
least an outline of what would be the character
of the future in general."
This same writer summing tip the first chapter of the Revelator's
visions has with becoming eloquence said: "Such is the sublime vision under which
this book opens; such the solemn commission which the penman of the book received. No more
appropriate introduction to what is, contained in the book could be imagined; no -more
appropriate circumstances for making such. a sublime revelation could have existed. To the
most beloved of the Apostles -- now the only surviving one of the number; to him who had
been a faithful laborer for a period -- not far from sixty years after the death of the
Lord Jesus, who had been the bosom friend of the Savior when in the flesh, who had seen
Him in the mount of transfiguration, who had seen Him die, and Who had seen Him ascend to
heaven; to him who had lived while the Church was founded, and while it had spread into
all lands; and to him who was now suffering persecution on account of the Savior and His
Cause, it was appropriate that such communications should be made. In a lonely island; far
away from the abodes of men; surrounded by the ocean, and amid barren rocks; on the day
consecrated to, the purposes of sacred repose, and the holy duties of religion-the day
observed in commemoration of the resurrection of his Lord, it was most fit that the
Redeemer should appear to the 'beloved disciple' in the last Revelation which He was ever
to make to man kind.' No more appropriate time or circumstance could be conceived, for
disclosing, by a series of sublime visions, what would occur in future 'times-for sketch
ing out the history of the Church to the consummation of all things."
SOME of the brethren have written. us stating that in their recent
study of the chronology they have met with some difficulties with regard to certain
Scriptures which appear to be in contradiction to. one another; and we have been asked
what we have to offer in explanation of and by way of harmonizing them. Amongst the points
in question we are asked how we reconcile the statement in the HERALD of April 15, that
the first year of Nebuchadnezzar was the third year of Jehoiakim (Dan. 1:1, 2), with the
statement in Jer. 25:1, that the fourth year of Jehoiakim was the first year of
Nebuchadnezzar.
As closely associated with the same matter, it is urged that it is
plainly stated in Dan. 1:5, 18, that Nebuchadnezzar: kept Daniel three years in training
before he admitted him to his presence to interpret the dream. (Dan. 2:1). If this be
true, and if it be also true that Daniel was taken captive in Nebuchadnezzar's first year,
the question is, How could the Prophet have been
called into the king's presence-to interpret the dream in Nebuchadnezzar's second year?
the thought being that at the very most, seemingly, .hardly two years had elapsed since
Daniel was taken captive and the servitude had begun.
Before presenting our answer, we remind all that the principal and
essential truth brought out in our treatment of the chronology, viz., that the Divine
decree giving Nebuchadnezzar, the lease of power occurred in either the third or fourth
year (we believe the third) of Jehoiakim, and not in connection with the destruction of
Jerusalem and the temple in Zedekiah's day, nineteen years later, is not in the least
affected by the Scriptures cited above; whether the Gentile lease commenced in the third
or in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign it matters not; and our former view of
reckoning Gentile lease of power as beginning with Zedekiah's over-throw,. fixing that
event and the others associated in 606 B. C., instead of 587 B.C., is still, seen to be
nineteen years out of the way.
The difficulties above, referred to did not escape our notice when we
presented our view on the "Times of the Gentiles," and could be answered only by reference, to secular
history. Now, however, since it appears to be necessary, we are offering some suggestions,
hoping to be of assistance to such as have expressed a measure of confusion in this
connection.
These texts that appear to be more or less at variance may be
explained in two or three ways. We will present what seems to us the most reasonable view.
Indeed, we believe this explanation will be found to have no difficulties whatever, when
the facts of secular, history as given in connection with Nebuchadnezzar's reign and the
method of counting its years are compared with those of the sacred historian. In making
the claim as we have done that the third year of Jehoiakim was 606 B. C., the first year
of Nebuchadnezzar, our thought is that this year marked the. first year of
Nebuchaonezzar's rulership over the kingdom of Judah; in other words, the first year of
Judah's servitude, which was to last seventy years.
There are several factors to be considered in connection with this
matter: (l) The Jewish method of counting the years *of their kings" reign was to
reckon from the month Nisan; so that if a king began his reign I even
one month before Nisan, that, would be counted as his first year; his second year would
date from Nisan in such a case. We' are not informed in Dan. 1, the month, date of
Nebuchadnezzar's taking, Daniel and the others captive, but secular history makes it the
summer of 606 B. C.
(2) The Babylonian count of years was from the. time the king began,
his reign. The second year of Nebuchadnezzar, according to secular history, when Daniel
interpreted the dream, would be the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's sole reign. Berosus, the Babylonian historian who
lived 260 B. C. records, according to Josephus, that the first expedition of
Nebuchadnezzar against Jerusalem was before his father's (Nabopolassar's) death. This, of
course, was before history records his actual (sole) succession.
Thus, in comparing secular history with that of sacred history we
notice that Ptolemy's. canon, the only authority we have that enables us to determine the
B.C. dates of this period (the accuracy of which has been fully established),
Nebuchadnezzar's reign is reckoned as beginning 604 B. C., which means that this was the
date of his accession, at the time of his father's death. This was in the beginning of
Thoth (which fell, in January), 604 B. C. This is in agreement with all historians, and
the record leaves no room for doubt, that it was early in that year. Examining the
Scriptures carefully, we discover that what is commonly called the "great
captivity" took place after Jehoiakim's death, and after Jehoiachin, his successor,
had reigned only three months. It was at this time that Ezekiel was taken away captive,
which was in Nebuchadnezzar's eighth year (compare Ezek. 1:2 and 2 Kings 24:12) ;and in
the thirty-seventh year of this cap tivity, Nebuchadnezzar had died and his successor
was on the throne. (2 Kings 25:27.) This, it will be seen, would make Nebuchadnezzar's
reign to be at least forty four years, whereas, according to Ptolemy's canon, and
Berosus, the historian, confirms it, he reigned only forty three years, and was
succeeded by, Evil-merodach, the Ilvoradamus of Ptolemy's canon. It is, very evident,
there fore, that Scripture antedates the years
of Nebuchadnezzar, computing his reign from 605 B. C. 'This would be sufficiently
accounted for by the fact that from the con quest of Jerusalem in the third year of
Jehoiakim (Dan. 1:1, 2), the Jews acknowledged Nebuchadnezzar as their suzerain; as a
noted writer has observed, "it has been overlooked, that it is in accordance with the
ordinary principle on which they reckoned regnal years, computing from Nisan to
Nisan." In 604 B. C. the 1st of Nisan, fell on about the 1st of April, and according
to Jewish reckoning the Jewish king's second year would begin on that day, no matter how
recently he had ascended the throne. Therefore, "the fourth year of Jehoiakim that
was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar" (Jer. 25:1), was the year beginning 605 B. C.; and the third year of Jehoiakim in, which
Jerusalem, was taken and the servitude began (Dan. 1:1, 2), was the year beginning 606 B.
C. This result is most remarkably confirmed by Clinton,
who fixes the summer of 606 B. C. as the date of Nebuchadnezzar's first expedition.
(Fasti Helenica, Vol. 1-328.)
We therefore observe that both the third and fourth years of
Jehoiakim were current in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar in this way, namely, the third
year of Jehoiakim, which began Nisan 606 B. C., ended in Nisan 605 B. C. at which time his
fourth year began, a few months before Nebuchadnezzar's first complete year's reign over
the Jews, ended., It will thus be seen that this affords the explanation of the statement
in Daniel which has been triumphantly appealed to by skeptics in depreciation- of the
value of the book of Daniel. If (it is urged by skeptics) the king of Babylon kept Daniel
three years in training before allowing him to -come into his presence, how could the
Prophet have interpreted the dream in his (Nebuchadnezzar's) second year?--Dan. 1:5, 18;
2:1.
The reply is that Daniel, being at the time a citizen of Babylon pd.
also a courtier, would most naturally calculate his sovereign's reign according to the
common era in use around him, as Nehemiah afterwards did in like circumstances. Now, as
Daniel went into exile in 606 B. C., and as the record shows was immediately sent to
school, his three years of probation terminated at the close of 603 B.C., whereas, the
second year of Nebuchadnezzar, from his actual succession in 604 B.C. after the death of his father, extended to some date in
the early months of 602 B. C. Consequently, when in the second chapter of Daniel we read
of the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream in the second year of his reign, it is to
be understood that it was in the second year of his sole reign;, albeit, it was the fourth
year from the time he actually entered upon his reign, two -years before his father's ,
death, when he made Jehoiakim his servant, and took Daniel to, Babylon; and this would
allow Daniel and his companions to have the three years' schooling before he interpreted
Nebuchadnezzar's dream.
The following will illustrate the matter:,.
To B. C. 606, Jerusalem taken; Daniel a captive, servitude
began.--Dan. 1:1, 2.
To B C. 605, first year of Daniel's schooling
To B. C. 604, first year of Nebuchadnezzar's sole reign; second year
of Daniel's schooling ended.
To B. C. 603, third year of Daniel's schooling ended, after which
Daniel interpreted the dream in Nebuchadnezzar's second year, which second year extended
to 'some date in the early months of B. C. 602.
--AUGUST 7--ACTS 13:1-52--
Golden Text.--"Ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."--Acts 1:8.
OUR Lord's commission, "Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations," was not, as some have supposed, a command to convert the world, nor is
there any sugges-tion anywhere in the Scriptures that the preaching of the Gospel was with
such an end in view. Quite to the contrary, every intimation of our Lord"s parables
illustrating the subject, and all of the words Of the Apostles, were to the effect that at
the end of the Age, at the second coming of Christ, He would not find faith predominating
in the earth; He would not find God's will done on earth as in Heaven; but He would find
merely a little flock, selected from the world through the preaching of the Truth. These
Would be made meet to be the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, and joint heir with Him in the
glorious Kingdom then to be estab lished for the purpose of binding Satan, restraining
evil, and causing Truth and righteousness to fill the earth and bless all the
nations.-Luke 18:8; 12:32; Rev. 26:1-3
The commission meant merely--You are no longer restricted to the Jews
in preaching this Gospel of the Kingdom; you may now deliver it to all the world, every
nation, so that "he that hath an ear" may hear-to the intent that a little
flock, the elect, spiritual Israel, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people,
may be selected from all nations for future
service in the Kingdom, In accord with this, our Lord's instruction, as related by Luke,
says, "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name unto all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luke 24:47.) And again, as recorded
in our Golden Text, He said, "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me, both in Jerusalem and in
all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." The Apostles
evidently did not at first comprehend the scope of the Master's commission. ,They were
ready enough to begin. at Jerusalem; ready also, as we have seen, to extend the. work
throughout Judea; ready also when the Lord's providence so led, to preach to the
Samaritans; but it required very special instructions for St. Peter to preach to the
Gentiles also. As the Gospel was not intended to convert all of the Jews, but only to take
from them a remnant while the rest were left blinded for a time, so, likewise, it was
intended to take from amongst the Gentiles also only a remnant, so that the entire company
of the elect of this Age is properly termed "a little flock," to whom it is the
Father's good pleasure to give, the Kingdom,. which Kingdom, it is, also the Father's good
pleasure, shall bless all the families of the earth.
ACTIVITY IN SERVICE FOLLOWS BEGETTING OF SPIRIT
Antioch was the first church of believers, so far as we know, outside
of Palestine-the first church amongst the Gentiles. Its, members were probably chiefly
Jews, and these chiefly foreign born. The Jews residing abroad doubtless appreciated the
fact. that amongst their Gentile neighbors were some of noble character, not less worthy
of Divine favor than were the Jews; and these doubtless would, on this account, the more
quickly fall into line with the Lord's instruction and leading respecting the Gospel --
that it was thenceforth not for Jews exclu-sively, but for people of all nationalities who
were in heart-readiness to receive it.
A previous lesson showed us Barnabas and Paul meeting with the
brethren at Antioch, for a considerable time, in the worship of the Lord and in the study
of His Word. The result of these studies was to develop the-Church ' as a whole, and to
bring it to the point of considering and praying, about means for the service of the
Truth--the spread of the Gospel. There were a number of prophets (public orators) and
teachers in the Church, and evidently they began to think of how they might be used, to
the glory of God and to the blessing of others, as they them-selves had been, blessed by
the Truth. This is always the, case with those who receive the Truth into good and honest
hearts. Properly enough, -they desire to feed thereon themselves and to grow strong in the
Lord, but just so surely, as the Truth is received, with, its spirit, it gives a strength
and a desire to use that strength. This is as true today as it was then, the consecration
which the Truth brings is identical with our begetting of the spirit; and the energy for
service corresponds to the quickening of the spirit.
The Holy Spirit indicated that Barnabas and Paul should have a
special work to do in carrying the message of God's grace to others, and the Church at
Antioch ordained them The laying on of hands did for this missionary service. not signify
the impartation to them of any spiritual or occult powers. It did not mean the giving to
them of authority to preach. It did mean that the congregation of the Lord at Antioch
recognized these two men as God's servants and authorized them to go forth as their
representatives, and impliedly at their charges, to carry the message of Good Tidings to
others. As the priests laid their hands upon the animals which were to represent them in
sacrifice, so the Church laid their hands upon those who were to represent them in the
service of the Truth.
The missionaries went from Antioch, a distance of eighteen miles, to
the seaport town of Seleucia, where they took ship for the nearest large city in the
Island of Cyprus. It was probably as good a place to begin as any, and had the advantage
of being the home country of Barnabas, who would be familiar with the dialect of the
people, their customs, etc. The missionary, tour, consumed probably considerable time, as
they went from village to village, preaching Christ, until they reached the city of
Paphos, at the far end of the island. But they did not tarry there. Its climate is
miasmatic, And this is presumed. to have been the reason for a hasty departure for the
high lands of Asia Minor-Galatia, etc. The Apostle is presumed to have referred to his own
semi-invalid condition at this time when later, in writing the Epistle to the Galatians,
he said,. "Through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel to you at
first." (Gal., 4:13, 14.) Galatia was the name of a district or state in which were
located a number of cities and churches mentioned in the account of Paul's missionary
tours--Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and Antioch on the borders of Galatia, in the state of
Pisidia. This Antioch should not be confounded with the larger city, Antioch of Syria.
MARK'S RECOVERY OF LOST GROUND
John Mark, the writer of -the Gospel by Mark, cousin of Barnabas, and
son of one of the Marys at, Jerusalem (Acts 12 :12, 25), is noted as being their minister,
attendant servant, but he discontinued his service at Paphos and returned to Jerusalem;
hardships or discouragements or homesick ness, we know not what, evidently, for the time
quenched his zeal as a servant of the Lord and of the Truth, assuredly much to Mark's
disadvantage. Whatever the cause, evidently the Apostle Paul considered it quite
insufficient; so that on another occasion,. when Barnabas suggested Mark's accompanying
them, similarly, the Apostle declined which he evidently Would not have done had Mark's
desertion been fully justified by considerations of health or necessity. It was a labor
of love, however; no salaries were attached, and if Mark chose to discontinue his
sacrifice it was his own business, and he was the loser.
So it is today, the, Lord leaves His people free from restraints;
free from threats; free from compulsion; to the, intent that they may present their bodies
living sacrifices day by, day. Now, as then, whoever grows cold may discontinue his
sacrificing, but himself will be the loser. We want to keep distinctly before our minds
that while God condemns sin, and while His people have no liberty in this respect, but are
obligated to do their best to withstand sin, it is different in, the matter of sacrifice.
The Lord is calling for free-will offerings, and whatever is not given with a hearty
good-will, yea, with an earnest desire, with zeal, may as well be kept; but the rewards
promised to those who imitate the spirit of the Master and His, devotion will be lost
also.
There is. an element of encouragement, however, in Mark's experience.
Later on he evidently became quite a thorough and. devoted soldier of the cross, was again
accepted to the Lord's service, and we find that the Apostle Paul made acknowledgment of
appreciation of his faithfulness. (Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11.) Mark's recovery of lost ground
and his reinstatement by the Lord in His service, should be an encouragement for any who
similarly have grown cold and lax as respects their devotion and sacrifice, and who have
been consequently dropped out of active service of the Truth. The Lord is very merciful to
us in our weaknesses arid imperfections, and. as He restored Mark, undoubtedly he is
willing also to restore all who will I similarly
learn a . lesson from their failures, and who earnestly desire and strive for
reinstatement and, the privileges of service.
The first stop made in Asia Minor was at Antioch of Pisidia. The
usual custom was followed, of, going first to the Jews-to their synagogue. The
missionaries were recognized as strangers and also as men of talent, and after the regular
services of the synagogue had been introduced by the reading of the usual lesson from the
Law, they were invited to address the assembled people, Jews by birth, and Jewish
-proselytes from the Gentiles. The Apostle Paul was the speaker, and made a telling
address. He recognized the fact that his hearers had 'faith in God's promises regarding
the coming Kingdom: he did not need, therefore, to emphasize the Kingdom feature in this
discourse. Rather, his hearers needed to gee that there could be. no Kingdom and no
permanent blessing of all the families of the earth, such as was implied in the promises
made to Abraham, unless in some manner Divine, forgiveness of the world's sins could first
be secured.
The trend of his discourse, therefore, was to show how God had
'established a (typical) kingdom in "the past, which had never reached the 'grand
stage essential to the fulfillment of the Abrahamic promises, and that the thing, necessary and lacking was a_ redemption, of the world and the forgiveness of
sins. Then he presented to their attention Jesus as the Messiah-not merely a crucified
Messiah; but also a risen one who, because of His death for the sins, 61 the world, was
able to -save unto the uttermost all. that should come unto God through Him. Having put
the matter squarely before them, the Apostle, i in the words recorded in verse 38 of our
lesson, offered his hearers forgiveness of sins as the, very, essence of the Gospel.
WHAT IS OUR MESSAGE TODAY?
Forgiveness of sin is still the import of the Gospel; the, essence of the
Gospel Preaching of toddy, as eighteen centuries ago, must be man's sinful and condemned
condition, and his need of redemption, reconciliation and recovery from sin and its
wages, death. This is the Gospel, which. is falling into disuse in the pulpits of
churchianity, as well as elsewhere, in response. to the itching ears of the majority, the
"tares," and their call for the preaching of smooth things.
Additionally, it is proper now to emphasize the Gospel of the
Kingdom, which the Lord, and the Apostles made so prominent; and to show that the Little
Flock, the elect of this Age, are to constitute the Kingdom, which, in the coming Age, is
to rule and bless the world, by restraining Satan and every evil device, and causing the
knowledge of the Lord to abound. Now, as then, the larger unfolding of the Truth, the
Divine Plan of Salvation, is interesting to some--to the honest-hearted; and repulsive to
some--the vain-glorious, the sectarian, the proud, the self-satisfied. Now,. as then, when
we are appealed to by those who have an ear to hear Present Truth, they should be
encouraged to ','continue in the grace of
God.",- They should not be told that their ignorance of Present Truth implies that
they have none of, the grace of God, but that because they have received of, His grace
into. good and honest hearts it is the will of God that they should continue therein and
grow and increase and abound; that to this intent He has ,sent forth the Truth to His
people in every quarter, that the true wheat may be ripened and gathered to His garner..
News of the new religion' supplemental to the Jewish, ,spread
throughout the little city in which Judaism had evidently gained a good foothold and great
respect; so that the whole city. gathered on the next Sabbath to hear the, message of the
missionaries, probably the majority coming merely out of curiosity, to see the difference
between the, doctrines of these and the regular Jewish teachers."The whole city"
may, be understood hyperbolically, as signifying a large concourse; or
that all, classes and conditions of citizens were well represented. The gathering of such
a multitude could not be held, probably, in the synagogue, but we may presume, in the yard
or court surrounding it, or both. Such attention to two strangers and their new doctrine,
which threatened an overthrow of Judaism naturally awakened a spirit of jealously in those
whose interest was much in forms and ceremonies, honor amongst men and denominational
pride, and, as a result, they contradicted, Paul's statements with blasphemy. Not that
they blasphemed God's name, but that they slandered or blasphemed the Apostle and
Barnabas, speaking evil of them; we may surmise, misrepresenting their motives,, their
characters, etc.
THE SPIRIT OF PERSECUTION STILL ABROAD
This is the usual course of those who fight against the Truth, and it
is so today. The Truth cannot be gainsaid; it is irresistible; but it can be
misrepresented; it can be denied; the
presentations of it can be distorted, and its
messengers can be slandered, villified. The
Adversary seems to adopt this. method on every occasion. It is the method now in vogue. Those
who oppose the Truth will not dare to meet it openly in public discussion before the
people, but they will distort and misrepresent it, and
say all man ner of evil against its advocates and will presecute those who favor it.
The missionaries were. not discouraged by the opposition but were
rather made the more courageous, and brought to the point where they explained to their
villifiers, plainly, the, true state of the case; that they were rejecting God's favor,
God's Plan, against themselves, to their own injury, to their own loss. They. pointed out
that God, in His mercy, bad long favored Israel, and that in sending the message of
Messiah, to them first He was still favoring them; but that, according, to His direction
it was' their duty to proceed, and to tell the Gospel to whoever had ears to hear, to the
Jew first, but also to the Gentiles. They pointed out that the Lamp of Truth which God had
now lighted was not to be to the Jews, exclusively, as had been His previous favors, but,
as the Prophet had already declared, was to be a light to. lighten the
Gentiles"--salvation unto the ends of the earth.-Luke 21:32; Isa. 42:6; 52:10.
This feature of, the Gospel specially aroused the opposition of such
Jews as were in the wrong condition of heart, but was proportionately attractive to the
few who were in the right attitude.
So we find it now; those of God's people who are in the right
attitude of heart will be gladdened by this expansion and unfolding of the Truth: no feelings of jealousy will be theirs. But the
majority, full of sectarian theories and plans and selfish sentiments, and blinded largely
by false theology and by misrepresentations of the Word of God are violently opposed to
any thought of God's general goodness being extended to every creature, not only those who have not yet
gone to the prison-house of death, but -also to the fifty thousand millions who have
already gone down into the silence of death, in ignorance of the only name given under
heaven or among men whereby we must be saved. But all the faithful, all the
honest-hearted, -will ultimately rejoice at the lengths and breadths and heights and
depths of God's Plan, to be consummated 'during the Millennium by the glorified' Christ,
Head and Body.
Many of the Gentiles were glad as they heard of God's favor being
broader than they had previously supposed -- some, we may infer, were merely pleased that
something had been shown up- that was broader than the Jewish teachings, but some others,
-- we are assured, believed, in the true sense of the word -- accepting Christ -- as their
Redeemer and as their Law-giver. And so today also we see two classes among those who
favor the Present Truth: some who hail it with joy -and gratefully worship and serve the,
Lord more fervently than ever; and some who are merely glad to find that there is no
Scriptural, ground for the popular theory of an eternal torment for the vast majority of
mankind; but are not specially drawn or constrained by Divine love and mercy.
The more the Truth spread the more angry became its opponents, the
Jewish, leaders; and what they could not oppose with
argument or logic they did oppose successfully with prejudice and superstition, -arousing
these baser sentiments by misrepresentation. They secured thus the cooperation of some of
the most honorable and notable people of the city, to such an extent that the missionaries
were obliged to depart from them. The Adversary's methods are the same today in this
respect also, that by misrepresentation he secures for his agents, often' unwillingly,
some. who are noble and honorable people. This teaches us two lessons: First, to be -careful ourselves-to be on guard against the Adversary's methods, if we are honorable and well-intentioned; to
see to it that we are not. inveigled into opposing the Truth while supposing that we are doing
God service. It teaches us also to have
respect 'for those who are our opponents, and who give evidence of sincerity, even in
their persecution. Some of the best friends of Present Truth today we're once its bitter
enemies, revilers and persecutors. Some may not, get proper sight of the matter until, the
Kingdom binds Satan and opens their, eyes; but others we may hope are the King's own and
will be helped in time for them to make their calling and election sure in the Kingdom
"Little Flock."
AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE, BELIEVED
The word "ordained," here, may properly be translated disposed; I and
thus we get- the 'thought that as many of those who heard the Gospel and its offer of,
everlasting life, and were disposed to accept the terms, became believers--obedient to the
faith. So it is still. The Truth, wherever it goes, finds some who like it and some who
dislike it; some who appreciate the doctrines and rewards which it presents, and some who
prefer the pleasures of sin or the affairs and rewards of the world. It is the time, for
each one who has heard to take his choice. Soon the number of the elect will be complete,
and then the work of the elect will begin-the blessing of mankind.
We assume that the expression, "shook off the dust of their
feet" is a figurative one, as we would use it today, meaning that we took our
departure. Our departure, under such circumstances, would be a witness against those who
rejected our message and those who persecuted us a witness which they would remember in
coming time. Yet the departure of the missionaries was not in anger, for we are assured
that they were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit-rejoicing that they were counted
worthy to suffer for Christ's sake, and to have their names cast out , as evil;
rejoicing also that they had, by the Lord's grace, accomplished something in the service.
The expression, however, included more than merely the missionaries: it included those who
remained as well as those who went. All were rejoicing. The Truth and its spirit are
constant causes for joy of heart to those who have them. On the contrary, the persecuting spirit, the jealous
spirit, is always the unhappy one. Let us see that our rejoicing is of the same
kind--in the Lord, in the Truth, in the service, not withstanding persecutions, trials
and difficulties.
--August 14--ACTS
14:1-28--
Golden Text.--"Thou shalt
worship the Lord MY God, and Him only shalt thou serve."--Matt. 4:10.
LEAVING Antioch of Pisidia, Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium, about
100 miles distant. 'There also they preached the Word faithfully, and there also
opposition was aroused and persecution threatened; "and when there was an assault
made, both of the Gentiles and also of the Jews, with their rulers, to use them
despitefully and to stone them, they were aware of it, and fled. unto Lystra.'' They did
not allow fear to hinder them from the preaching of the Gospel with courage, boldness;
neither did they fear threats; but when the persecution took a positive form they delayed
no longer, but fled. Why did they not wait, and expect the Lord to grant them some.
miraculous deliverance? Why did they not challenge their opponents to see, whether the
power of God or the power, of Satan was the stronger? We answer, Because they were better
instructed respecting the Divine will. They were following the instructions of the Lord.
He did not say. to them, Be fearful of persecution, withhold your message, and put your
light, under a bushel; but the reverse. He did not say, Flee in fear,,,. when there is no
danger; but He did say, When they persecute you in one, city flee ye to another."'
Arriving at Lystra, the preaching of the Gospel was begun afresh, as
courageously as though there had been no previous opposition., Amongst the auditors was a
cripple, presumably a, Jew or a proselyte, who manifested much interest in the Apostle's
words. Paul, perceiving this and that the man had faith, stopped in his preaching and
called out to him, "Stand upright on thy feet"--a thing he had never done. He
had the necessary faith and obeyed
the Apostle's command; and. thus a miracle resulted, evidently to the astonishment of
the entire congregation. The effect upon the people was electrical, and they shouted in
their own dialect, "The gods have come down to visit us!"
The city of, Lystra figured as the scene of a mythological event, the
tradition being that Jupiter and Mercury, two of the gods of mythology, having once come
to their city in the form of men, had been everywhere refused lodgings until they came to
the lowly hut of a poor man who entertained them to the extent of his ability. They
rewarded him by turning his hut into a gorgeous temple, and punished the others of the
city with
a flood. These traditions were very old, but were perpetuated by a statue of Jupiter at
the gate of the city, as its protecting god.
It is easy to. discern how a comparatively ignorant-and superstitious
people might jump to the conclusion that the visit of Paul and Barnabas was a repetition
of this visit of Jupiter and Mercury, handed down to them through tradition. They called
Paul, Mercury, because in their tradition, Mercury was the orator, the speaker; and they
called Barnabas, Jupiter, and forthwith the priest of Jupiter prepared to offer a
sacrifice of oxen before the statue of Jupiter, at the gate of their city, in honor- of
the supposed gods present With them as, men, in the persons of Barnabas and Paul.
PAUL AND BARNABAS REFUSE TO ACCEPT HONOR
The missionaries were probably preaching, or conversing and
explaining quietly, to the more interested, Ones, when they heard of the commotion in the
city, and of the sacrifice which was about to be offered. They did not for a moment think
of taking advantage of the superstition of the people to make of themselves some great
ones, nor did they attempt to turn the event to a service of the Truth by claiming that
God was, Jupiter, and that Jesus was Mercury, and that they represented them. On the
contrary, most earnestly and simply they entreated the people to desist; explaining to
them that they were nothing but imperfect men like themselves, "of like passions ,
and that their mission was the very reverse of what they supposed, and that Jupiter and
Mercury and their fabled deeds were only products of imagination, Ignorance and.
superstition. They ran in amongst the people while they, full of excitement, were,
preparing for the sacrifice, and with difficulty, even then, amid protests of their own
nothingness, did they restrain the people from sacrificing in their honor. Noble men they
were, and their faithfulness to the Lord and to the Truth attested the wisdom of the
Divine choice in sending them on this missionary errand.
We may draw a lesson from the, incident, helpful to all of the Lord's
people who are to any extent His ambassadors, representatives, teachers of the Truth. The
Truth itself, especially in the light of our day, is so wonderful, so brilliant that it
naturally reflects some of its brilliancy upon those who represent it, causing, men to,
marvel, and to say, as of old, "Whence hath this man this wisdom?" In some
instances it might lead to an undue deference, to an ascription of undue honor, and to a
subserviency which it would not be proper for the Lord's ambassador's to receive and which
they should as promptly and as thoroughly repudiate and refuse as did Paul and Barnabas
refuse the honors which the Lystrians were about to bestow upon them. From the worldly
standpoint this would be an unwise course. Those who will accept flattery and adulation
and honor more than is due, are likely to be. prospered in this course to some extent by
the Adversary, and apt to find that the worldly spirit likes to worship worldly heroes,
Jupiters, Elijahs, etc. The only wise course for the Lord's servants is, therefore, the
one followed by these missionaries of our lesson-to repudiate the entire matter; to
confess that they are men of like passions with others; to hold up the light of God's
Word, and behind it to hide and ignore themselves entirely. Not alone will this be
profitable as respects the finding and development of the true children of God whom He is
now gathering out of the world, but it will be profitable also for the Lord's ambassadors;
for in this way they will grow in the Lord's grace and likeness; of which humility was a
prominent trait. Thus they will best abide in His love, and, ultimately attain to the
still greater exaltation which God has promised to all of His children who are faithful
and humble under present conditions.
THE PATH OF HUMILITY LEADS HEAVEN WARD
The Apostle, in pointing out to the Lystrians that their .ideas were
vanities, well knew that this could not bring him the favor of his hearers; -for it is not
human nature to appreciate being told of our follies. To have worked his way into their
good graces he would have needed to tell them a lie-that they were very wise, and that
their course was a very proper one, etc. He, therefore, in his endeavor to be candid, and
to serve the Truth, risked their disappointment and displeasure; and he was undoubtedly
keen enough to know this in advance, and what result to expect. Nevertheless, as God's
mouthpiece, he shunned not to declare, the whole message, whatever its results might be as
regarded himself and his work. Here are good lessons for all of the Lord's people. It
requires comparatively little courage to be a soldier of the Cross and faithful to the
Truth amongst those of like precious faith and obedience; but it requires great courage to
resist improper honor, of :men when we know in advance that this resistance will not
only deprive us of their honor and friendship, but make us ignoble
in their sight, and turn them into enemies. True soldiers of the Cross, still have the
,same trial, and it still requires hardness--a hardening campaign of experience in the
Lord's service, to endure these things and come off joyful in the Lord. The babes in
Christ, the weak, the untried, those who have not passed through trials and experiences
and develop-ment of character, are not hardened, and could not stand such experiences.
Hence it is that the Apostle advises the Church that even proper exaltation to a service
in the Church should not be accorded to a novice, lest he should be puffed, up and thus be
injured himself, as well as become injurious to others. (1 Tim. 3:6.) It requires time and
seasoning to know, how to either rightly accept and appreciate the honors of, the brethren
or others along proper lines, or to decline honors and dignities along improper lines.
The Apostle pointed out to his hearers that in times past God had
been permitting all the nations to walk in their own, ways. He had interfered,
particularly in the:. affairs of only the one nation, Israel; all the others had been
permitted, to take their own, course, except in so as they
might be crossing some feature of the Divine Plan. Thus the Prophet expressed the matter
to Israel, "You, only have I known of all the families of the earth." (Amos
3:2.) The reference to "times past," implies the change of, dispensation which,
had, just occurred in connection with the death of Jesus and the cutting off of Israel
from any special favor, and the throwing open of the Gospel call to all who had ears to
hear--to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Now God Was sending a message of instruction
to all the nations, that they should turn from such vanities and should recognize the only
living and true God, and His Son who had redeemed the world, and whom He had ordained
should in due time become its King and Ruler, to put down sin and death, and bless with
His reign of righteousness all the families of the earth. The Apostle paints out that
although God had left the nations without the instructions of the Law Covenant, He had
given them some indications of His care in making provision for their
necessities,--causing the sun to shine and the rain to fall upon the. just and the
unjust, upon the evil and the good.
PERSECUTION AS A RESULT OF FAITHFULNESS
The sudden change of public sentiment, the result of the Apostle's
explanations. and plain statements of the Truth, led the Lystrians to look at the
missionaries with very different eyes, now that they were, according to their own
declarations, common men like themselves. We may even suppose that they felt rather mean
about their own superstition, which had so quickly aroused them to do reverence to men who
repudiated it and acknowledged.their unworthiness of it. It was while the populace was in
this spirit that certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium came thither, explaining to them
that the missionaries were impostors, working upon the credulity of the people,
"turning the world upside down," raising questions about theology, and
disturbing the minds of the people. The populace was ready for just such leading in the
reverse direction, and disposed to feel somehow that if these men were not really Jupiter
and Mercury they were pretenders and falsifier's who had deceived them and should be. put
to death. As a result, Paul was stoned, and dragged, outside the city, and left for dead.
But God was not through with the Apostle Paul;: he was not stoned
because of God's indifference, nor because of His lack of power to protect His, servant.
On the contrary, quite probably the Lord was teaching the' Apostle some great lesson,
valuable both to himself and to the Church, for whom he was a general minister, and to
whom' even today he ministers, in the matter of these experiences. Quite probably the
Apostle, while being stoned, remembered I afresh
the death of Stephen, to which he had consented; and quite probably, too, the result was a
fresh realization of his, own unworthiness to be so, prominent a representative of, the
Lord and of His Truth--a humbling of his heart before the Lord, profitable to him and to
.the Church also.
Had the incident of the sacrificing not been. thus followed by. some
trying experiences, who knows but that the Apostle might have felt a little of self
-gratulation, such as would he natural to any .
man who, having honors thrust, upon hi I in,
had voluntarily renounced them. He might have been disposed, to glory in his strength of
character; but his experiences led him in an opposite direction, as he himself
subsequently wrote, "I will glory in tribulation." All of the Lord's faithful
ones can learn good lessons here; can learn to trust to the Lord's providences in all of
their affairs--not only in those which seem to go favorably, but in those also, apparently
are working disadvantage. The Lord said concerning' Paul, when declaring that he was .a chosen
vessel for His service, "I will show him how great things he must suffer for. My name's
sake'."From this lesson we may draw the inference that when the 'Lord's servants are
permitted, to suffer for His name's sake (not for wrong-doing, not for anger, malice,
hatred, strife, evil- speaking, etc., but, for His sake) it is an attestation of the
Lord's favor, in the acceptance of his sacrifice--as in the type, Abel's sacrifice was
accepted with, fire.
As the disciples stood about the prostrate form of Paul, supposing,
as the others had, that he was dead, he rose up and returned to the city. We are. not to,
suppose that all of the citizens joined in' the mob which I stoned
him, though we are to suppose that there must have been a general sympathy on, the part of
the, majority, else such mob violence would not have been possible. It is quite probable,
therefore, that the Apostle's return to the city was in a very quiet manner, so as not to
unduly re-arouse the passions of the mob. The spirit of bravado which impels, some people
seems to have been absent in the case of, these missionaries. They had the true courage
and endured hardness as good soldiers in the way which the Lord approved; but we never see them tantalizing the people by boastful
manner or words. They, and not others who Misinterpret the Divine will by an opposite
course, should be our patterns, our examples, in such matters.
Their entire public preaching at Lystra was at an, end, and the next
day the missionaries went to Derbe, a distance of .35 miles--which implies that the Lord
wrought a -wonderful miracle in Paul, in that, after receiving so severe treatment,, a
stoning unto apparent death, he was able on the next day to continue his journey. The Lord
sometimes works marvelously for His people, a's in this instance; at other times He leaves
them -to the general vicissitudes of life as other men.
No particulars are, given regarding the ministry of, the Truth at
Derbe. We may presume that it was without special incident. Having gone thus far, instead
of proceeding
and returning homeward by the nearer route, via Tarsus, Paul's home city, the missionaries
determined to retrace their steps,--their motive in so doing apparently being their
realization that the little groups of believers at Lystra, Iconium and Antioch in Pisidia
would by, this time need. some encouragement and establishment in the Truth; that because
of the fierce opposition in these places there would probably be more or less contention
and .trouble, and questions arising which the new converts would not be competent to
solve.
The brethren of these various places were doubtless surprised that if
the Gospel was of God, its servants, its ministers, should be so at the mercy of the
forces of evil; and this may have tended to shake their confidence considerably, because
the natural expectation would be that God would protect His servants. The Apostle
explained, this to the believers-that tribulations are necessary for the perfecting of the
saints, for the trial of faith, for the testing and the preparation of those who would be
joint-heirs with Christ in the Kingdom; and that after the permission of evil shall thus
have served its purpose during this Gospel Age--the purpose of keeping the Little Flock
separate from the world and polishing and refining them for the Kingdom--then the time
will come when Satan shall, be bound,--when the righteous shall be persecuted no more, but
reign as joint-heirs in Christ's Kingdom.
The missionaries returned; without further incident, to the Church
whose special representatives on this journey they had been,. and made their report to the
Church at Antioch in Syria.
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