THE HERALD
of Christ's Kingdom
VOL. VII. November 1, 1924 No. 21
Table of Contents
ONE MASTER OVER ALL THE CHURCH
DEFENSE OF FAITH DELIVERED TO
SAINTS
THE GLORY OF CONFESSING CHRIST
DANIEL THE BELOVED OF JEHOVAH
PRAYER AND TRANSFORMATION
VOL. VII. November 15, 1924 No.
22
Table of Contents
THE UP TO DATE BOOK
BOWING TO THE WILL OF GOD
THE GIFT OF PEACE DIVINE
THE GOOD SAMARITAN
DANIEL THE BELOVED OF JEHOVAH
BLIND EYES OPENED
LETTERS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
VOL.
VII. November 1, 1924 No. 21
"One is your
Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."
-- Matt. 23:8.
tHE teachings of the Scriptures
are most explicit that God has purposed and called but one Church to be associated with
His Son in the heavenly realm -- one Body, the member of which are all called in one hope
of their calling. (1 Cor. 12:12;Eph. 4:4.) It is not less definitely established in the
Divine Word that this Church should have but one Head, one Guide, one spiritual Ruler,
even Jesus whom God gave "to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is His
Body."
Moreover, we find it clearly set
forth also, that this assembly of called out ones throughout the Age is to have a definite
order or government in its midst: first of all, under our Master in the beginning of the
Age there were appointed twelve Apostles, under spiritual guides, to serve the Church
throughout the Age, and these have been designated the twelve Apostles of the Lamb, the
twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem, in view of their important positions as spiritual
teachers in the Church. (Rev. 21:14.) Thus in the book of Revelation, the New Jerusalem,
the symbol of the new Millennial government, the Church, is shown as the Bride united to
her Lord and glorified with Him; and in the picture the statement is distinctly made that
the twelve foundations of the City are precious, and that in the twelve foundations are
the names written of the "twelve Apostles of the Lamb"-no more, no less. What
better proof could we have that there were never more than twelve of these Apostles of the
Lamb, and that any others were, as the Apostle Paul suggests, "false apostles."
(2 Cor. 11:13.) From what we gather of the conduct and ministry of the Apostles, their
position was 'that of under-shepherds of the flock, rather than that of lords or masters
of the Church.
In accordance with the Spirit of
Christ in them, and in harmony with their messages, the Apostles, therefore, issued
neither bulls nor anathemas, nor threats, but we do find among their loving entreaties
such expressions as these: "Being defamed we entreat"; "I entreat thee
also, true yoke-fellow"; "Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him." -I Cor.
4:13; Phil. 3:3 ; 1 Tim. 5:1.
The beautiful figure which the
Apostle gives of the Church in its present condition, well illustrates the Divine order
that was to prevail. It is that of the human figure, the head representing the Lord, and
the various parts and members representing the Church. In 1 Cor. 12 the subject is grandly
elaborated, and with profound simplicity: "As the body is one, and hath many members,
and all the members of that one body being many, are one body; so also is Christ [one body
or company composed of many members]. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one
Body." This Apostle continues and calls attention to the fact that as the well being
of a human body depends largely upon the unity and harmony and co-operation of all its
members, so also it is with the Church, the Body of Christ. If one member suffer, all
suffer, etc. He points out that as we seek to cover and hide the weaknesses, blemishes of
our natural bodies, and seek to relieve and help them, thus it should be with the Church,
the Body of Christ. If one member suffer, all suffer, etc. He points with the mantle of
charity, love.
Such an organization as thus
obtained in the primitive Church -- namely without a sectarian name, and without glory,
honor, and authority on the part of a few over the many, and without a division into
clergy and laity, is regarded by many today as no organization at all. However, we need
not be fearful to take our position with and copy closely the example of the primitive
Church; for it will mean to us the enjoyment of correspondingly similar liberties and
blessings.
It was not in conflict with the
foregoing that the Apostles, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, gave instructions
to the various companies of the Lord's people that they elect certain of their number as
elders and deacons to take the oversight and care of their brethren in spiritual affairs.
Neither did it mean that any company of the Lord's people in those days were brought into
bondage to those thus elected to serve them in this way; for as a matter of fact, these
thus appointed as elders, pastors, etc., must necessarily themselves be subject to the
voice of the Church. No intimation whatever is given that any of these thus elected by
various of the congregations of the Lord's people were to consider themselves constituted
a kind of "authority" or "power" in the Church. To the contrary, the
Apostle Peter admonishes those acting in the Church as its servants, that they "feed
the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but
willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's
heritage, but being ensamples to the flock." (1 Pet. 5:2,3. ) The Master's words
given to His disciples just before He left them were to be remembered, and to constitute a
guide and a strength to His people all through the Age: "One is your Master even
Christ, and all ye are brethren."
It has been, therefore, in
violation of the Savior's words and in conflict with the simplicity and order given by the
Apostles, that there have arisen and developed from time to time "authorities"
and "powers" in the professed Church claiming the right to direct and control
its affairs; and claiming to have received from the Lord a kind of special unction
constituting them a Divine channel, or government, whose authority and dictates must not
be questioned or disobeyed. The true Church has not needed any such authorities and powers
in its midst, for invariably when such have appeared the result has been an apostasy, a
departure from the primitive conditions which provided that each individual member of the
Church should be free to exercise his or her own personal liberty in deciding what should
be believed and accepted as truth.
But some may ask, What of the
Apostle's statement, "He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists,
and some pastors, and- teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, till we all come,"
etc. The answer is that true to the Apostle's instruction the Lord has provided His Church
with just such assistances and helps as is here indicated. But there is no ground for
claiming that any of these were to be rulers of the Church, or to deprive individual
members of their liberty. We certainly do not deny, but on the contrary affirm, that the
Church should have living teachers; but those in the Church were not to blindly accept
whatever any teacher should set forth, but were to prove the teaching of those whom they
had reason to believe were true light-bearers, by the infallible standard -- the Word of
God. The mere claim of any man or any combination of men to be teachers, was to be no
proof that they were such by Divine appointment, for false teachers, we are told, would
arise in the Church, and would pervert the truth. Therefore, the Church individually-each
by himself and for himself and himself only -must fill the important office of judge to
decide according to the infallible standard, God's Word, whether the teacher be true or
false, and whether the claimed teacher is a true teacher by Divine appointment.
In consideration of the foregoing
it may be asked in what sense is the association of brethren represented in the PASTORAL BIBLE INSTITUTE, ministering in harmony with the order given in the early
Church. Some have even asked if the brethren connected with this ministry consider
themselves a kind of successor to Brother Russell and his work, or that they are
constituted to "finish" his work, etc.
Our reply is that to our understanding the thought of successorship to Brother Russell is
entirely out of order, and such a claim made by ourselves or others would be entirely
without foundation or warrant. We know of no reason for believing that Brother Russell's
ministry and work in the Church set aside the order established in the primitive Church,
nor did our dear Brother claim for himself any kind of special authority contrary to, or
different from that which has existed in the Church all down through the Age. Therefore,
in keeping with the New Testament order, we are to think of our dear Brother as having
been one of the "evangelists, pastors, teachers," etc., for the perfecting of
the saints. We know of no reason for believing that there was anything about his ministry
requiring a successorship; neither can we think of his work as having been unfinished at
the time of his decease. To the contrary, there is every reason to believe that he himself
finished all the work that he was given to do,
the same as other teachers in the Church have done through the Age; and he has and needs
no successor. Therefore there is no ground for claiming or teaching that there is some
kind of special power or authority descending from Brother Russell upon some one or some
company of brethren since his decease.
But perceiving that there is a
considerable number of the members of the Church still in their earthly pilgrimage since
his departure, it is to be recognized that there is still a ministry and a service to be
performed amongst the Lord's people. It is, therefore, for the various companies of the
Lord's people throughout the world to look for these more or less in their midst, and to
accept the direction of the Lord's spirit in appointing such of their number as their
helps and teachers. To our understanding, the order amongst the Lord's people today should
be as it was in the early Church. Their full individual liberty should be exercised, and
none should be accepted as teachers whose teachings and service are not found to be in
full harmony with the truth as given in the Bible. Each company of the Lord's people
guided by His Spirit, should be its own authority and should control its own affairs.
As for the capacity in which this
INSTITUTE is operating, we have endeavored to explain that this
arrangement exists by virtue of the brethren of various Churches appointing certain of
their number to act in this capacity and to carry forward a ministry in behalf of the
brethren at large. But we would have it clearly understood that this INSTITUTE is not an "authority," nor a "power,"
in the Church or over any church or number of churches. Whatever service or ministry is
being performed today by this association of brethren is solely on the basis of the
expressed consent and wishes of brethren of various Classes; arid apart from this, no
service, activity, or ministry is undertaken. It would be indeed contrary to the Apostolic
order for any brother or brethren to claim that the churches unitedly had centered power
in them, and had given them the right to speak authoritatively and dictate what should be
believed and what ministry should be performed. We urge brethren everywhere to carefully
guard against and avoid any such condition of affairs obtaining in their midst; for it
invariably leads to a misuse of power and provides occa. sion for selfish ambition to
creep in, resulting in depriving the Lord's people of their Christian liberty, followed by
general apostasy.
The methods of operation, the
service, and ministry, etc., carried on by the PASTORAL BIBLE INSTITUTE is such as is authorized by and entirely subject to the brethren of the various Classes; and
is only such, as conforms to their wishes and to what they believe to be spiritually
profitable and in accordance with the leadings of the Lord's Spirit as they understand it.
We make no claims for this ministry, except that our trust and hope is that it is a
service of love for one another, and an opportunity of laying down our lives for the
brethren. The brethren highly esteem the privilege of rendering this service and rejoice
with all fellow-members of the Body of Christ in the gifts, honors, and blessings that
come as a result of the anointing, which we all have in Him; for all the Royal Priesthood
is described by the Prophet in the. saying: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me
because He hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, to bind up the broken
hearted, to comfort all that mourn."--Isa. 61:1,2; Luke 4:17-20.
"DESPISE NOT
PROPHESYINGS" (Cont.)
"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto
ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a tight that shineth in a dark place, until the day
dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." -- 2 Pet. 1:19.
THE "sure word of
prophecy" occupies a very important place in the sacred writings. Notwithstanding
this fact there has ever been existing amongst believers in the Bible as a Divine
revelation, a disposition to minimize the importance of prophecy, and even to go so far as
to discourage and make light of its study. Particularly is this true at the present time.
No matter what may be the cause, this certainly is a serious evil. The remark of another
is quite in place here on this point
"God's Word, in God's order,
with God's emphasis, should be the watchword of every diligent student of its inspired
pages. The Bible is not a book of hobbies. it never emphasizes one truth at the expense of
another. Neither does it deal in fragmentary truth. The book is a grand mosaic, divinely
perfect in all its parts, and perfect in its Divine completeness. The various truths
contained in this wonderful book are set forth in the measure of their importance, and it
behooves every careful student not only to study God's truth in God's order, but to
observe closely the emphasis He places thereon."
GREAT PROMINENCE OF
PROPHETIC TESTIMONY
A careful examination of the
Scriptures cannot fail to produce the conviction that the prophetic writings occupy a much
larger proportion of the Bible than any others. The books that are directly prophetical
constitute over one quarter of the Divine canon; and when with these we add the
multitudinous passages in other books that contain predictions, especially in the Psalms,
and remember also the types or shadows of things to come that is embraced in the history
of the Israelitish nation, including the tabernacle services and sacrifices, the typical
significance of the Passover, the feasts of tabernacles, first fruits, the jubilee, etc.,
we are compelled to conclude that prophecy constitutes the much larger portion of the
"all Scriptures that are given by inspiration of God," that are profitable for
correction, reproof, and instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect,
and thoroughly furnished unto every good word and work.
The prophecies concerning the
First Advent of our Lord run like a golden thread through every book of the Old Testament,
describing in minute detail every feature relating to His person -- His birth, His
childhood, His character, His ministry, His miracles, His rejection by His own nation; and
many details connected with His sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension to heaven, and
with the outpouring by Him of the Holy Spirit of God. From the prediction in Eden to those
of Malachi each succeeding Prophet added more and more to the weighty facts of His coming,
until the plains of Judea trembled with the thrilling message of angelic testimony --
"Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the
Lord." "The trend of thought upon this overwhelming subject accumulated in power
and volume until the voice of the wilderness crier heralded the presence of the long
expected Messiah."
"TESTIMONY OF JESUS, SPIRIT OF PROPHECY"
All students of the Bible, indeed
all the followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, will admit that anything that relates to the
mission and work of their great Leader should be of paramount interest and importance. Do
all realize that every prophecy from the first one in Genesis to the last one in
Revelation relates either directly or indirectly to the great Redeemer? In so far as the
Old Testament is concerned, this fact was not only stated, but , strongly emphasized by
our Lord, when He gave utterance to the words, "Search the Scriptures . . . for they
are they which testify of Me." His words after His resurrection to the two disciples
whom He met on the way to Emmaus, further establish this thought: "O thoughtless and
slow in your hearts to repose faith in all things which the Prophets spake ! And beginning
at Moses and from all the Prophets He thoroughly explained to them in all the Scriptures,
the things concerning Himself."
Some of the Lord's people seem to
think that Old Testament prophecy exhausts itself in the record of events connected with
the First Advent of the Redeemer. But the fact of the matter is that the prophecies only
begin their fulfillment at this period of His marvelous career. Our Lord Himself was a
diligent student of prophecy; and not only so, but He was the greatest of all prophets,
besides being as He said, the subject directly or indirectly of all prophecies. Even His
words to His disciples were woven through and through with predictions of the future.
Nearly all of His parables were predictions of things to come. So important did He
consider prophecy that He was continually reminding His disciples of the necessity of
giving heed to His prophetic utterances. The same was true of His Apostles, as well as of
those specially chosen to complete the Divine canon of inspiration. Large portions of the
writings of the Apostles Paul, Peter, James, John and Jude, are made up of predictions
concerning the future, and of exhortations to give heed thereunto.
The sublime dignity and grandeur
of the Church's high calling comprehends all those truths that relate to the wonderful
events predicted to come in the future. Who then can believe that God would have spread
out before us the grand chart of prophecy if He had not greatly desired that His people
would study and meditate upon its marvelous unfoldings? Who can possibly believe that God
would have traced beforehand the exalted pathway of His dear Son through the long aisles
of history, if He had not known that His people would be helped and benefited by such a
forecasting! Nay, had He not seen that it was necessary to their strengthening and
upbuilding, He would not have done this. The invitation of our blessed Savior to follow
Him, relates not only to emulating Him in our moral uprightness,. and in the exercise of
our spiritual faculties -- our consecration, etc., but also to following Him in His
example as a diligent student of Divine prophecy; and especially is it important that we
listen to His instructions to give heed to His own personal exhortations concerning the
importance of prophecy, as well as to those of His chosen Apostles, who were inspired of
God to unfold the future station and achievements of our glorious King.
HIGHEST INCENTIVES TO
HOLY LIVING
As we explore this wonderful
field of prophetic promise and revelation, we find interspersed in it, not only inspired
predictions, but grand and glorious doctrines, precious promises, practical illustrations
and precepts, which together constitute the highest incentives to holy living. The strings
of the prophetic harp have been touched by holy men from nearly all the ranks of life --
by mighty kings and statesmen, as well as by lowly peasants, whose occupation was to till
the soil, and engage in other humble, temporal occupations. Above all, He who is to occupy
the highest station in God's universe has touched the strings of the prophetic harp and
brought from it some of its sweetest and entrancing melodies. "Shall we then,"
says one, "depreciate such exalted companionship and rob ourselves of such spiritual
enjoyment simply on the ground of an unwarranted prejudice against the study of prophetic
truth?"
It is only through prophecy that
we learn of the destiny of this present world in which we live. The development, reign,
and overthrow of vast empires was foreseen and foretold centuries before their
fulfillment, thus enabling us to know where we live on the stream of time. One who is
familiar with Divine prophecy can look backward and fully realize that it is God alone who
"changeth the times and seasons"; who "removeth kings and setteth up
kings"; who "knoweth what is in the darkness," and "reveals the deep
and secret things." Such can clearly see solemnity in the trend of events as they
have been unfolding themselves toward an inevitable crisis in human affairs -a crisis
which will bring to this world the Kingdom long prayed for. The steady march of the
history of long centuries has been and is a fruitful theme of the prophetic harp; and
these prophecies reveal to us that we have been slowly but surely approaching a particular
turning point, predetermined by the Almighty, culminating in a revelation of human destiny
and hope. We are enabled to see that each revolution in human affairs is assisting in
moving the world on toward its prophetic destiny; that "all things keep step along
the lines of God's eternal purposes; and the Christian who fails to read history by the
lamp of prophecy, will find no other light to illumine the deep mysteries surrounding this
earthly planet."
MUCH PROPHETIC
TESTIMONY NOW HISTORY
How few, even among the professed
followers of our Lord, know that much, very much of the predictions of holy men of old,
has crystal-lized into history, and are so many evidences of the Divine authority of the
Bible. There never was a time like the present when the Bible as a Divine revelation was
being so strongly attacked and discredited; never a time when so many are being shaken in
their faith. Divine prophecy is one, if not the greatest weapon that can be wielded to
meet this assault and strengthen the faith of the weak ones. The Bible challenges the
skeptic to discover or detect any flaw in its marvelous assertions of the future. History
today corroborates, so far as prophecy has become history, that the Bible is the
infallible word of the living God. Indeed, twenty-five centuries of the history of the Jew
and Gentile have demonstrated the Divine authenticity and truthfulness of the inspired
Daniel, who was one of those "holy men of God," specially chosen to record the
history beforehand of these two classes that have been the great actors on the stage of
human affairs.
THE APOCALYPSE AS A
PROPHECY
Passing by the many wonderful
prophecies made by our Lord during His earthly life, as well as those found in the
epistles of the inspired Apostles which have met their fulfillment, and which, if there
were no others in the New Testament, are so numerous as to have required the labors of
many historians and many large volumes to record the same, what shall we say of the
paramount prophecy of all-the Revelation which the all-seeing God gave to Jesus Christ, to
show unto His servants things that were then to begin to come to pass? No book has been so
ill-treated; no book has been so traduced; no book has been so despised and neglected, as
this, the most wonderful of all the Divine forecasts of future things. No book has been so
hated by Satan; no book has been so misdealt with by the professed followers, yea, even
the true followers of the Divine Author. Every way conceivable has been resorted to by
even the friends of Divine revelation to discourage, to disparage, to belittle, and to
destroy the influence which obedience to Christ's inviting words, "Blessed is he that
readeth and they that hear the words of the prophecy of this book," would accomplish,
if heeded by its followers. Thank God, there have always been a few, and even today there
are some still in the world that have given heed to this loving invitation, and have
received the blessing promised. Many say it is too deep to be understood. However, the
Bible does not place any premium upon that mental ignorance which ignores and neglects the
study of the blessed book. The objection made that it requires too careful and too
diligent a study to explore the deep mines of this wonderful revelation, and to gather the
hidden jewels it contains, is not at all in harmony with the dignified relationship of
sonship existing between the children of God and the Divine Author of the wonderful
unfolding of this book -- unfoldings which were specially given for their good.
AS VIEWED BY SOME
It would be amusing were it not
so solemn a matter, to listen to the excuses, the criticisms. the foolish reasonings of,
some who minimize, yea even seek to discourage any attempt to fathom the wonderful
revelations that God has given to the Church. Some tell us that the book was never
intended to be understood; others, that if it is to be understood God will choose some
special one to disclose its mysteries, and that they are waiting for this one to appear.
Again, there are those who say that the visions of the book are all to be fulfilled in the
future, and that they will be understood in a due time; while others say to the contrary
that the fulfillment of most of its visions is in the past, in the history of God's
saints, and what interest have we today in the history of those of God's people who lived
in centuries gone by. This last indeed savors of selfishness. How glad are the hearts of
those who, instead of listening and giving heed to these strange voices, have heeded the
one great voice of all, the Lord Jesus Himself-"Blessed is he that readeth,"
etc.', and have had fulfilled in their lives with increasing power the help and blessing
promised!
Notwithstanding the fact that the
importance of the study of prophecy, and particularly of the Revelation, has been
emphasized over and over again in the Word of the Lord, fear and timidity has obtained
possession of many honest souls in these last years. There are, doubtless, several things
that have caused this, but such timidity finds no encouragement in the words of Holy Writ.
The chief reason why this prevails is probably because of the wild, fanciful, and
unscriptural interpretations that have sprung from the brains of theorists and superficial
thinkers. It should be remembered that the failures and follies of speculative men in the
study of prophecy have characterized every generation of church history. Just as many have
wandered away from the fundamental teachings of the Scriptures and have given heed to
seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, so many have done the same concerning prophecy,
by failing to understand or give heed to the very first principle laid down in the Divine
Word to be followed and applied in the study and interpretation of this portion of Divine
truth, the Revelation of Christ. This first principle is stated by the Apostle Peter in
the words, "No prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation."
Many fail to understand the
meaning of the Apostle's words quoted above. We should bear in mind, first, that it is
prophecy that is referred to-not Scripture in general, as the Romanist would cave us
believe. The Apostle says, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy is of any private
interpretation." The meaning evidently is that prophecy is its own interpretation;
that is to say, no one or single prophecy should be read or interpreted alone, as if it
had no connection with the whole Divine Plan or arrangement of prophecy. The words,
"For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man," means that it is not the
expression of the many minds of men, "but holy men of God spake as they were moved by
the Holy Spirit." This implies that one perfect mind is the author of and the planner
of all prophecy; therefore, in all these prophecies there must be one connecting thread,
and one harmonious whole. To illustrate: it is comparatively easy to find some plausible
interpretation and application: of a single prediction, but quite another matter to make
this application fit into the general divinely prophetic plan or. arrangement of all
prophecy. The thought is, there i3 one grand skeleton or arrangement of Divine prophecy,
and this must be understood first, and every interpretation made to fit into this Divine
arrangement.
DANIEL AND THE
REVELATION
The Divine skeleton of prophecy
is that of the great image of empires of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar; and its fuller
outline in the vision of the four wild beast empires of Daniel 7. These two grand outlines
are divinely explained, and the explanation shows that they cover an unbroken period of
history for twenty-five centuries, reaching to the establishment of the Kingdom of God
over the earth. Every minor prediction fits into, or connects itself securely with these
Divine skeletons of prophecy. The visions of the Revelation connect on to this great
skeleton of prophecy in the first century of the Christian era: the Roman power being the
fourth in the great outline or skeleton of Divine prediction. It not only connects on to
this Divine skeleton, but every single vision of the Revelation when rightly understood
fits into its proper place, according to an orderly arrangement by the Divine mind; and
the various visions meet their fulfillment one by one in consecutive order, filling in
many additional details until the Divine skeleton stands upon its feet, figuratively
speaking, like those of Ezekiel's vision, clothed completely with flesh. All the
predictions that have to do with mortal man's dominion in the earth will then reach their
completion; and a new, a Divine rulership succeeds. The visions then describe the immortal
dominion. when human authority is lost in the Kingdom of God. One prophetic expositor thus
illustrates this point this method of interpreting prophecy:
"The Apocalypse is not
isolated from the rest of prophetic Scriptures. It is intimately related to the book of
Daniel in the Old Testament, and agrees perfectly with the other prophetic teachings of
our Lord and His Apostles, in the New. As to its relation to the former -- the book of
Daniel -- its subject is the same, and its symbols are the same. At the time when John
lived, the three earlier empires of Daniel had passed away; but the fourth, or Roman, was
in the zenith of its power, and was destined to continue in existence for nearly two
thousand years. Daniel had briefly outlined its character and career under the striking
symbol of the ten-horned wild beast. John enlarges the Daniel foreview, employing the same
symbols. Three times over in the pages of the Apocalypse, this terrible ten-horned wild
beast is portrayed. (Chapters 12, 13, 17.) Moreover, the most notable feature of this wild
beast as represented in Daniel -- its blasphemous, persecuting 'little horn' whose actions
draw down the advent of the Ancient of Days in judgment-reappears in the Apocalypse with
fuller detail, and in more vivid coloring. Its rise, place, power, pride, tyranny;
blasphemy are the same; its duration' as assigned in Daniel and the Apocalypse is the
same, and the time and manner of its destruction are the same. This identity is indeed the
principal key to the Apocalypse."
The Apocalypse "presents a
consecutive, continuous outline of events which would take place in the outward history of
the Church from John's day to the Second Advent and beyond; but it presents it in symbolic
language, in a form Which would veil the true meaning for a time, but would allow it to
become progressively clear in the later stages of the dispensation."
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
PARABLES
AND THE APOCALYPSE
All the prophetic parables of our
Lord fit into and agree with this great Divine arrangement or plan of prophecy. "In
the parables the King is seen to go into a far country, to receive the investiture of His
Kingdom, and to return for its exercise; in the Apocalypse the King is seen in the
heavens, and His Second Advent in manifested glory is symbolized and foretold. In the
parables we have the marriage of the King's Son; in the Apocalypse 'the marriage of the
Lamb.' In the parables the virgins are awakened by the midnight cry, 'Behold the
Bridegroom; go ye forth to meet Him; in the Apocalypse the Advent is represented with its
accompanying events. In the parables the conduct of the faithful and faithless servants is
described, and the reward of their respective works; in the Apocalypse we see the two
classes and the issues of their acts. The Lord comes, and His reward is with Him, and He
gives every man according to his works. The lesson of the parables as to the Kingdom,
which is the everlasting recompense of faithful service, is repeated in the Apocalypse,
with a fullness of detail and splendor of imagery peculiarly its own .
"The same harmony is
traceable between the prophetic teachings of the Apostles of our Lord and those of this
final New Testament prophecy. The oft-repeated warnings and predictions occurring in the
Epistles of Paul with reference to the great apostasy which was to take place in the
Church of Christ-predictions echoed more or less clearly and emphatically by all the
Apostles -are confirmed by the wonderful Apocalyptic symbolizations of that apostasy,
especially that part of it which portrays its connection with Rome, and the persecution of
Christ's faithful witnesses by the apostate Church. St. Jude's prophecy of the advent of
Christ in judgment on the ungodly (quoted from Enoch, 'the seventh from Adam'), is in
harmony with the detailed vision of that advent and of the judgment in the Apocalypse; and
so also Peter's prophecy of the new heavens and the new earth.
"The Book of Revelation
enlarges this last into the exquisite imagery of its twenty-first and twenty-second
chapters, adding a multitude of details, of definite features, entirely omitted in Peter's
earlier prediction of the ultimate issue of Divine Providence, and of the eternal state of
mankind."
UNFOLDS THE HISTORY
OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
We thus see that the two
marvelous predictions in Daniel 2 and 7, which are divinely explained to represent, or
picture, the unbroken, continuous, consecutive outlines of the world's history for
twenty-five centuries, culminating with the Second Advent, furnish the divinely appointed
skeleton of human governments into which must be fitted all other predictions.
Furthermore, when these predictions are properly understood, we have revealed to us just
that time in history in which the Apocalyptic visions connect on to and blend with those
of Daniel; - for we see that that part of the grand outline or skeleton represented in the
fourth or Roman Empire was at the zenith of its glory and power, at the time the visions
were given to St. John. In other words, the visions of the Apocalypse unfold the history
of the people of God through the long period of the Roman power, in its various aspects
until its downfall at the Second Advent. As we become familiar with the general outline of
the history of this period, we are enabled to set in their proper place all the marvelous
visions of the wonderful Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Then despise not the sure word of
prophecy, which is a light that shineth in a dark place. We are still in the "dark
place."
"Thou art
the Christ, the Son of the Living God." -- Matt. 16:13-20.
A HEART confession of faith in
Christ as a divinely appointed Life-giver, Savior, and Redeemer is indeed the reasonable
requirement of all those who would receive the grace of God -- forgiveness of sins and a
start in the pathway of life. Nor should any member of our race look for the favor of God,
or expect release from sin's condemnation on any other terms than that of such a
confession, which virtually signifies that sin is seen in its true light and is renounced,
and that the confessor has turned from it, and, acknowledging the great Sin-bearer, seeks
by a life of holy effort to work the works of righteousness, and that development of
character pleasing to God.
In the New Testament times we
have many instances of the Divine blessing attending those who in truth and sincerity
confessed the Savior and His saving power. Verily, the Master states that His mission was
to call sinners to repentance, that they might confess Him and lay hold of the eternal
life, which He had to offer them. The blessed message of life, which began to be spoken by
our Lord, found some who were ready for such a message. Such were the Apostles and others.
THE QUESTION OF THE AGES
The noble confession of St. Peter
stands out as a remarkable demonstration oฃ how real repentance and true faith give
strength and courage as nothing else can do. Our Lord had been teaching the Apostles and
the public for about three years, and although He had frequently referred to Himself as
the "Son of Man," a title recognized among the Jews as appropriate to the
Messiah, a title applied to Messiah by Daniel the Prophet (Dan. 7:13, 14), our Lord had never positively declared Himself
to be the Messiah. He had allowed His words, "such as never man spake," and His
works, such as never man performed, to testify for Him. He merely declared that He had
come forth from the Father to be the Savior Of men, that in due time He would ascend up on
high where He was before, that through faith in Him eternal life was obtainable, etc. He
had talked about His Kingdom, too, and taught the Apostles to pray, "Thy Kingdom
come. Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven." Still, as already stated,
He had never positively declared that He was the Messiah-He had left it to inference; if
His character and words would not testify to the hearts of His disciples, any words on the
subject would be vain, empty, powerless.
By way of bringing the matter
gradually before their minds, assisting them to see the general confusion prevailing, our
Lord first asked the Apostles respecting the general opinions of the people regarding
Him-whom they thought Him to be. The answer was that there was confusion, some claiming
that He was Elijah, others that He was John the Baptist returned with greater power,
others that He was one of the ancient Prophets who had reappeared. With this leading of
the mind up to the central thought our Lord put the important question directly,
"Whom say ye that I am?" What view of Me is entertained by you who are My
followers, you who know Me most intimately, you who have heard My teachings and seen My
daily life? At once came a noble confession from the Apostle Peter, who, while expressing
his own sentiments, evidently expressed the minds of the entire discipleship, for there
was no protest on the part of any and their silence gave assent.
Our Lord promptly acknowledged
Peter's confession as being appropriate, correct, truthful, and He added a blessing,
saying, "Blessed art thou, Simon, son of Jonas, because flesh hath not revealed this
unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven." Here our Lord disclaims being the
Father, and declares that the Father is in heaven-was not on earth except
representatively. The same thought our Master gave to Mary after His resurrection, saying,
"I ascend to My Father and to your Father, to My God and to your God." (John
20:17.) We honor the Lord most and have clearest views of the meaning of His words when we
accept them simply and truthfully, without attempting to be wise above what is written or
to add to the Divine revelation or the honor of our Lord by inconsistent claims
contradictory to the revelation which has been given us.
"THOU ART THE
CHRIST"
This was a part of Peter's reply
-- Thou art the Messiah. We accept you as being the One in whom center all the promises --
the One who is to redeem and to bless the world. How we wish that all of the Lord's
professed people might clearly discern what is implied by Peter's, good confession! It
implies faith in Jesus, not merely as the Savior of the Church which is His Body, His
Bride, but as the Savior of the world -the great Messiah, the Seed of Abraham, through
whom, with His elect Bride, all the families of the earth will be blessed with gracious
opportunities for escape from the thralldom of sin and death to the liberties of the sons
of God.
But why could not the Apostles
have answered our Lord's question by saying, Master, do You not recognize that all men
believe in You as the long-promised Messiah? All the world is ready to fall at Your feet
as their Savior and King? All no; this could not be the answer, for as the evangelist
says, the "light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not";
darkness and unbelief prevailed amongst men. Another writing of this incident has offered
the following interesting comment:
" 'Whom do men say that I
the Son of Man am?'
"The answer was a sad one.
The Apostles dared not and would not speak aught but the words of soberness and truth, and
they made the disheartening admission that the Messiah had not been recognized by the
world which He came to save. They could only repeat the idle guesses of the people. Some,
echoing the verdict of the guilty conscience of Antipas, said that He was John the
Baptist; some, who may have heard the sterner denunciations of His impassioned grief,
caught in that mighty utterance the thunder-tones of a new Elijah; others, who had
listened to His accents of tenderness and words of universal love, saw in Him the
plaintive soul of Jeremiah, and thought that He had come, perhaps, to restore them the
lost Urim and the vanished Ark: others, and those the most numerous, regarded Him only as
a prophet. None-in spite of an occasional Messianic cry wrung from the admiration of the
multitude, amazed by some unwonted display of power -none dreamt of who He was. The light
had shone in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.
" 'But whom say Ye that I
am?'
"Had that great question
been answered otherwise -- could it have been answered otherwise -- the world's whole
destinies might have been changed. Had it been answered otherwise, then, humanly speaking,
so far the mission of the Savior would have wholly failed, and Christianity and
Christendom have never been. For the work of Christ on earth lay mainly with His
disciples.
"But the answer came, as
from everlasting it had been written in the book of destiny that it should come; and
Peter, the ever warm-hearted, the coryphaeus of
the Apostolic choir, had the immortal honor of giving it utterance for them all:
" 'Thou art the Christ, the
Son of the Living God !'
"Such an answer from the
chief of the Apostles atoned by its fullness of insight and certitude of conviction for
the defective appreciation of the multitudes. It showed that at last the great mystery was
revealed which had been hidden from the ages and the generations. The Apostles at least
had not only recognized in Jesus of Nazareth the promised Messiah of their ration, but it
had been revealed to them by the special grace of God that that Messiah was not only what
the Jews expected, -- a Prince, and a Ruler, and a Son of David, but was more than this,
even the Son of the Living God.
SUBVERSIONS BY THE
PAPACY
"Never did even the lips of
Jesus utter more memorable words. It was His own testimony of Himself. It was the promise
that they who can acknowledge it are blessed. It was the revealed fact that they only can
acknowledge it who are led thereto by the Spirit of God. It told mankind for ever that not
by earthly criticisms, but only by heavenly grace, can the full knowledge of that truth,
be obtained. It was the laying of the cornerstone of the Church of Christ, and the
.earliest occasion on which was uttered that memorable word, thereafter to be so
intimately blended with the history of the world. It was the promise that that Church
founded on the rock of inspired confession should remain unconquered by all the powers of
hell. It was the conferring upon that Church, in the person of its typical representative,
the power to open and shut, to bind and loose, and the promise that the power faithfully
exercised on earth should be finally ratified in heaven.
"'Tute haec omnia dicuntur,' says the great
Bengel, 'nam quid ad Romam?' 'all these
statements are made with safety; for what have they to do with Rome?' Let him who will
wade through all the controversy necessitated by the memorable perversions of this
memorable text, which runs as an inscription round the interior of the great dome of St.
Peter's. But little force is needed to overthrow the strange inverted pyramids of argument
which have been built upon it. Were it not a matter of history, it would have been deemed
incredible that on so imaginary a foundation should have been rested the fantastic claim
that abnormal power should be conceded .to the bishops of a Church which almost certainly
St. Peter did not found, and in a city in which there is no indisputable proof that he
ever set his foot. The immense arrogancies of sacerdotalism; the disgraceful abuses of the
confessional; the imaginary power of absolving from oaths; the ambitious assumption of a
right to crush and control the civil power; the extravagant usurpation of infallibility in
wielding the dangerous weapons of anathema and excommunication; the colossal tyrannies of
the Popedom, and the detestable cruelties of the Inquisition -- all these abominations
are, we may hope, henceforth and for ever, things of the past. But the Church of Christ
remains, of which Peter* was a chief foundation, a living stone. The powers of hell have
not prevailed against it; it still has a commission to fling wide open the gates of the
kingdom of heaven; it still may loose us from idle traditional burdens and meaningless
ceremonial observances; still may bind upon our hearts and consciences the truths revealed
religion and the eternal obligations of the Moral Law.
_____________
*[It is true
indeed that the Apostle Peter was constituted an important factor in the foundation of the
Church-one of the twelve foundations," yet we incline to the view that it was upon
the great rock-truth that Peter had confessed that the Church of Christ was to be built.]
ญญญญญญ_____________
"To Peter himself the great
promise was remarkably fulfilled. was he who converted on the day of Pentecost the first
great body of Jews who adopted the Christian faith; it was he who admitted the earliest
Gentile into the full privileges of Christian fellowship.
THE QUESTION COMES TO
US
This question, which came to
Peter and his fellow-apostles, has been rung down through the centuries from that time
until now, wherever the knowledge of the Lord Jesus has gone. It is question which each
one must eventually answer for himself.
The question has come to us who
are the Lord's followers, and we, like Peter and the Apostles and all the faithful since,
have accepted the Son of God as our Savior, realizing that He bought us with His precious
blood, and that we have peace with God through a realization that the Divine sentence
against us has been met, so that God can now justly accept us to Himself, forgiving our
sins -- not imputing them to us, but accepting satisfaction through our Surety and His
precious sacrifice. On the strength of this faith that He was the Son of God, that He died
for our sins, we have also accepted Him as the great King of Glory, whose Millennial
Kingdom is surely to bless the world by establishing the reign of righteousness, by
binding Satan and all the powers of evil, by causing the knowledge of the glory of God to
fill the whole earth, and by instituting a great reign of judgment, of justice, in the
world, under which every unrighteous deed shall receive a just recompense of reward, and
every good endeavor receive encourage-ment and. blessing, and bring a corresponding
uplift, mental, moral, and physical, to the obedient.
Peter, the mouthpiece of the
disciples, was especially addressed by our Lord, although the blessing spoken to him was
in a measure shared by the others also. Our Lord here gave Simon his surname, Peter, which
signifies a stone, declaring, "Thou art Peter [a stone], and upon this rock [this
great truth which you have enunciated] will build My Church." Peter, subsequently
writing, refers to the matter in this manner, saying of all the Lord's followers,
"Ye, also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to
offer up sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (1 Pet. 2:5.) Peter and the
other Apostles are presented to us as foundation stones built upon this great truth, that
Christ is the Redeemer, the Savior, the Messiah. Note how our Lord presents this matter in
Revelation, in the picture of the New Jerusalem, representing its walls as having twelve
foundations of precious stones, in which were written the names of the twelve Apostles of
the Lamb. -- Rev 21:14.
Of this Church whose foundation
was laid by the Redeemer Himself, and which was to be built thereupon, our Lord declares,
"The gates of hell shall not prevail." The word hell here is in the Greek, hades, the same word that is elsewhere translated
grave. For instance, in the Apostle's declaration respecting the resurrection and the
deliverance of the Church from the grave, he exclaims, "O hades, where is thy victory?" He pictures thus
the Church triumphing over hades, coming out of hades, out of the grave, out of the state of death.
The same thought is connected with our Lord's resurrection: He is represented as bursting
the bonds of death, bursting the restraints of Sheol, of hades --by the Father's power. The gates of hades, the gates of the tomb, the strength of death
which restrained Him three days, was broken in His resurrection. This is the picture which
our Lord presents. The Church in common with the world would go down into death, and this
was an assurance to the Apostles of the abundant deliverance which will be granted to the
Church in the First Resurrection to glory, honor, and immortality, to the conditions where
the Second Death will have no power.
THE KEYS OF THE
KINGDOM
A key implies a lock, and the
thought here is that God's Kingdom was locked that none could enter it. Our Lord alone was
able to keep the Divine Law and to inherit the Divine promise. To him alone, therefore,
belonged entrance to the Kingdom. He was recognized as the Anointed from the time He
received the Holy Spirit at His baptism, and in the fullest sense in His resurrection from
the dead, a spirit being, "With all power in heaven and in earth." -- Matt.
28:18.
It was after our Lord had
"appeared in the presence of God for us" that He permitted Peter to use the
first key -- to throw open the door of the Kingdom to all of His truly consecrated
followers. The door thrown open at Pentecost was only to the Jews, not to the Gentiles.
Peter preached only to the Jews and proselytes, inviting them and them only to become
sharers in the Kingdom of God's dear Son. When, three and a half years later, the Lord's
due time had come for throwing open the other door into the Kingdom -- the door for the
Gentiles -- Peter again was given the key, the right, the authority, to open that door. He
it was who was sent to Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, to explain to Him the
conditions of relationship to Christ in the Kingdom and to initiate him that he might
receive the Holy Spirit. The two keys having been used there is nothing further to unlock
respecting the Kingdom, and the Jewish institutions having passed away there is now but
the one door, and it, we are told, will be closed perpetually when all of the wise virgins
shall have gone in to the wedding. -- Matt. 25:1-10.
The declaration respecting
Peter's authority to bind and loose was a common form of expression in those days, to
indicate forbidding and permitting. One writer declares, "No other terms were in so
constant use in Rabbinic Canon Law as those of binding and loosing. They represented the
legislative and judicial powers of the Rabbinic office." This authority was shared by
all the Apostles ( Matt. 18: 18, I9), and it is because of our belief in this that we hold
to the exact presentations of the Apostles as representing the Divine will, and that we
allow no testimony by subsequent followers of the Lord to have the same weight or
influence. Respecting the Apostles alone we have the assurance that they were divinely
supervised -- that whatever they forbade or allowed was under heavenly guidance and
sanction.
SERIES XXXII
JUDGMENT ON PAPACY BY
MOHAMMEDAN POWERS
"And at the time of the end shall the king of the south
push at him; and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with
chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries,
and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many
countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edam, and
Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon
the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the
treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the
Libyans and Ethiopians shall be at his steps." -- Dan. 11:40-43.
IF we are correct in applying
verses 31-39 to the Roman Empire -- first, in its Pagan aspect as a subjugator and
destroyer of the Jewish polity, as well as a persecutor of true Christians; and second, as
a processed Christian empire, corrupting true Christianity, and persecuting true
Christians also-then the verses above quoted must describe the punishment of this great
Roman professedly) Christian power; more especially, however, in the Eastern or Greek
territory of its dominion. Furthermore, it must be in the Christian dispensation that we
are to look for the events portrayed in these verses, which, if we are correct, describe
this judgment punishment; and still further, the fulfillment of verses 40-45 will be seen to reach to the end of its persecuting if
not its corrupting influence-indeed to the end of the Gospel Age, and the standing up of
Michael, "the great Prince that standeth for the children of thy people." --
Dan. 12:1.
The powers that are used as
agencies to accomplish the punishment of these idolatrous Christian communities, are
designated in the words of the angelic revealer, the king of the south and the king of the
north, the latter power and his actions being the one more fully described. The kings of
the north and of the south, referred to in the preceding verses, as we have seen, were
Syria and Egypt, both of which were swallowed up in the Roman Empire before the Christian
era began. The two powers in the verses under consideration, therefore, must be explained
or identified as those occupying the territories of these two kingdoms at the time the
angel's words contained in these verses meet their fulfillment. The last time the king of
the north was mentioned by the angel was in connection with the exploits of Antiochus
Epiphanes. His career was ended by the Romans, when his attempt to subjugate Egypt to his
authority was blocked completely. This was about 168 B.C.
JUDGMENT-PUNISHMENT
OF EASTERN CHRISTENDOM
In our exposition thus fat of the
eleventh chapter of Daniel we have reached the period in history when the seat of
government of the Roman power had been removed from Rome to the East -- to
Constan-tinople; and when the rulers had embraced the Christian religion and corrupted it
to such an extent that it could scarcely be recognized as the Christianity that Christ had
taught and established. It should be kept in mind that the judgment-punishment described
in these verses is to be looked for chiefly in what is generally called the Eastern or
Greek Christendom. In Daniel 7, it will be recalled, Papacy is de-scribed as the
"little horn," or the anti-Christian Apostasy, whose seat of authority was in
the city of Rome in the West. The judgment on the western Apostasy is described in that
chapter, in the words, "they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it
unto the end." In 1870 the temporal dominion of the Papal power ceased altogether.
As the predictions contained in
these verses have to do with events occurring in connection with the influence of the
Roman Empire in the East, and as the territories of the original kings "of the
north" and "of the south" are also located in the East, therefore, it is in
this quarter of the world especially that we should look for the fulfillment of the
angel's prediction. In other words it must be in the Eastern or Greek territories that we
are to look for the powers designated the kings "of the north" and "of the
south"; and it must also be in the same quarter that the aggressive invasions and
depredations of these two powers against the Roman power, meet their fulfillment.
DIFFICULTIES TO BE
MET
Thus far in our application of
this prediction of Daniel ii everything seems clear to us that the foregoing exposition is
correct. It is concerning the time in history that we are to look for the events described
by these ravages of the kings of the north and of the south that a difficulty is
presented. In connection with the words, "At the time of the end shall the king of
the south push at him," a difficulty arises. Concerning this Mr. Elliott says:
"The primary difficulty of the passage, considered critically, and with a view to its
historical explanation, arises out of the words at its very commencement, 'at the time of
the end.' Taken in [what seems] their strictest and most proper sense, they must indicate
the epoch of the end of the present age or dispensation: a sense which attaches to them in
the two other places of this same prophecy. And then the predictions they introduce must
be considered as for the most part [to take place in the] future. If, however, the phrase
may be construed less strictly, viz.,, in the sense of the latter days, or later part of the times of
the Christian dispen-sation, then the solution of Mede and Bishop Newton, becomes
admissible, who explain the king of the south, and what is said of him, of the Saracen and
his attacks on Papal Christendom; and what is said of the king of the north of the Turk's
attacks on Papal Christendom also, at a later era. And certainly it tends strongly to
confirm this as the true solution, that both the little that is here said of the king of
the south's proceedings, and the fuller and more particular prediction of those of the
king of the north, well agree with the history of the Saracenic and Turkish invasions of
Christendom. The Saracen, after occupying Egypt, and so standing on the ground of the
Ptolemies [which was the power designated the king of the south], did push from thence
against Western as well as Eastern Christendom; and both con quered Spain and Sicily, and
even attacked the Pope and Rome itself, in expeditions up the Tiber. Again the Turk came
afterwards against apostate [Eastern] Christendom. like a whirlwind, with chariots and
horsemen, and with many ships; and overflowing like a flood, entered into the glorious
land of Judea and Jerusalem: moreover, though Edom, Ammon, and Moab, or the Arabs of the
Arabian desert, escaped from his hand [as the prophecy states], yet did he further extend
his dominion over Egypt, the Upper as well as the Lower; and over Lybia also, or northern
Africa; so that all the three Lybian principalities of Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco, 'they
were at his steps,' i.e., sent forth auxiliary forces at his command. Of the terribleness
of which invader to the Popes of Rome, the Papal councils for some four or five centuries,
furnish abundant evidence; as also the solemn deprecatory processions at Rome, and efforts
of successive Popes at rousing Western Christendom against him."
"TIME OF THE
END" OF ROME'S INFLUENCE
May it not be, we ask, that the
expression, "the time of the end," in this portion of the prediction, refers for
its beginning to the time of the end of Rome's influence in the East and West as a
universal empire? The prophetic description of the angel in verses 40-43, has certainly
met a complete fulfillment in every detail in the exploits and conquests of the two
divisions of the great Mohammedan power, particularly in apostate Eastern Christendom.
There can be no question regarding this, as we shall endeavor to show; and if this
expression, "at the time of the end," were not here, there would not be any
question that this is the true application of the angel's prediction. It is a fact of
history that the Roman government embraced and corrupted Christianity; and the
Christianity that prevailed during the decline and fall of the Roman Empire was an
idolatrous counterfeit of the true. It is also a fact of history that both the Saracen and
Ottoman-Turkish powers each cons-tituted in the Divine providence a rod of punishment to
these apostate Christian communities of the East. From this standpoint the prediction
covers long centuries of human history concerning affairs in the East, reaching down to
the period referred to in Daniel 12 as "the time of the end" of the Gospel Age;
indeed, even to the standing up of Michael, who is referred to as the "great Prince
that standeth for the children of thy [Daniel's] people."
The expression rendered in the
King James translation, "the time of the end," is found three times, including
the one under consideration in this prediction. It is generally understood, although not
by all, to have reference to a period at the close of the Gospel Age, or the close of
Gentile Times,, which would mean the same. The length of this period, however, is nowhere
stated in the prophecy; nor does there seem to be any hint regarding it; nevertheless it
is calculated variously by different expositors.
Some who apply all that is said
in verses 36 to 45 to Napoleon's career, in his conflicts with the "allied
powers,"' fix the beginning of this period with the acts of Napoleon, in which he
humiliated and temporarily dethroned the pope in 1799. It seems peculiar that those who
take this view do not find the pope described or even mentioned in these verses, while at
the same time they introduce him very prominently in their expositions. There is this to
be said further, that some of us who understood that Napoleon was the king who did
according to his will, were very confident that the expiration of the "time of the
end," was to culminate in 7974. At this present time it seems quite a certain that
this period did not end in 1914. Does not this prove that the length of this
period is still an uncertain proposition.
It will be well to know that
there are others who understand that the word "time" in this expression has
reference to a period of 360 years. These expositors apply the prediction to the last 360
years of the Gospel Age, or of Gentile Times.
It is very significant that the
Douay translation, and also one of the very latest translations of the Scriptures, present
an entirely different meaning. This passage (verse 40) is thus rendered by the Douay:
"At the time prefixed, shall the king of
the south push at him," etc. The translation of Ferrar Fenton, entitled, The Complete Bible in Modern English, renders this
verse: "At the end of the period," etc.
In Daniel 11:35, where the
expression is also found, the Douay reads: "And some of the learned shall fall that
they may be tried, and be chosen and made white, even to the appointed tune." The same verse is
translated by Ferrar Fenton: "And some of the teachers will fail to refine them and
purify them for the appointed tine."
The expression is also found in
Daniel 72:9; and in the Douay reads: "Go Daniel, because the words are shut up and
sealed until the appointed time." Fenton's
translation of the same is: "Go away Daniel, because that is hidden and sealed until the fixed time." This verse will be
considered in due order. Our purpose at this time will be to show how fully the prediction
concerning the two powers has met its fulfillment in the Saracens and Othman Turks.
INVASION OF THE
SARACENS DESCRIBED
It was only a short time after
the fall of the Roman Empire in the West (476 A.D.), that the Saracenic power began
pushing against the Eastern Roman territory. Its ravages extended over a period of a
hundred and fifty years. Concerning this most significant event and period in history, the
following from the International Encyclopedia is to
the point
"But a new and terrible
kingdom arose in the south. The Arabs filled with the ardor of a new and fierce faith [the
Mohammedan], had just set out on a career of sanguinary proselytism. The war began during
the life of the prophet [Mohammed himself], was continued in his successors Abubeker and
Omar. Heraclius [the emperor of Rome reigning in the East] no longer commanded the
Byzantine forces himself, but wasted his days in his palace at Constantinople, partly in
sensual pleasures and partly in wretched theological discussions. His mighty energies were
relaxed, and before the close of his life, Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia, and Egypt were
in the hands of the [Mohammedan] Caliphs."
Gibbon in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" says
on this point:
"From the time of Heraclius,
the Byzantine theatre is contracted and darkened; the line of empire which had been
defined by the law of Justinian, and the arms of Belisarius, recedes on all sides from our
view; the Roman name . . . is reduced to a narrow career in Europe to the lonely suburbs
of Constantinople, and the fate of the Greek Empire has been compared to that of the
Rhine, which loses itself in the sands, before the waters can mingle with the ocean."
All this Mr. Gibbon attributed to
the Mohammedan invasions. Bishop Newton has thus commented on these words
"'And at the time of the
end,' that is (as Mr. Mede rightly expounds it), in the latter days of the Roman Empire,
'shall the king of the south push at him': that is, the Saracens, who were of the
Arabians, and came from the south: and under the conduct of their false prophet, Mohammed
and his successors, made war upon the [Roman] emperor Heraclius, and with amazing rapidity
deprived him of Egypt, Syria, and many of his finest provinces. They were only [as
described in the prophecy] to 'push at,' and sorely wound the Greek Empire, but they were
not to subvert and destroy it."
Mr. Elliott has said, "The
Saracen, after occupying Egypt, and so standing on the ground of the Ptolemies, did push
from thence against Western, as well as Eastern Christendom." Bishop Newton says,
"The Saracens dismembered and weakened the Greek Empire, but the Turks destroyed it;
and for this reason we may presume so much more is said of the Turks [the king of the
north] than of the Saracens [the king of the south]."
Mr. Gibbon says, "One
hundred years after his [Mohammed's] flight from Mecca, the arms and reigns of his
successors extended from India to the Atlantic Ocean over the various. and distant
provinces which may be comprised under the names, I. Persia; II. Syria; III. Egypt; IV.
Africa; V. Spain." All these powers were once under the Roman dominion and were
professedly Christian.
OTTOMAN TURKS IN THE
PROPHECY
We come now to the angel's fuller
description of the career of the king of the north. It will be fair to notice that some
identify the king of the north with England. However, it seems absolutely essential to
identify these powers at the time the words of the angelic prediction meet their
fulfillment with those occupying the territories of the original kings of the north and
the south. This principle, it seems to us, must be followed; and when followed, England is
excluded at the very outset of our search to discover these powers in history. We cannot
but agree with the words of another expositor, who has pointed out that "the Turks,
who were originally Scythians, and came from the north, . . . after the Saracens, seized
upon Syria and assaulted with great violence the Greek Empire, and in time rendered
themselves absolute masters of the whole." Turkey, therefore, occupying as it did the
northern division of Alexander's empire, seems clearly to be the king of the north
referred to by the angelic prophet. And this (while other parts of the prediction,
particularly as regarding the time of its fulfillment, is interpreted differently) is the
most common interpretation of expositors.
The words concerning the king of
the north, "He shall come against him [the Eastern Roman or Greek power] like a
whirlwind," describe perfectly the whirlwind destructiveness of the Othman Turk's
invasion of the Eastern Empire. The historian tells us that "the power of the Ottoman
Turks commenced in Asia Minor, and was laid by Othman, or Ottoman (born 1258) , who,
originally ruler of a small mountain district forming the frontier of ancient Bithynia and
Phrygia, gradually extended his dominion till it became one of the most flourishing states
of Asia Minor. The advance of the Ottoman dynasty after this was rapid. Not only did
nearly all Asia Minor fall under Turkish sway, but in the fourteenth century the Turks
crossed the Hellespont, made Adrianople their capital, and reaching out from there
gradually stripped the Byzantine emperors of Thrace, Macedon, Servia, and Southern Greece.
At length Mohammed II ascended the Ottoman throne 1451), and from the moment of his
accession, directed his efforts to the capture of Constantinople. [It should be kept in
mind that these lands were all parts of the Roman dominion, and were professing an
idolatrous perversion of Christianity.]
"At the head of an army of
300,000 men, supported by a powerful fleet, he laid siege to the celebrated metropolis.
Constantine Palaeologus met the storm valiantly, and for fifty-three days made a stout
defense of the city. At last, on the 29th of May, 1453, the Turks stormed the walls,
having previously battered them with cannon (then used for perhaps the first time);
Constantine fell, sword in hand, boldly disputing every inch of ground; multitudes of his
subjects were massacred; the Crescent waved over the Church of St. Sophia, and the
Byzantine Empire fell forever." -- Swinton.
The chariots and horsemen are
particularly mentioned. This was because the Mohammedan armies consisted chiefly of
cavalry forces. Their naval power consisting of "many ships" are also
specifically =mentioned. Without such a naval armament it would have been impossible for
this Turkish power to have gotten possession of so many countries and islands; and it
would have been impossible for them to so frequently defeat the. Venetians, who at the
time were the greatest naval power in the world. Both naval and land forces were employed
in the siege and capture of Constantinople, Negropont, Euboea, Rhodes, Cyprus, Candia, and
Crete.
MANY COUNTRIES
OVERTHROWN
The words of the angel, "He
shall enter also into the countries and overflow and pass over," are an exact
description of the Othman Turk's invasion of Asia, and following this, passing over even
into Europe, and establishing their seat of empire at Constantinople, as was the case
under their seventh emperor, Mohammed II.
The angel's prediction says that
he would enter into the glorious land; in other words, the holy land of Palestine, which,
as is well known, the Ottoman Turks did, and up to quite recently they have held control
of this land.
It is further predicted by the
angelic prophet that "many countries should be overthrown." One writer says:
"As to the power of Islam, when it is remembered that not only did it exterminate
Christianity in northern Africa, leaving but a feeble and ignorant remnant of the Coptic
Church in Egypt, but that the professing Christians of the Greek Church fell by millions
before the invasions of its savage and devouring hordes, its myriad horsemen from Central
Asia, and that millions more of subject Christian races have groaned under its cruel
oppression and destructive exactions; when we remember that it has put out the light of
the Gospel in the lands where it had its birth, and that, moreover, it has devastated
Palestine and trodden down Jerusalem, carried war and bloodshed to the gates of Vienna and
the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, threatening the very existence of Christendom; when
we remember that to this day [1890] it dominates 150,000,000 of mankind [220,000,000 at
the present time], involving them in the darkness of fatal error and anti-christian
unbelief; can we wonder that the spirit of prophecy should indicate beforehand its rise,
and its career, and announce [as we shall see] its doom." It is stated particularly
by the angel that certain countries and peoples shall escape out of his hands. Those
mentioned are "Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon." The
people here mentioned inhabited Arabia, and it is well known that the Turks were never
able with all their forces to conquer them entirely. The Sultan Selim, their ninth
emperor, was the conqueror of the countries bordering on Arabia, but they were never able
to completely subdue the Arabians themselves. By large gifts, we are told, some of their
chiefs were bribed into submission, and for long years the Othman emperors paid an annual
pension of forty thousand crowns of gold for the safe passage of their caravans and
pilgrims, going to Mecca, the sacred city of the Moharnmedans
It is stated by the angel that
while the tribes of Arabia should escape out of his hand, Egypt should not be so favored,
as we read, "He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries; and the land of
Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver,
and over all the precious things of Egypt." Who does not know that until quite
recently this has been the case ?
"THE LAND OF
EGYPT SHALL NOT ESCAPE"
The prediction next implies that
some of the African nations should be conquered by him and become his followers and
allies. The prophecy reads, "And the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his
steps." We learn from history, that "after Egypt was conquered by the Turks, the
terror of Selim's many victories now spreading wide, the kings of Africa, bordering upon
Cyrenaica, sent their ambassadors with proffers to become his tributaries. Other more
remote nations also, towards Ethiopia were easily induced to join in amity with tile
Turks." While the Turkish Empire has in the last century and a half, as well as quite
recently, lost immense territories, it is well known that at one time its dominion
extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the borders of India.
The angel's prediction up to this
point leaves the Roman power stripped of all its possessions in its Eastern or Greek
provinces, and the Othman Turks in full control of the same. Furthermore, it finds nearly
all of the apostate Christian communities of this territory as having forsaken
Christianity and professing the faith of Islam; and this state of affairs was the result
of the terrible depredations of the king of the north, the Othman Turkish power.
In concluding this article it
seems proper to say that if the interpretation given above is not the true one, the
prediction of the angel seems certainly to await fulfillment. The view held by certain
Adventist expositors, and others, that the remarkable occurrences portrayed in these
verses all meet their fulfillment in the career and lifetime of one individual, and that
one being Napoleon,* is a view in which we would be unable to concur; no: could we accept
the interpretation that applies the angel's prediction to a yet future, individual
antichrist. Time alone will prove the correctness of the above interpretation.
___________
*The expositor
who first applied the prediction concerning the king that should do according to his will,
etc., to Napoleon and France, was George Stanley Faber, a minister of the Church of
England. His chief work on prophecy was issued in 1828. He died in 1854. His
interpretation was adopted by Uriah Smith and a few other Adventists.
________________
"This is My
Son, My Chosen: hear ye Him."-- Luke 9:28-36.
THE scene on the Mount of
Transfiguration, to be appreciated, must be viewed from the standpoint of our Lord's
words. Eight days before, our Lord had promised His followers that some of them would not
taste of death until they should see the Kingdom of God; He did not explain to them
whether they would see the Kingdom in reality established in eight days or whether they
would see a vision of the Kingdom. He left their minds full of wonder and expectancy, and
then at the appropriate time took with Him Peter,. James, and John, the three most
prominent of the twelve Apostles, and went up into the mountain, presumably Mount Hermon.
From a comparison of the accounts
some have surmised that possibly the Lord and the Apostles remained in the mountain all
night, as Jesus sometimes did, away from the multitude, in quiet, in prayer. In one of the
accounts we are told that the Apostles were heavy with sleep, and the inference seems to
be that they were awakened at the proper time to see the vision; that its glorious
grandeur was too great for them; that they fell upon their faces in fear, which was
increased as a very dense, black cloud enveloped them, and when they heard a voice in the
cloud saying, "This is My beloved Son: hear Him." One account shows that it was
necessary for the Lord to touch the Apostles, saying, "Arise, and be not
afraid."
JESUS SAID IT WAS A
VISION
So far as the Apostles were
concerned everything that they saw was so actual, so real, that they supposed the whole
matter actual, just as John in the visions of Revelation saw, heard, spoke, etc., and just
as Paul explains that in one of his visions matters were so real that he could not have
told whether he was in the body or out of the body -whether he was still on earth having a
vision or, whether he had actually been taken away for a time and shown realities. Thus it
is with all visions: their every detail is as actual and as perfect as though it were a
fact. Our assurance that this transfiguration was a vision is in our Lord's words:
"And as they were coming down from the mountain Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell
the vision to no man until the Son of Man be risen from the dead." When we have our
Lord's direct statement that it was a vision it would be folly for us to perplex ourselves
to explain it upon any other theory or hypothesis, such, for instance, as wondering how
Moses and Elias could be there without a resurrection, especially when it is remembered
that Jesus was the first to rise from the dead, "the firstborn from the dead."
-- Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:18.
Commenting on the transfiguration
scene, Dean Farrar presents a vivid and interesting description of the circumstances that
is worthy of consideration:
"It is clear, from the
fuller narrative of St. Luke, that the three Apostles did not witness the beginning of
this marvelous transfiguration. An Oriental, when his prayers are over, wraps himself in
his abba, and, lying down on the grass in the
open air, sinks in a moment into profound sleep. And the Apostles, as afterwards they
slept at Gethsemane, so now they slept on Hermon. They were heavy, 'weighed down' with
steep, when suddenly starting into wakefulness of spirit, they saw and heard.
"In the darkness of the
night, shedding an intense gleam the mountain herbage, shone the glorified form of their
Lord Beside Him, in the same flood of golden glory, were two shapes, which they knew or
heard to be Moses and Elijah. the Three spake together, in the stillness, of that coming
decease at Jerusalem, about which they had just been forewarned Christ.
"And as the splendid vision
began to fade-as the majestic visitants were about to be separated from their Lord, as
their Lord Himself passed with them into the over-shadowing brightness-Peter, anxious to
delay their presence, amazed, startled, transported, not knowing what he said -not knowing
that Calvary would be a spectacle infinitely more transcendent than Hermon -- not knowing
that the Law and the Prophets were fulfilled -- not fully knowing that His Lord was
unspeakably greater than the Prophet of Sinai and the Avenger of Carmel exclaimed, 'Rabbi,
it is best for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for
Moses, and one for Elias Jesus might have smiled at the naive proposal of the eager
Apostle, that they six should dwell for ever in little succoth wattled boughs on the slopes of Hermon. But
it was not for Peter to construct the universe for his personal satisfaction. He had learn
the meaning of Calvary no less than that of Hermon. Not cloud of glory or chariot of fire
was Jesus to pass away from them, but with arms outstretched in agony upon the accursed
tree; between Moses and Elias, but between two thieves, who 'were crucified with Him, on
either side one.'
"No answer was vouchsafed to
his wild and dreamy words; but, even as he spake, a cloud -- not a cloud of thick darkness
as at Sinai, but a cloud of light, a Shechinah
of radiance-overshadowed them, and a voice from out of it uttered, 'This is My beloved
Son; hear Him.' They fell prostrate, and hid their faces on the grass. And as awakening
from the overwhelming shock of that awful voice, of that enfolding Light --they raised
their eyes and gazed suddenly all around them, they found that all was over. The bright
cloud had vanished. The lightning-like gleams of shining countenances and dazzling robes
had passed away; they were alone with Jesus, and only the stars rained their quiet lustre
on the mountain slopes.
"At first they were afraid
to rise or stir, but Jesus, their Master-as they had seen Him before He knelt in prayer
came to them, touched them-said, 'Arise, and be not afraid.'
"And so the day dawned on
Hermon, and they descended the hill; and as they descended, He bade them tell no man until
He had risen from the dead. The vision was for them; it was to be pondered over by them in
the depths of their own hearts in self-denying reticence; to announce it to their
fellow-disciples might only awake their jealousy
and their own self-satisfaction; until the resurrection it would add nothing to the faith
of others, and might only confuse their conceptions of what was to be His work on earth.
They kept Christ's command, but they could not attach any meaning to this allusion. They
could only ask each other, or muse in silence, what this resurrection from the dead could
mean."
THE MEANING OF THE
VISION
Our Lord's words of eight days
previous show clearly that the vision was intended to be a foreshowing of the glories and
honors of the Kingdom in some sense of the word. It represented then the Son of Man coming
into His Kingdom-into His dominion. Peter, one of those who saw the vision, informs us
that he got this lesson from it-that he was persuaded respecting the majesty of Jesus, of
His dignity as the Messianic King, and the fact that all there pictured in vision would
eventually be fulfilled. He says, "We have not followed cunningly devised fables when
we declared unto you the power and coming of Jesus, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty
[His kingly glory] when we were with Him in the holy mount." -- 2 Pet. 1:16, 18.
The central figure, therefore, of
that vision was Jesus Himself. Moses and Elias were merely accessories to fill out the
picture. It was the Son of Man who was to be honored, whose kingly dominion was to be
represented, so that the disciples, who were to be so severely tried in their faith
respecting Him very shortly, might have a firm conviction respecting the authenticity of
His claims as Messiah-that they might be able to witness a good confession of Him to
others, and be prepared through faith to accomplish the work of God to which they had been
chosen as Apostles of the Lamb -- that the three who were with the Lord were
representatives of the twelve, in whom the latter would all have confidence.
As it was the three most advanced
ones of the Lord's followers who were granted that vision of the Kingdom, so since then it
is the most advanced of the Lord's followers, the most humble, the most zealous, the most
faithful, who are granted the clearest visions, the clearest perceptions of the glories of
the Kingdom, and these are permitted to reveal to others of the elect Little Flock more
and more of the grandeurs of the Divine arrangement as each may be able to hear and to
appreciate and to understand the same.
What wonderful privileges are
ours at this day! Abiding in .the Lord's love and favor, with loyalty of heart toward Him,
it is now our privilege of going up into the Mount of God and seeing wonderful things. Our
visions are of a different kind. Before us are opened the glorious things of all the
past-the Divine revelations to Abraham and the Prophets and through Jesus and the Apostles
-- all of these things now are opened before us, radiant with harmonious beauty. Ours is a
vision of Moses and the Lamb, and ours is a picture of Moses and the Lamb in the very
highest and grandest sense.
MOSES REPRESENTING
ANCIENT WORTHIES
No intimation is given to us of
why Moses and Elias were introduced into the vision. We must draw an inference. Since it
was a vision, and as Christ was shown in the vision as a King, these two faithful ones of
the past must be viewed in their relationship to Jesus and the Kingdom. These two, as will
be remembered, like Jesus, had fasted each forty days. Thus representatively they were one
with the Lord in a remarkable devotion to the Heavenly Father-in the practice of
self-denial from a desire to be acceptable to the Lord and to fully acquaint themselves
with the Divine purposes.
Moses evidently represented the
Mosaic dispensation. He stood as a representative of Israel after the flesh, and possibly
as a representative also of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Enoch, and all the faithful of the
past, as we read, "Moses was faithful as a servant over all his house." Are they
to have a place in the Kingdom? We answer, Yes. The Divine promise is that when Messiah
shall be glorified, the Ancient Worthies -- whom Moses evidently represented in this
vision -- will be made princes in all the earth, agents or representatives of the heavenly
Kingdom, its ministers of righteousness amongst men. (Psa. 45:16.) Nevertheless those
Ancient Worthies, as we have previously seen, are separate and distinct as a class from
the Church. John the Baptist, the last of the Prophets, than whom the Lord declares no
prophet was greater, belonged to that fleshly house of faithful servants of God, who
instead of being the fathers shall shortly. be the children of Christ and serve the cause
they love as the princes of Messiah. But they without us shall not be made perfect; God
having reserved tome better thing for, us.-Heb. 11:40.
ELIJAH REPRESENTING
THE CHURCH
Elijah in the vision evidently
represented the Gospel Church. We have already pointed out that Elijah's work was an
attempted reformation, such as the Church has been commissioned to attempt throughout this
Gospel Age. It has already been pointed out that Elijah typified the Gospel Church in all
of his course; that the 1260 days of drouth and famine while Elijah was in the wilderness
prefigured the 1260 years of drouth and famine while the Church was in the wilderness
during the "Dark Ages"; that the persecutor of Elijah was Jezebel, while the
persecutor of the Church is symbolically called Jezebel. (Rev. 2:20.) We have seen that
the emergence of Elijah from the wilderness and the measure of reformation that took place
prefigured the Reformation movement of the sixteenth century and onward, and that his
subsequent fleeing from Jezebel represented later persecutions, and that Elijah's eventual
taking away in a whirlwind, in a chariot of fire, illustrates the ultimate gathering of
the last members of the Gospel Church in connection with the time of trouble.
Now look at the vision, the
picture, and note its significance-Jesus glorified, transfigured, radiant like the sun as
in Revelation (1:14-16), and with Him in the Kingdom glory and brightness, represented by
Elijah, the Elijah class, the Gospel Church, the Little Flock, His joint-heirs in the
Kingdom, and also associated with Him the Ancient Worthies portrayed by Moses. A
conversation is represented as taking place respecting our Lord's crucifixion. And so it
is that not only the ancient ones trusted in a sacrifice to come, but the Gospel Church
trusts in the sacrifice already accomplished for her, and there is a full communion or
fellowship between the two. Furthermore, when the Kingdom shall be established, assuredly
all of the Lord's faithful ones will look to Calvary and its great sacrifice for sins as
being the very center of the Divine program or arrangement on which hangs all the
blessings both for the Church and for the world through the Kingdom of God's dear Son.
"THIS IS MY
BELOVED SON: HEAR HIM"
The essence of the entire vision
was to impress upon the minds of the Apostles the fact that Jesus was the Messiah, that He
was worthy of being heard, that He was the mouthpiece of God, that he that honored Him
honored the Father also. This voice was heard from the cloud, which represented the
darkness and trouble which would be permitted to come upon the Lord's followers in the
midst of all the trials of the dark days that were coming upon them in connection with
Jesus' rejection by the Jews, His scourging, dishonor, crucifixion, death, burial. In all
this they were to remember the voice of the Father, "This is My beloved Son,"
and were not to be discouraged nor allow their faith to grow faint. Similarly throughout
this Gospel Age the Lord has frequently permitted the same dark cloud to come over His
faithful ones, that they might be the better prepared also to listen to His Word, His
message, "This is My beloved Son," and this vision of the Holy Mount is an
assurance respecting the glorious Kingdom which He will establish, which will be the end
of darkness and trouble.
As the Apostles were overpowered
by the brilliancy of the vision and feared when they entered the cloud and heard the
voice, so we in our weak and imperfect conditions sometimes find it difficult to grasp the
glorious things which God hath set before us. The picture of the things unseen as yet is
so wonderful as to amaze us. The fact that we have been invited to be heirs of God and
associates with Jesus Christ our Lord in His Kingdom is too wonderful for us to grasp. We
begin to fear lest we should fail in so great an undertaking. It is well for us to realize
our own littleness and unworthiness, and to see that the whole matter is of the Divine
arrangement. It is well for us under the circumstances that the dark cloud of trouble and
opposition is permitted to keep us very humble, that we may indeed fall on our faces in
the dust. It is well that we should listen to the voice from heaven, saying, "This is
My beloved Son: hear Him." It is well that we should hear the Son assuring us that
all things shall work together for good to those who love God. It is well that we should
exercise faith in Him that speaketh from heaven, lest we should become weary and faint in
our minds. It is well that the Master teach us as He taught His disciples, and that
looking up we should see Jesus only, that we should realize that in Him alone is our help,
that God hath laid help upon one who is mighty to deliver, and that so realizing that all
of our help is in Christ Jesus we should hold fast to the relationship which we have
already secured through faith in His blood and through consecration to Him.
MAKING THREE
TABERNACLES ฐ
The impulsive Peter cried cut,
"Lord, it is good for us to be here: let us now make three tabernacles -- one for
Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias": not knowing what he said. How many there are
who, Peter-like, want to be doing something, want to be rearing earthly tabernacles. How
few at first catch the real spirit of the vision and realize that it represents things
that are yet to be attained and not things of the present time of temporary tabernacles.
All about us we see the disposition to rear costly temples of an earthly kind to the Lord,
and a neglect of the vision in its real meaning, sentiment, teaching -- that it points to
the future, to the enduring perfect Temple condition, when everything imperfect and
temporal shall have passed away and the Kingdom of God's dear Son shall have been fully
established. Let us remember that Jesus did not accept Peter's proposition for earthly
temporary tabernacles, but directed the minds of His followers to the eternal things of
the Kingdom, which are to be brought to pass -- in God's due time. May the Master's touch
ever keep us more and more awake to the privileges of our position, to the glorious
opportunities that are granted to us of participating with Him in His Kingdom.
VOL. VII. November 15, 1924 No. 22
A CHALLENGING word spoken by Dr.
W. H. Griffith Thomas was the following: "'In the Bible we have not the latest, but
the last, word on sin, on redemption, on holiness, on immortality, and this Book has been
before the world for nearly two thousand years.'
"A book that really contains
the last word on any subject is certain to be up to date always; there can be nothing
later than finality. And if Dr. Griffith Thomas was correct, as he was, then a book
completed nearly two thousand years ago, and begun perhaps fifteen hundred years before
that, which contains final truth on the greatest subjects that the mind of man can
contemplate, must be supernatural in its origin and message. That is what the Bible claims
to be, and what Israel in the centuries before Christ, and the Christian Church in the
centuries since Christ, have believed it to be.
"The brilliant novelist and
historian, Mr. H. G. Wells, did not awaken a very sympathetic response a few years ago
when, in an article in 'The Saturday Evening Post,' he suggested that it was time the
ablest minds of today should get together and write a new Bible, 'the Bible of
Civilization,' because, as he said, the old Bible that we have 'left off' nineteen
centuries ago. Uncounted millions have found since the close of the Canon, as the inspired
Scriptures are called, that, .so far from having 'left off,' this Book 'carries on' as no
other book they have ever read. Spurgeon used to tell of a dying Christian who said:
'Speak to me now in Scripture language alone. I can trust the words of God; but when they
are the words of man it costs me an effort to think whether I may trust them.'
"The commendable practice of
the Gideons, that association of Christian traveling men, in putting the Bible in every
room of hotels, has borne just the kind of fruit that the God of the Bible covenanted this
Book should bear. He said: 'My word . . . shall not return unto Me void, but it shall
accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.'
There is no other book sufficiently up to date to accomplish this.
"Men talk and write about
the mistakes, the discrepancies, the contradictions in the Bible; but continually the
discoveries of archaeologists and other reverent Bible scholars are bringing fresh
knowledge to bear and showing that which formerly seemed to be a mistake is .historical or
scientific truth. Professor. Robert Dick Wilson, the great philologist of Princeton
Theological Seminary, spoke a pregnant word when he said, concerning the Old Testament,
that part of the Bible which has been most attacked by the critics
"'I have come now to the
conviction that no man knows enough to assail the truthfulness of the Old Testament.
Whenever there is suf-ficient documentary evidence to make an investigation, the
statements of the Bible, in the original texts, have stood the test.'
"This is from a scholar who
many years ago was convinced 'that textual and historical Biblical controversies should be
taken out of the region of subjective personal opinion into the region of objective,
clearly attested facts.' In order to equip himself for worthwhile work in this field he
deliberately devoted thirty years of study to it before he began writing. Finding that he
could not learn Babylonian in America, he went to Heidelberg, for he realized that he must
learn the original languages if he would speak authoritatively on the Scripture. 'So to
Babylonian he added Ethiopic, Phoenician, all the Aramaic dialects, and Egyptian, Coptic,
Persian, and Armenian. He studied in Berlin with Schrader, who was Delitzsch's teacher,
called the father of Assyriology. He studied his Arabic and Syriac under Sachau, ,and
Arabic under Jahn and Dieterichi ; Hebrew under Dillmann and Strack, and Egyptian under
Brugsch. He became conversant with some twenty-six languages in these years devoted to
language acquisition.
"It will be seen that there
are very few critics of the Bible who know the materials with which they have to work as
does this Semitic philologist, and it is reassuring to the man in the street to know that
such a scholar has not yet been. Able to find any substantiated errors in the oldest part
of this up-to-date Book.
"There is no form of sin and
there is no form of righteousness which the Bible does not recognize and describe with
unequaled clearness, fullness, and finality.
"There is no system of
ethics ever brought before the world that equals the ethical system set forth in the New
Testament, which 'fulfilled the Law and the Prophets.' Other religions may include this or
that ethical principle, found in the New Testament, but none other has anything that can
approach the Bible's message in its entirety..
"Another feature that makes
this Book up to date is the fact that it alone, of all books in the literature of the
world; tells men, not merely that they ought to be good, and what they must do to be good,
but how they may be good. That is where the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, makes
effective the written Word.
"We could not think of God
as being 'out of date.' He is eternal, living in an ever-present, timeless eternity. With
Him 'one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.' He reads the future
as easily as the past. And He is the God who gave men His Word, our Bible, as 'a lamp unto My
feet, and a light unto My path,' as long as time shall be." -- Toronto Globe.
The defense of the Bible always sounds good to those who believe
that it is verily God's Ward, His message of truth and grace-to those who have indeed
tasted of the. Lord that He is gracious. The foregoing article seems all the more
remarkable in these times, coming in the midst of many infidel voices denouncing the
Scriptures and denying that there is anything. supernatural about them; and that, often
from professed friends of and believers in the Bible.
It is doubtful if the writer of
the foregoing defense possesses a knowledge of the great Divine Plan of the Ages, which
constitutes powerful corroborative evidence of the supernatural character of the Bible.
If, therefore, there are still those today who are able to make such a noble defense of
the Scriptures, while lacking a clear knowledge of the Divine character and Plan, how much
more abundant should be the confidence of those who do see distinctly the Plan of God
unfolded the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven! And how much more able should such be to
lift high the banner of the cross, and to help those who are in any measure of doubt to
stand fast in the faith, and to take unto themselves the whole armor of God. Truly
"His truth is our shield and buckler."
"RAMSAY
MACDONALD ON THE JEWS"
"God's purposes are not
defeated by men's opinions. The opinion of many a man who ought to know better is that:
the return of the Jews to Palestine is an impractical, never-to-be-realized dream. It is
refreshing to contrast with this the comment of the Prime Minister of Great Britain, J.
Ramsay MacDonald, who is quoted in the 'Toronto Globe,' as having said, after a recent
visit to Palestine: 'One goes to Palestine now with the verses of many a prophecy on.
one's lips. One hears them as though the hills whispered them. The camps on the seashore,
by the wayside, on the hills, seem to have come by command of the Ancient of Days, seem to have been arranged long, long ago, when it was
promised that He "will assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together, the
dispersed of Judah, from the four corners of the earth." The 'Globe' adds the
comment: 'That promise made to Israel still awaits fulfillment. That it will be literally
fulfilled to the very letter there is not the slightest shade of a shadow of a doubt, and
the signs are not wanting in the world today that the prophetic Word may shortly be
vindicated."'
"IN HONOR
PREFERRING ONE ANOTHER"
"Listening is often better
than talking. It is very easy to talk too much, and a good corrective is to cultivate the
art of being a good listener. The worst of talking too much is that the one who does it
seldom realizes it. It is easy to go on talking, and keep it up when we are with a friend
or in a group of friends; without halting our own flow of speech by a .deliberate act of
the will in order to give others -an opportunity to say what may be as important as our
own words-perhaps more important. It is well to force one's self to stop while talking,
every little while, and wait and listen and invite something from the other side. 'London
Punch' pubIished a keen bit of satire on this subject in the following imaginary
conversation between two men, one of whom said to the other, 'I haven't spoken to my wife
for over three months.' 'How did that happen?' asked his friend. 'I don't like to
interrupt her,' Was the reply. This brings a smile, but there are a good many people to
whom their friends seldom get an opportunity to say anything, because they do not like to
interrupt! Let us seek to be sensitively conscious of the rights and interests of others,
in conversation as in all else 'in honor preferring one another."' -- Sunday School
Times.
BROTHER AND SISTER
HART RETURN TO ENGLAND
In the midst of the reverses,
disappointments, and storms of life, the supreme test and strength of the Christian
character is to be looked for in that quiet, acquiescence in, and resignation to the will
and providence of God. Only those who have a strong faith in God could be expected to
meekly and submissively bow to his through all the distressing experiences of life. The
history of the Ages presents to us a number of illustrations, noble ones who had learned
the better way -- the way of faith and trust, and whose sentiments are well expressed by
the poet,
"I would rather walk in the dark with God,
Than go alone by sight."
Children of God still passing
through this "veil of tears," find abundant opportunity to attest their loyalty
and submission to the will of God, and to demonstrate that, they are willing to trust
where they cannot trace Him.
Little did we realize, when
publishing the notice in a recent issue of this journal concerning the visit of Brother
and Sister Hart to this country, that we were so soon to be called upon to notify the
friends regarding a keen disappointment in the matter. Our dear Brother and Sister arrived
in New York, as was planned on the morning of October 18. Owing to the precarious health
of Sister Hart they were held at the United States immigration station, at Ellis Island.
After about twelve, days under the attention and care of the medical department, the
decision of the immigration authorities was that the health of Sister Hart was such that
the immigration laws would not permit them to pass her into the United States; and this
decision automatically excluded Brother Hart also.
While some hope was held out that
an appeal to Washington might change the decision, in view of the fact that they were
intending to leave America within two months, yet they were assured that the probabilities
of the case were such that if they did pass through the States to the Pacific Coast,
Brother Hart would have little or no opportunity to perform any ministry among the
brethren. Accordingly, no appeal was made. After very prayerful consideration of the
matter, our Brother and Sister decided to immediately return to England, sailing at 11
o'clock on Saturday, November 1. They purpose to secure their passage to Australia as
originally planned as soon as possible.
It will no doubt be of interest
to all to learn that while Sister Hart's case was pending decision at Ellis Island,
special permission was secured from Washington for Brother Hart's temporary release from
the immigration station. He was permitted to have five days with the friends in Brooklyn.
On Sunday, October 26, a one-day convention was held in Brooklyn, and the Brother served
two of the meetings very admirably indeed, about eighty being present at the services;
again, on the following Wednesday, October 29, another gathering of the friends was
addressed by Brother Hart, between fifty and sixty being present. The ministry of our
Brother was indeed effective, and the hearts of all were truly touched and greatly blessed
as he reviewed, various themes in such a way as to deeply impress and "stir up their
pure minds." Our Brother was much loved by all who met him. Indeed the heartfelt
sympathy and love of all .the friends here go out to Brother and Sister Hart in a large
measure in this seeming adversity; and they have been fully assured that in our prayers
they have been earnestly commended to the Lord and to His keeping power; with the petition
that His loving care and providence would specially go with them in their voyage
to-England, and thence to their future home in Australia.
We feel sure that all the friends
of this country share with us the keen disappointment that comes. in connection with this
sudden and abrupt end of the sojourn of our dear Brother and Sister in this land. As it is
one of those experiences of life that we cannot at the .present time fully fathom or
understand, it affords special opportunity to exercise faith and trust, as well as
opportunity. to bow to the will and .good pleasure of Him. who is too wise to, err and
too. good to be unkind; He doeth all things well. How can we doubt the word of Him who
hath sustained His faithful children throughout past ages, and who hath assured us that
"all things work together for good to them that love Him."
The exceeding great and,
precious, promises of God enable us by faith to pierce the present clouds of sorrow and
disappointment; and seeing beyond the valley, of shadows, we behold the gathering of all
the faithful from every clime, where sorrow and trouble are never known; but where we
shall know even as also we are known, and in His presence rejoice together evermore.
"Soon shall the waves and storm
All yield to Thy control;
Thy love will banish all alarms,
And darkness from my soul:
"Teach me, in every state,
To make Thy will my own
And while the. joys of sense depart,
To live by faith alone."
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not
be as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it
afraid." -- John 14:27.
PRICELESS indeed is the portion,
the inheritance, bequeathed to children of God-the peace of Christ and of God. No greater
blessing, no richer legacy could the master have left His followers! This rest in God,
this peace of God, has been the stay and support of the faithful all along through the
dark and stormy centuries since the Savior's Advent.
With what earnest and
all-consuming love 'did the Master love those to whom He ministered in His last hours!
Yet, it was but an exemplification of that love that He has had for the entire Church; as
He said in His prayer: "Neither .pray .1 for these alone but for them also which
shall believe on Me through their word.". How the hearts of those dear disciples must
have burned within them as their Master thus pronounced His benediction. He truly realized
that the wrath of man was to break over His head and theirs, and that it would mean a most
crucial trial of their faith. A few hours later the Master was crushed in death,
themselves apparently forgotten, forsaken of God, victims of Jewish hate and cruelty; as
Jesus was seen upon the cross, a gazing stock, scorned and ridiculed, of what value was a
legacy, of peace from such an one then? Can we wonder at their utter chagrin and despair
midst the darkness of that awful hour!
But alas, this tragic scene was
not in vain; for the story does not end with the cross. The Christ of prophecy was not to
be holden of death; their risen Lord once more in their midst the disciples were assured
that their faith had not been misplaced. And they began to realize the blessing of His
peace. Then, a few days later, when the spirit of truth, the spirit of the Highest,
descended upon them, what changed men and changed conditions we find! This Holy Spirit,
enlightening, helping, and healing, became the means of these early believers entering
more abundantly into the possession of the peace of Christ that passeth human
understanding. And what joy may the faithful in Christ Jesus realize still as this blessed
and sacred unction continues to reach the members of His Body, as pictured in the holy
anointing oil poured upon Aaron's head and flowing down to the hem of his garments, thus
suggesting the anointing of the entire Christ-Head and Body.
Supreme Peace in
Heart of Great Eternal
The word "peace" is
significant of that which is tranquil, quiet, composed, and free from disturbing
influences. The thought conveyed is that of a state of rest. Looking abroad over the
world; how manifest it is that humanity does not possess this blessing. Restlessness,
uneasiness, a feverish, disturbed state of mind exists everywhere and in every avenue of
life, secular and religious, throughout the whole earth. The reason for this state of
affairs is, as explained by the Apostle, "the whole world lieth in the wicked
one"; and as stated by Jesus, humanity being shorn of this peace themselves cannot
give it to others, nor can they take it from those to whom Christ imparts it.
The element's of calmness,
tranquillity, repose, etc., which are summed up in the word "peace" are found in
their fullness in God, and that is why we have the expression, "the peace of
God." These qualities in our Heavenly Father are not the result of. indifference as
to what is transpiring amongst men, nor due to a lack of love for humanity, for God is
love in all its fullness. The Divine calmness and composure on the part of the great
Jehovah is due to His supreme confidence in Himself and the successful working out of His
grand and glorious purpose.
Thus our Father in heaven has
throughout all ages possessed Himself in perfect peace in spite of all the long reign of
turmoil and confusion amongst the children of men. But while supreme peace reigns in the
heart of the great Eternal, we know on the other hand, that it is with unspeakable
sympathy and kindness that He regards suffering humanity; and so He is likened to a human
father in this respect: "Like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth
them that fear Him." (Psa. 103:13.) This fatherly, loving sympathy 'and pity it is
that has prompted Him to exercise His power in the direction of man's redemption, and the
restoration to life and peace of all the willing and obedient of the human family.
How This Legacy is
Secured
As children of God it is our
blessed privilege to inquire into and to understand increasingly the meaning of the peace
of God, and to seek to possess more abundantly of this unspeakable gift. It is indeed to
our profit, therefore, that we consider repeatedly the process by which we reach that
condition which places us among those who are heirs to this legacy -- the peace of Christ
and of God.
St. Paul very forcefully and
pointedly takes up this matter in his letter to the Colossians, particularly in the third
chapter, verses 1-15. . His expression in the preceding chapter, "If ye be dead with
Christ" (ver. 20), surely conveys the
thought that all who have made a full consecration to God have given up their wills to
Him, which means that they have renounced self-will, and have become dead to self, dead
indeed to sin and to the world, and have become new creatures in Christ Jesus; for such
have now the will of Christ only, having become members of His Body and having accepted
the .will of their Head. Coming into this relationship brings them indeed in possession,
and makes them beneficiaries of Christ's legacy of peace, for they are figuratively spoken
of as risen with Christ; "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which
are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."
How we should seek the things
above, he explains thus: "Set your affections on things above, not on things on the
earth." This places the burden of this accomplishment upon the seeker, for the
Apostle sets this task for us. Speaking elsewhere, he says, "Work out your own
salvation with fear .and trembling." God has provided the. way and it is our
privilege to make our calling and election sure. Another commenting on this passage
remarks "that comparatively few realize to what extent we have the forming of our own
characters, to what extent our minds, our affections, are gardens in which we may plant
the thorns and thistles of sin, or plant the merely moral and practical qualities
corresponding to the useful vegetables, or plant those seeds which will produce the
beautiful and fragrant flowers, which more particularly would represent the heavenly and
spiritual graces. That which a man, soweth he shall also reap in kind, whether he sow to
the flesh or to the spirit.
Whoever, therefore, seeks for the
heavenly things; joint-heirship in the Kingdom, etc., must plant or set out in his mind,
in his affection, those qualities and graces which the Lord marked out as essential to the
development of character, such as will be 'meet for the inheritance of the saints in
light."'
Must Give First Place
to God
How, important it is that the
Lord's children shall look upon the task set before them as indeed an unspeakable
privilege, and as one not to be undertaken-in a spirit of depression, discouragement, and
despair; for we are to be keenly alive to the fact that not in our own strength, but in
the grace and strength of God will we achieve the glorious end in view, and finally reach
the blessed goal. By faith we see the path that leads thither to glory, and none but
spirit enlightened ones discern it. The world knoweth us not; our hopes, our desires, our
aspirations are not known of men, for we are dead, and our lives are hid with Christ.
Thus does the Apostle admonish
us, as to our duty and privilege: "Set your affections on things above, not on things
on the earth"; so that "when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall
we also appear with Him in glory." Then follows a list of the things which we must
overcome. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth," that is,
rid yourselves of inordinate affection and desire for the things of this life, for
"to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life eternal."
The Apostle concludes this list
by calling our attention to covetousness, which he designates idolatry. Evidently he saw
the danger to Christ's followers of clinging to the things of this world. We would not be
guilty of gross idolatry, but our affections may be divided, so that the things of this
life, its pleasures, its honors or preferments, prestige, position, or what not, engage
our time and thought to the neglect of the spiritual things, and so we fall short of the
mark of the prize of the High Calling.
Our Lord has warned us that
whosoever loves father or mother, houses or lands, or other things more than they love Him
are not worthy of Him; and so we see by the Apostle's statement that any thing which
supplants the Lord in our affections is idolatry. How difficult it seems at times to
relinquish some of the things of earth; but this is because the Lord is not --temporarily
at least -- given His full possession of the heart; the natural man clings to the things
of the earth. So let us in this war of the flesh against the spirit cling still more
closely to the promises of God, for He who has promised is able to deliver us out of our
weaknesses.
In verse 6 the Apostle briefly
states that upon those who fail to so mortify their members cometh the wrath of God. He
does not here refer to the world as the children of disobedience, but to those of the
consecrated who fail to keep the vows which they have made; those who are like-warm in His
service, and who fail to maintain that standing which assures to them the peace of God. He
mentions certain traits of character in particular which must be put off, namely anger,
wrath, malice, etc.; "putting off the old man with his deeds" and "putting
on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created
him." Thus all of the new creation become one in Him.
Now he says, "as the elect
of God, holy and beloved," put on in place of the things put off, "generosity,
kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and
forgiving one another; even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." Having done all of
this; we are able to put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. In this word love, is
summed up the whole law, and having thus developed a character which shall merit God's
"well done," we attain to that peace of God which rules in our hearts as long as
we maintain our standing before Him:
This is the peace of God which
the Body of Christ now possess, and the peace which is possible only to those whose faith
is firmly fixed in the power, the wisdom, and the love of God. He gave this peace not as
the world gives, in a selfish manner, and in a small measure; it is not the peace
conferred by wealth, or power, or friends, or position or pleasure; but an abiding peace,
a peace which fits us to face the world with calmness and composure; and a peace that will
abide with us even unto death itself, because it is based upon faith, a belief in God, 'a
belief that God is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently search for Him. The
Master had known the Father and had confidence; the Apostles knew the Master and had
confidence; we know our Master and the Apostles and have confidence in the messages they
have left us.
It was this faith which enabled
David to pen the twenty-third Psalm, in which he expressed that confidence that
"though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for Thou
art with me." Sometimes we hear Christians say, "My faith is weak," or
"I have but little faith," or "I find it difficult to exercise faith."
Logically that one cannot enjoy the peace of God so abundantly, because lack of faith is
unbelief. Such should strive for more. faith and should pray, "Lord increase my
faith."
The conception of faith that many
have is based, upon a wrong impression; they are expecting something tangible, something
which they can feel. Their peace of mind is dependent upon their emotions or feelings;
they think that they have faith so long as they are conscious of certain feelings; but
when their feelings change, through some untoward circumstance, they wonder where is the
faith which they thought they had; where is the peace of God which was 'theirs: it is
gone; because it was based. upon a wrong premise. Now faith is not a thing that comes to
us in this manner; for, says the Apostle, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the Word of God."
We believe that God controls the
universe; we have faith that He does. We believe by faith that the sun will shine
tomorrow. We believe when we plant the seeds that they will grow. We believe that, since
creation, day and night, summer. and winter have always been and always will be; just so,
we have faith in God's unfailing wisdom and power; and this becomes a strong foundation
for the true peace of mind.
The same principle holds true of
the things of our religious experiences. God has blessed us many times in the past, and we
can rest assured that He will again. We know that He has provided a great Plan for the
salvation of man; a Plan which is working out before our very eyes. It is almost like
walking by sight instead of faith, in many ways today. These things being so, why. should
we doubt Him in regard to our spiritual life! Why can we not then simply believe? For when
we doubt. concerning these things we are in effect making God untrue.
When we fail to take advantage of
the helps and assistance offered us, when through lack of faith we resist the Holy Spirit
in its guidance, we are turning from God Himself; and are endangering our eternal welfare,
as well as losing that peace of God, which is so abundantly promised in His Word, as a
result of faith. The Apostle informs us that in times past faith has "subdued
kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched
the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, waxed valiant in fight, turned to
flight the armies of the aliens." How the peace of God must have filled the hearts of
those Ancient Worthies, those favored ones of God, in their day! And so we believe faith
can do wonder-. ful things today, with the same happy results to those who exercise it.
Our Wills Important
Factor
Our wills have much to do with
laying hold by faith of the things leading to that peace of God; and He ;permits
difficulties to arise in the way of faith. Some one has said that pure religion resides in
the will alone. By this is not meant the mere wish or desire to do God's will, but the
deliberate and .positive choice or determination to do. so and so; all things else in the
new life come little by little, step by step into harmony with this determination, and the
peace of God enters more and more into our Gives; as is evidenced by our increasing
ability to rise above the joys and prospects of this life, and to regard them as loss and
dross, and to look forward with earnest expectation to receiving that crown which is laid
up for us and for all them that love; His appearing.
There are obstacles indeed in the
life of faith; for there are often natural
desires and longings that run counter to, the new will. The, spirit of wisdom and of a
sound mind enables the truly consecrated to 'discern and know what God's
will is concerning them. This, He has assured us, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth,
would do: The conflicts of the natural tendencies and emotions, with the new will; may
cause us to doubt or to feel sometimes hypocritical, or dishonest, until we see that the
will of God as revealed to us by His Spirit constitutes the center of our consecrated
life, 'and should be obeyed. Thus yielded to; we can understand how the peace of God May be with us even in the
midst of conflict and confusion of true emotions. Let us then see to it that we have no
self-will, but that our will is the will of our God. This is what is meant by laying down
our own wills and knowing only the will of God, as did our Master, who said, 'slot My will
but Thine be done." Thus we become lost in Christ: and He will work out in us that which is well pleasing in His sight. Then
can we say,
"Thy will be done, I will not fear,
The fate provided by Thy love,
Though clouds and darkness shroud me here,
I know that all is bright above."
Clouds That Come From
Unbelief
The poet here refers to clouds
and darkness which encircle us here. Let us be sure that the clouds and darkness be not
within us as well as around us. And what are some of the clouds which might obscure our
constant vision of the spiritual things and cause us to question our relationship with God
-- cause us to'wonder just where we stand? The greatest of these clouds possibly is doubt,
which creeps into our minds and obscures the bright sunlight of God's countenance. Doubt
comes to us concerning our personal standing: Are we still in the condition of
justification? Do we still find ourselves in a position to claim the precious promises?
Are we daily expressing, by our lives and conduct, that perfect faith and trust in God,
which are ours as our Christian inheritance, the legacy of Christ? We find ourselves in
the plight of Bunyan's Pilgrim, when he was lured into Doubting Castle, and under the
dominion of the Giant Despair. Our hope is the same as his. After some time, during which
Christian grows more and more despondent, he suddenly remembers that the key to the castle
he had in his possession; arid this key was the promises of God. And so, dearly beloved,
will we find deliverance by the use of this same key.
Doubts in a Christian indicate
spiritual illness, a kind of spiritual hysteria;
and; it is apparently experienced by many, as are the imaginary physical ailments by
certain neurasthenic individuals. They enjoy telling about their ailments, which form the
most interesting topic of conversation whenever we meet them. And so it is evident that
there is such a thing as spiritual neurasthenia; asthenia meaning without vigor or health.
The proper treatment of these cases is the prompt and persistent exercise of faith and the
use of 'a good strong will-boldly coming to the Throne of, Grace and laying hold of the
precious, promises. Let us not yield 'to' our
doubts. We cannot prevent their being suggested to us at times, but we can refuse to
entertain them. They are not ours until we take hold of them and make them so. Should we
find ourselves enshrouded by clouds of doubt, let us remember that God has promised to
keep us, that we are sons by adoption, that we are factors in His great Plan; that the
Body of Christ has required two thousand years for its selection, and that much that has
come to pass, in the world's history during that tune, stands more or less related to this
purpose of selecting and testing those who go to make up that Body. Let us remember that
He is faithful who bath promised.
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor
as thyself." -- Luke 10:25-37.
ALTHOUGH the parable of the Good
Samaritan was not given to illustrate by what good works the lawyer, or any other man, Jew
or Gentile, might attain eternal life, but, on the contrary, was given merely, to head off
the argument of our Lord's questioner, and to leave him without excuse, it nevertheless
contains a rich lesson, which has brought a blessing to many. Not only has it made clear
to many of the Lord's dear, children the course of conduct pleasing in the Father's sight,
namely that of generosity, love, benevolence, etc., but it has also brought blessing to
many who are not the Lord's children, in that they became recipients of mercies, favors,
and kindnesses in adversity which, otherwise, they might never have known.
It may have been while our Lord
was preaching, and His audience seated about Him, either upon the hillside or in
synagogue, a lawyer -(one professing to be versed in the Law of Moses), stood up, and thus
politely intimated .his desire to say a word in connection With the subject under
discussion. This lawyer was probably of the Sadducees, who denied a resurrection and any
future or eternal 'life, interpreting the Law, which promises life upon certain
conditions, as merely a decoy, intended to promote holiness amongst the Lord's people, but
nevertheless a deception, since the holiest and most faithful of the race had not
inherited eternal life, but had gone down into death, even as others.
Asked the Question
Tempting Him
In this view of the matter this .
Jewish. Doctor propounded to our Lord a question, hoping that the answer, would give room
for a discussion, in which he, would be able to show himself the great er of the two
teachers, and to prove to his pupils, at least '(who were probably present ..with him),
that his theories were correct-that no matter how faith fully the Law might be kept no
reward of eternal life would be given, and that faith in Christ would be equally futile in
this respect. The Evangelist says he asked the question, "tempting" the Lord;
that is, to prove Him to draw Him out; to expose the weakness of His argument: saying,
"Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" You recognize, me as a
scribe, a doctor of the Law, a teacher; as one, therefore, who is living a godly and
upright life, so far, at least, as his neighbors and pupils may be able to discern.
Looking back I see that the holiest and best of our nation (the holiest nation in. the
world, and the only one recognized of God) have not inherited eternal life. I see that, on
the contrary, they have died as other men; I see that for some cause (whether it be the
Lord's failure to fulfil His promise, or man's failure to comply with the conditions) all
have died, none having attained eternal life. Tell me now, what shall I do that I may not
share the same fate of death -- that I may live everlastingly?
Our Lord answered the question
with great directness, at the same time signifying His unquestioning faith is the promises
of God, that whatever God had promised He would surely fulfil--implying, therefore, that
if he failed to obtain eternal life it would be his own fault, and not the fault of God.
Our Lord practically said, I stand by the Scriptural record: you are versed in the Law;
quote, as you understand it, the teachings of the Law on this subject.
"Who is My
Neighbor?"
The answer shows that this Doctor
of the. Law was well versed, for he quoted correctly the most direct statement on the
subject to be found in the Law. Our Lord's reply was equally to the point "Thou. hast
answered right; this do and thou shalt live" -- I confirm the Law; I uphold it; I
vouch for its truthfulness; none who keep that Law can possibly die. The difficulty with
all Jews who have died has been, that they did not fulfil that Law requirement toward God
and man.
The Doctor of the Law was
trapped. He had hoped to entangle Jesus in a discussion, and had himself become entangled,
for the great Teacher had pointed out that the fault was not in God-that God was not
unfaithful to His agreement under the Law; that the fault lay with the people. And this
included the lawyer as well as the remainder of the race; and that he so understood it is
implied in the statement, "He, desiring to justify himself, said, And who is my
neighbor?" It was very shrewd of the lawyer to avoid discussing the first
commandment, respecting the love, for God with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength;
because no one can thoroughly judge another in respect to this feature of the Law; only
God and, each individual heart knows, absolutely whether God is loved. with every talent,
every power of heart, of mind, and of body. But others can judge to some extent respecting
obedience to the second commandment "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
The lawyer felt that he could safely leave the first proposition and claim that none could
judge his heart, provided he could "justify himself" in respect to the second
proposition, his, dealing with his neighbor. Hence it is that he brought up this point,
saying, "But who is my neighbor?"
There was a difference of
opinion. amongst the most learned Jews on this subject of who is the neighbor meant in the
Law -- some claiming that it meant all Jews, and Jews only. Others claimed that the word
"neighbor" would mean only those Jews who lived holy lives. Thus the lawyer
practically said, I shall be obliged to yield my contention and acknowledge You superior,
to myself as a teacher, unless we can get into a contention on this subject of who is the
neighbor. In that event I shall at least be able to bring a strong argument that will
appeal to all the hearers. But. when the great Teacher. had, in parable form, explained
the true meaning of the word neighbor, the lawyer found himself without an argument.
Eternal Life by Grace
Some have supposed that our Lord
meant that this Doctor of the Law and others who heard him should understand that the
Samaritan of the parable, by doing a kind and neighborly act, won for himself the
inheritance of eternal life, and that our Lord meant further to teach that the lawyer and
all of his hearers might inherit eternal life if they would go and do likewise -- do as
the Samaritan did -- do good, help their neighbors. This view is a serious error. In the
first place, we do not know that any Samaritan ever did just such an act of kindness. It
was merely a parable, a suggestion. Suppose that such conditions existed, and suppose that
a Samaritan had done such an act, would he not be a good "neighbor"? The reward
of eternal life was not offered on condition of being a good neighbor merely: This was one
of the conditions (the one the lawyer questioned), but it was quite secondary to the main
proposition -- Thou shalt love the Lord with every power and talent of mind and body. The
lesson which the lawyer and every other Jew needed to learn was that no imperfect man
could possibly fulfil that requirement.. All so learning that "There is none,
righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10), would be prepared to look for the promised
Messiah as, first of all, their sin-bearer, to justify them and to discipline them and
make them perfect and able to obey the Law.
What our Lord wished to prove to
the lawyer and to all hearers was that the Law was just and holy and good, "and that
any Jew complying with its conditions would inherit its promise -- eternal life: -- He
wished all of His hearers to realize; therefore, that the fact that neither they nor their
fathers inherited eternal life proved, not that the Law was imperfect, but that they were
imperfect, sold under sin, and unable, therefore, to comply with the just demands of the
Law. It was difficult for the Jew to learn this great lesson, namely that he could not
keep the perfect law of God, and hence that he needed a-Savior, a Redeemer, who would keep
the Law for him, and thus justify him before God, and who would then grant him eternal
life as a gift, as a favor-not of the Law, but of grace.
In harmony with this, the Apostle
assures us who trust in the-sacrifice for sins which Jesus gave; and who have entered into
covenant relationship with God through Him, that the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled
in us the true sense, meaning, purport of the Law being in our hearts, God accepts this as
instead of absolute fulfillment of the letter of the Law.
The Priest and the Levite
The road leading from Jerusalem
to Jericho has a steep downward grade through a rocky country, which abounds in caverns,
the hiding places of highway robbers. It has always been a dangerous road, and on it the
traveler is not entirely safe to this day, unless under some kind of a protective guard.
This feature of the parable was, therefore, in strict accordance with the conditions of
the time; so was the fact of the priest and the Levite passing, for Jericho was one of the
appointed cities of the priests and Levites, and it is estimated that twelve thousand of
them resided there then. These, with other priests and Levites from other parts, took
their turns in the service at the Temple in Jerusalem, and; consequently, were frequently
on this road.
Our Lord's parable seems to imply
that the religion of the Jews, instead of bringing them nearer and nearer to the spirit of
the Law, was really, by reason of the formalities and ceremonies and pride connected with
it, tending to separate ,them further and further from the condition of heart which would
be acceptable to God. The priest, most fully consecrated to, the service of God -- in the
Temple, is represented as having least interest in the, brother in distress. He passed by
on the other side (of the ravine), not counting the circumstance worthy of attention;
reflecting, no doubt, with a self-righteous feeling respecting the honor of his own
position as a servant of God, and unwilling to run the risk of ritual contamination. The
Levite, also consecrated to God and His service, but not so high in office and privilege,
was more disposed to consider the poor brother, and to render a helping hand. He went so
far as to stand and look at the sufferer, and to think over how much trouble would be
involved in assisting him, and how much risk he himself might run in so doing (although we
are inclined to believe that the priests and Levites were, on account of their office,
generally exempted from molestation by the robbers).
All Need the Good
Samaritan Spirit
Then our Lord chose, as the hero
of His parable, a despised Samaritan, unrecognized by God and disowned by His favored
people. This heightens the force of the picture, by suggesting the thought that one who
had never learned at all respecting the true God and His will, one who had never been
offered eternal life on the terms of obedience to that Law, might nevertheless exercise so
much of brotherly kindness and sympathy as to lend a helping hand to a neighbor in
distress. ,
And it is still true that many
who by reason of their better knowledge of God,
through His Word and Plan, should be possessed of a larger measure of His love and grace,
are instead more deficient in these qualities than some who have been less highly favored.
It might indeed be that some who are strangers to the covenants and promises of God as yet, possess, by reason of being well
born, a large, measure of natural generosity, benevolence, kindness, sympathy, and might
be good Samaritans by nature, rather than by grace; and it may also be true that some who
have been begotten again, to the new life and to the new hopes may naturally have less of
this good Samaritan element of kindness and generosity, because low born according to the
flesh-born with a predominance of selfish proclivities. However; such an one, coming under
"the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," will soon be taught in Christ's
school, that love is the fulfilling of the Law; and if he be an obedient pupil he will
gradually attain to a better appreciation of the Heavenly Father, and in heart, in spirit,
will learn to love Him with all his mind; with all his being, with all his strength. And
so surely as this condition obtains, and in proportion as the love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts, it will enlarge them also toward our fellow-creatures, so that every
"new creature" must at heart become a good Samaritan.
SERIES XXXIII
CARRIED DOWN THE
STREAM OF TIME
"But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall
trouble him; therefore he shall go. forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make
away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the
glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." --
Dan. 11:44, 45.
IT is indeed significant that
whether one takes the position that the willful king of verse 36, and the king of the
north of verse 40, refer respectively to Napoleon and England, or that they refer
respectively to power in its various phases or aspects and the Turkish Othman power, the
sequel is the same -- there is but one more act in the great drama before the deliverance
of Daniel's people and land from Gentile oppression and dominion. This final act seems to
be referred to in the verses quoted above, and relates to the Divine settlement of what is
generally termed in diplomatic circles, the Near Eastern question. The question involved
concerning this matter in the past is, what disposition shall be made of Turkish dominion
in Europe.
It seems proper to note at this
point that those who hold the Napoleonic theory differ among themselves in their
application of these verses. There are those who hold that the words in verse 41: "He
shall enter also into the glorious land," and those that follow to the end of the
chapter, meet their fulfillment in Napoleon's career. This interpretation makes the one of
whom it is said, "he shall come to his end and none shall help him," to be
Napoleon. This of course necessitates believing that the entire prophecy met its
fulfillment over a century ago. As the event referred to in the words, "He shall
plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain,"
is plainly stated to occur in immediate connection with the standing up of Michael and the
great time of trouble, and also they deliverance of Daniel's people and the resurrection,
it seems difficult to believe that this interpretation can be correct. This seemingly
insurmountable difficulty is avoided by some by explaining that the resurrection stated to
occur in connection with the downfall of this power in the holy land is a figurative: one,
describing a deliverance, "from Pagan and Papal errors --[ explained by them to be]
the dust of the ages -- [accomplished] by the evangelical work with the open Bibles in the
time of the end." Such an interpretation it is impossible for us to accept.
A View Not Sustained
By History
It is not at all according to the
facts of history that Napoleon, either before his incarceration at Elba, or after his
escape and his renewal of the conflict against the .allied powers, planted the tabernacles
of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain, or that it was in Palestine
that he came to his end with none to help him,
as the prophecy seems plainly to require. Concerning Napoleon's. end history records that
"on March 30 [1814], the allied forces captured, after a severe engagement, the
fortifications of Paris; next day the emperor, Alexander, and the king of Prussia entered
the city amid. the shouts of the populace; on April 4, Napoleon abdicated at
Fontainebleau. He was allowed to retain the title of emperor, with the sovereignty of the
island of Elba, and an income of 6,000,000,000 francs to be paid to the. French
government. A British ship conveyed him to Elba
where he arrived on May 4.
"After a lapse of ten
months, most of which time was spent in intrigues, Napoleon made his escape from the
island, landed near Frejus on March 1, 1815, and appealed again to France. The army went
over to him in a body, and several of his marshals; but the majority remained faithful to
Louis. XVIII. On March 20, he reached. Paris, reassumed the supreme power, promised a liberal constitution, and prepared once more to
try the fortune of battle with the allies. At the head of 125,000 men, he marched (June
15) towards Charleroi on the Flemish frontier, where the English and Prussian forces, were
assembling. The Duke of Wellington who, the year before, had, completed the deliverance of
Spain [from French. dominion] was appointed, by the congress of Vienna, commander-in-chief
of the armies, of the Netherlands. The campaign lasted only a few days. On the 16th
Napoleon defeated the Prussians under Marshal Blucher at Ligny which compelled Wellington
to fall back on Waterloo, where on the 18th was fought the most memorable and decisive
battle of modern times. It resulted in the utter, and irretrievable ruin of
Napoleon." --International Encyclopedia.
On July 15, Napoleon voluntarily
surrendered himself and was banished to the island of St. Helena for life, where he died
May 5, 1821. We thus see; from reliable history that neither Napoleon nor, as others
interpret it, the French government planted "the tabernacles of his palace" in
Palestine; nor "came to his end" there: All that is said of Napoleon's exploits
in Palestine occurred in 199; and is thus stated by the authority above quoted: "On
August 2 [1798], Nelson destroyed the French fleet in Aboukir. Bay, and so cut off
Napoleon [who was at the time in ,Egypt] from communication with Europe. A month later the
Sultan of Turkey [who had control of Egypt] declared war against him. This was followed by
disturbances in Cairo; which were only suppressed by horrible massacres. It was obviously
necessary that Napoleon should go somewhere else. He resolved to meet the Turkish forces
in Syria; and in February 1799, crossed the desert at the head of 10,000 men, stormed
Jaffa [the seaport of Jerusalem] on March 7, after a heroic resistance on the part of the
Turks; marched northward by the coast, and reached Acre on the 17th. Here his career of
victory [at this time] was stopped. All his efforts to capture Acre failed, through the
desperate and obstinate valor of old Djezzar (q. v.) Pasha, assisted by Sir Sydney Smith
with a small body of English sailors and marines. On May 21, he commenced his retreat to
Egypt, leaving the whole country on fire behind, and reentered Cairo on June 14."
In The Glorious Holy
Mountain
This is. the incident which many
Advent expositors explain as meeting its fulfillment in the words of the angel., "he
shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy
mountain." It was a simple incident of slight importance in Napoleon's early career,
and occurred sixteen years before his downfall.
In forecasting the fulfillment of
verses 44 and 45, one thing seems quite clear, that whatever power may be referred to as
the one that "plants the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious
holy mountain,'' it meets its final doom in Palestine, for it is said in the same
immediate connection. "Yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him," The identification of the expression,
"the glorious holy mountain," with the holy land, seems clearly established by a
reference to other Scripture, where similar expressions are employed to describe this
land. In. Psalm 106:24, Palestine is called "the pleasant land." In Jer. 3:19,
it is called, "the pleasant land, the goodly heritage." In Ezek. 20:6, it is
spoken of as "the glory of all land"; 'in Dan. 8:9, "the pleasant
land"; 11:16, "the glorious land"; and again, in verse 14, "the
glorious land." Consequently "the glorious holy mountain" must be Zion or
Olivet, or some mountain in Palestine, which lies between the Dead Sea on the east and the
Mediterranean on the west.
Othman Empire To Be
Over The Holy Land
Mr. Newton, in a comment on the
prediction contained in these two verses, says: "In our application of it to the
Othman Empire, as these events are future; we cannot pretend to point them out with any
certainty of exactness."
Mr. Mede seemed to think that the
"tidings out of the east and north" may have preference to the return of the
Jews from those quarters. Concerning the expression, "He shall plant the tabernacles
of his palace between the seas," Mr. Newton continues: "There the Turk shall
encamp with all his power, yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him, shall help him effectually, to deliver
him." It would seem that whatever power is referred to by these words, it can mean
nothing less than that it shall establish at least a temporary seat of government there.
If it applies to Turkey, the prediction demands the expulsion of the Turk from Europe, and
his final downfall in the holy land.
"The same time and the same
events seem to be pre-signified in this prophecy as that of Ezekiel concerning 'Gog of the
land of Magog.' He likewise is a northern power. He is represented as of Scythian
extraction. (Ezek. 38:2.) 'He cometh from his place out of the north parts.' (Ver. 15.)
His army too, is described as consisting chiefly of 'horses and horsemen.' (Ver. 4.) He
likewise hath 'Ethiopia and Lybia with him.' (Ver. 5.) 'He shall 'come up against the
people of Israel in the latter days' (Ver. 36), after their return from captivity. (Ver.
8.) He too shall encamp 'upon the mountains of Israel.' (Ezek. 39:2.) He shall also 'fall
[meet his doom] upon the mountains of Israel, and all the people that is with him.' (Ver.
4.) There the Divine judgments shall overtake him (38:22,23); and God shall be 'magnified
and sanctified in the eyes of many nations."'
The Last Days In
Prophecy
"At that time shall Michael
stand up, and there shall be a time of trouble, such. as never was since there was a
nation even to that same time." (Dan. 12:1.) The great World war only increased the
inflam-mable material associated with the settlement of the Eastern question. Only a few
sparks would be necessary to kindle the flame of universal war. National interests and
jealousies, Greek and Roman Catholic interests and concerns,' 'together with Mohammedan
fanaticism,' are all working to pile up the inflammable rubbish that will he consumed in
the great fiery troubles of the day of wrath.' It seems manifestly impossible to, forecast
with any, degree of success the particulars of the fulfillment of these two verses without
a careful examination and association of the very many prophecies which describe more
fully the last closing scenes of the Gospel Age in the land of Palestine. To, follow the
Divine rule would require that we compare these prophetic verses with the many other
prophecies, that the interpretation may be in perfect harmony with, and may fit into the
Divine interpretation that describes the ending of all. the great apostate systems, and,
governments of Christendom. These Scriptures seem clearly to show that all of the apostate
systems will in some way be involved in the final conflict that closes this Gospel Age;
and the land of Palestine, where the earthly phase of the Kingdom of God is to be first
set up, will witness these closing events. These predictions are found in Ezekiel, Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Joel, and Zechariah. With one voice they all agree concerning the final result
of the troubles in Palestine: The language of one of these prophets, -Ezekiel, voices, the
utterances of all the others. The words are those of Jehovah Himself and read: "Thus
will, I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the; eyes of many
nations; and they shall know that I am the Lord. So will I make My holy name known in the
midst of My people Israel; and I will not let them pollute My holy name any more; and the
heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. And I will set My glory
among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see My judgment that I have executed, and My
hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord
their God from that day and forward. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel
went into captivity for their iniquity; because they trespassed against Me, therefore I
hid My face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies; so fell they all by
the sword. According to their uncleanness, and according to their transgressions, have I
done unto them, and hid My face from them. Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Now will I
bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and
will be jealous for My holy name; after that they have borne their shame, and all their
trespasses; whereby they have trespassed against Me, when they dwelt safely in their land,
and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered
them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations. " -- Ezek. 38:23; 39:7,
21-29.
Events Now Shaping
Themselves
Other Scriptures show that not
only all the nations will be represented in this final conflict, but also the- great
religious systems of Mohammedanism, and the Papacy, indeed all Christendom. The Jewish
land will witness the closing scenes of the great and final conflict; and the Jewish
people, who will be' in peaceful possession of their land at the time; will be brought to,
repentance, and restored to God's favor.
Events of the present time are
shaping themselves so that it begins to be easier to understand what political and
religious questions will cause the great final conflict, as also to identify the leading
powers engaged in it. Since the World-war the League of Nations has become an actual fact.
It would seem that it may become an important factor and play one of the chief parts in
this conflict over Palestine.
Prophetic students, who have been
observing the remarkable increase of Papal influence in the past few years, its boldness
in setting forth its preposterous claims, and its subtle efforts to get control in
political and state affairs, are not surprised at these developments; for all this was
foretold in the sure word of prophecy. In the last great struggle between truth and error,
Papacy will evidently be one of the. most influential and important actors. It has already
been stated by reliable authority that the Papacy is preparing the way by a reorganization
of its diplomatic service to make application at the psychological moment for membership
in the League of Nations. Should such an application be made, it seems quite clear that it
would be granted; for the reason that the Roman Catholic countries of the world -- members
of the League -- have enough votes at their command to assure the two-thirds majority
necessary to admit the Papacy into the League.
Even if the Papacy had not
expressed disapproval of the present control of Palestine and the promise made to the Jews
by England that Palestine should be their home land, it would be well known from past
history that the Pope could never be satisfied for any other power but that of the Papacy
to control that land. For this reason alone we may safely conclude that, when this Jewish
problem is up for a final solution, Papacy will exert all the power and influence at its
command to obtain control of the "holy sacred places." *
___________
* See
"Revelation of Jesus Christ," Vol. 11, Chapter 10.
____________
Impending Troubles
Speak Of The Time At Hand
Since the great war, while Turkey
has been obliged to relinquish her hold on Palestine and Syria, the revolution that has
taken place there has brought Turkey into greater prominence than ever as a power amongst
the nations.
As we have already noted, some
expositors have thought that Napoleon's career was described in the words of the verse,
"he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly make away many."
However, it seems plain that the last death struggles of the Mohammedan power are
described in these verses; that the real going forth of the Turk with great fury has not
yet occurred; that the planting of the tabernacles of his palace, etc., is ,yet a future
event. It would seem that it is here that Mohammedanism takes its last stand; and. that it
is here that "he shall come to his end and none shall help him." Furthermore,
that it is while the various governments are represented in Palestine by their armies
under Papacy's influence that Papacy through the uprisings at Rome will also come to its
end. While the attention of the whole world will be centered on what is taking place in
the holy land and the East, conditions will be ripe for revolution in the home
governments. Anarchism will see its opportunity to strike. Socialism, misnamed
Progressivism, will take advantage of the times. Roman Catholicism will say, This is our
time; this is what we have long waited for; let us arise, and place the Pope in [what they
deem] his rightful station. Mohammedanism will shout, as the green flag is unfurled, Down
with the vile Christians; we will assert out rights. But it, as well as all the other
enemies of peace and righteousness, will come to its end, and none shall help. Then out of
the ruins shall arise the Jewish Theocracy.
As to just how all these
important events will be brought to their great climax, it. is impossible at the present
time for any one to tell; and we would not be wise above what is written. That the great
crisis will come, and come soon, seems certain.
"One thing 1
know, that, whereas 1 was blind, now 1 see."
-- John 9:1-41.
A MAN born blind, a wayside
beggar; had drawn the attention of the Lord and the Apostles; and his healing and the
preparation therefor served as an opportunity for a far-reaching lesson, only a apart of
which, however, the Apostles could learn at this time. They had the thought that all the
sickness .and pain and sorrow in the world was the result of sin. They had this thought
properly, because the Scriptures had so indicated; assuring them that if they walked in
the Lord's ways they would have blessings of health and prosperity in all of life's
affairs for themselves, their families, their flocks, and their herds. Properly enough,
then; they understood that the various evils wit-nessed on every hand were in some degree
the result of sin, either of the individual or of his ancestors, inherited.
Neither This Man Nor
His Parents
The man blind from his birth
started a query in their minds as to the sin which led to the blindness, and being
"unlearned and ignorant men" it need not surprise us that they were not very
logical in their thoughts nor in the question they asked, "Whether did this man sin
or his parents, that he yeas born blind?" Of course the man himself could not have
sinned before he was born; of course, therefore, whatever responsibility there was came to
him through inheritance, as the Lord had declared that "I will visit the iniquity of
the fathers upon the .children to the third and fourth generation of those that hate
Me," those who willfully violate His laws. True, there was at this time a heathen
idea respecting the transmigration of souls, which taught that all humanity had at some
previous time lived in seine other condition either better or worse than the present one:
But it would be extremely unlikely that the Apostles, "unlearned," should have
any particular knowledge of these theories of the heathen, which were known chiefly to the
educated; and as for the Hebrew Scriptures, not a word in them favored such a thought, but
the very contrary. This same heathenish thought still prevails in the far East, India,
etc., and has been slightly introduced again in civilized countries under the name of
Theosophy.
Our Lord's reply, that neither
the blind man nor his parents had sinned, is not to be understood as implying that these
people were absolutely perfect, -- sinless, spotless -- not to be understood as
contradicting the Scriptures which declare, "There is none righteous, no not one; all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God." The words simply signified that the
blindness of this man was not a penalty for his personal sin or for some special sin of
his parents. This need not imply either that God had specially intervened to cause
blindness in this ..case-rather we may suppose that the blindness game through the general
weakness of heredity, or by what might be termed the accidents incidental to our present
imperfect condition as a race of sinners. A similar expression on our Lord's part was made
in respect to those men upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, killing them. Our Lord said,
"Suppose ye that these men were sinners above others? I tell you, nay; unless ye
shall repent ye shall all likewise perish."
The thought is that the whole
world is under condemnation to death. We are a race of convicts, and death conditions are
properly, justly permitted to prevail, not interfered with, because the lives of all
humanity are forfeited through original sin and disobedience, and through our inheritance
of the weaknesses and imperfections and unfitness resulting. All are thus perishing, and
had it not been for Divine mercy, in providing the Redeemer and the great sacrifice for
sins, there would be no hope for any as respects the future life; death to all would
signify that they had perished. And even though all the way has been opened for the dying
race, nevertheless repentance for sin, acceptance of Christ as the Savior, and obedience
to His voice, are necessary to our escape from the sentence of sin-death.
Many will agree with us thus far
who would fail to go further along what we believe to be logical, Scriptural grounds,
namely that in God's providence not only has' His love provided the redemption and the
opportunity for blessing to the world, but that the same love and wisdom will ultimately
provide that all shall see the great light and hear the voice of Him that speaketh from
heaven, and thus either accept or reject the favor Divine, the life everlasting, on terms
of full obedience: We hold that it is in full accord with the entire testimony of
Scripture that few now have the ability to see or to hear; that the majority are both
blind and deaf to this message in the present time, some completely blind and completely
deaf, others partially blind and partially deaf. The glorious assurance of the Lord's Word
is that in God's due time all the blind eyes shall .be opened and all the deaf ears
unstopped.
The Morning Cometh
and a Night Also
This was the very lesson which
the Lord taught from this incident-taught to the extent that His hearers were able to
appreciate it. He declared, "While I am in the world I am the Light of the world; I
must work the works of Him that sent Me while it is day, for the night cometh when no man
can work." Then He proceeded to the opening of the blind man's eyes, that the latter
might see Him as the Light of the world. True, the opening of blind natural eyes could not
give sight to the eyes of his understanding, the eyes of the heart but it could and did
figure or illustrate this which was the real essence of our Lord's teachings, of which
this miracle was a part. Without in the slightest degree disparaging our Lord's many
miracles upon the blind, lame, deaf, etc., we can readily see that these were incidental,
and only in a secondary sense His mission.
It will be at His Second Advent
that our Lord will be "the Light of the world" in the full, glorious sense which
the Scriptures everywhere set forth "The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with
healing in His beams." With the ushering in of that glorious sunlight begins the new
day for which we hope and pray -- the "day of Christ."
"Anoint Thine
Eyes With Eye-Salve"
The making of an eye-salve of the
dust of a Palestine road, mixed with the saliva of our Lord's mouth, seems rather peculiar
at first. We would naturally be inclined to say, "How strange! Do not put that stuff
upon the man's eyes, for that will only make them worse. That dust is full of all manner
.of impurities; that very dust has helped to blind thousands and thousands of the people
of this country." A traveler in that vicinity says:
"Blindness is common in
Palestine to a degree which we in western lands can scarcely realize. There is probably no
country in the world, except Egypt, where this affliction is so prevalent. At Gaza, for
instance, it is said that one-third of the population has lost one or both eyes, and from
my own observation of that city I should not hesitate to say that the statement is not
exaggerated."
Why, then, did our Lord use a
clay or ointment made out of that dust, apparently so unsuitable, and then send the blind
man to the Pool of Siloam to wash and receive his sight? We answer that probably a deep
spiritual lesson is contained in it, a lesson for all -- the Apostles and for the
followers of Jesus from then until now. As the blindness of the man was figurative of the
general blindness upon the people, blindness to the Truth, blindness to the Light of the
world, so this method of healing the blindness will illustrate the method the Lord has
been using throughout this Gospel Age. The secretions of our Lord's mouth might well
represent His grace and truth, while the earth used may well represent the poor imperfect
earthly talents of His disciples. Who are we, that we should be made the instruments of
God in opening the eyes of the blind -- we who
are imperfect ourselves, blemished, fallen? But the spirit of the Lord's lips coming upon
us so transforms our energies and talents as to make them useful in His service. By the
grace of God, as His mouthpieces, representatives, His followers have opened the blind
eyes, not of all people, but of many, nevertheless.
What a blessing we realized when
such human clay was used of the Lord for the anointing of our eyes, and what a privilege
was granted in that we have been made the clay ointment the Master has used in the
blessing of others. But the anointing was not sufficient, it needed more; it needed the
washing at the fountain. And so after the Lord has used us, His servants, as the clay in
His hands for the anointing of blinded eyes, it is necessary that we should direct them to
the fountain of His truth and grace, where they may wash, where they may realize that the
cleansing is of the Lord's provision entirely, and that however good the clay and however
thorough the anointing, no blessing could come except as they obediently and in faith accepted the grace
and truth as the refreshing stream of Divine favor to their enlightenment.
Born Blind for the
Glory of God
The miracle of the opening of the
eyes of one born blind was so notable that it attracted the attention of all in the
neighborhood. None had ever before heard of any physician able to restore sight to one who
was born blind. The matter was brought to the attention of the Pharisees and Doctors of
the Law as a wonderful instance of Divine power, or to see if they could offer any other
solution for the matter. Evidently this was a part of our Lord's design and a part of what
He meant when He declared that the man was not born blind as a punishment for sin but for
the glory of God. God allowed nature to take its course in this manner and to produce an
exception or freak of nature, and now the one who had been thus afflicted in the part was
made the recipient of a special blessing which fully compensated him. Let us learn to view
all of life's affairs from this standpoint. Whatever we may have that by nature would seem
to be disadvantageous or a hindrance to us, the Lord is able to so overrule as to make of
it a blessing, a proportionately greater blessing.
The Pharisees, full of envy
against Jesus, perceived that His influence was gaining daily with the people, and this
made them the more bitter against Him. In their wrong condition of heart they had already
prejudged His heart and His motive, not by the fruits of His life, but by their envious
sentiments. Of course, under the circumstances, the judgment would be warped and twisted,
leading to wrong conclusions. They catechized the parents, who feared to give any
expression on the subject, because they had heard that the rulers of the synagogue had
determined that if any one should confess Jesus he should be excommunicated, should not be
permitted to attend the synagogue or fellowship with others or enjoy its religious
privileges, should be counted unworthy the name and privileges of a Jew, should be treated
as an outcast, from God and His people. They, therefore, answered that their son was of
age and that he could speak for himself.
The son was questioned over and
over with an evident desire to find-some fault with the procedure, to show that it was not
a genuine miracle, etc. The man formerly blind became justly indignant at the special
attempt to traduce the One who had so befriended him, and in answer to the Pharisees'
statement that he should give glory only to God, because the One who had performed the
miracle was a sinner, he demurred. As they repeated their questions he became more
indignant at their evil spirit and said, Why do you ask so many questions? Are you anxious
to become His disciples? He touched a sore spot and aroused their wrath, and they declared
that he was a disciple of Jesus, and cast him out of the synagogue and ostracized him. It
was after this that Jesus found -him. We read, "Jesus heard that they had cast him
out, and when He found him He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? and, he
answered, I believe, and worshiped."
How Hindrances May
Assist Us
In this we have a fresh
illustration of how hindrances and. difficulties and obstacles may become the greatest .
helps and aids under God's providences to those who are of the right condition of heart.
This poor blind man, an ignorant beggar; seemingly most unfortunate of men, seemingly
least cared for by the Lord, was evidently at heart honest and sincere. This was
demonstrated by His after conduct, because character, principle, cannot be put on in a
moment, but is a matter of development. It was, doubtless, because the Lord saw in His
heart this sincerity that He specially favored him with the blessing of the opening of the
eyes, and that it was because he was honest enough and fearless enough to confess the Lord
in a proper manner that he was still further favored, and that the Lord sought him out
and, granted him the opening of the eyes of his understanding in addition to the opening
of his natural eyes. If we could but receive this lesson fully and completely into our hearts, what a great .blessing it would
bring us as impressing upon us the necessity for
honesty, of heart, and as proofs to us of the willingness of the Lord to make all things
work together for good to them who love Him -- even to them who are of the right attitude
of heart, which would love the Lord if it knew Him. To such He is willing to grant His
favors and the opening of the eyes of their understanding -- not suddenly, but step by
step. As we follow the Lord's directions we get one blessing after another.
Dear Brethren:
I have a great desire to express
my appreciation of the "Herald". Realizing we are living in the day of
controversies, when the love of many .shall wax cold, I have great comfort in knowing that
I can read the "Herald" without having to wade through controversies and
disputes, and can feast upon the sanctifying truths in an hour of quiet. My prayer as I
read these pages is that God may still bless you and give you wisdom to publish such
articles as shall have an encouraging and upbuilding influence. I have -noticed that most
all who' show much fruit of the spirit have a great appreciation of the
"Herald". Others who love contention wonder why you do not publish lengthy
answers to all disputes.'
Desiring again to thank you for
the refreshing truths, I am
Your sister by His grace, M.
H.-Mo.
Dear Brethren:
!Greetings. I have read the
second volume of the Revelation exposition and have derived much help and blessing
therefrom. I believe I have now a .much clearer understanding. of the symbols employed
throughout the whole book, and especially those used in reference to the religious systems
referred to in the 17th, 18th, and 19th chapters. The erroneous ideas I had derived
through studying other expositions have been removed, and I believe that I have now much
clearer and far more reasonable as well as more Scriptural views of the important
teachings of Revelation.
The spirit in which the subjects
involved are treated is refreshing indeed, and the fact that God's children have been
deriving a blessing from this wonderful book since, it was given, has been a source of
comfort to me; for I was inclined very strongly to believe that the opening up of the
visions would be the privilege of a particular individual in the Harvest period. Now I see
that very much of the book was understood to a good degree long before the Harvest period
commenced. My mind has therefore been freed from the strong temptation of these perilous
time's, which is nothing less than the strictly forbidden worshiping of angels, servants,
or messengers.
I am very grateful for the
references to the works of godly men, who have assisted from tune to time in opening up.
the book. One cannot help feeling a good-measure of loving interest in their work and;
labor of love on behalf of the Church of God.
In conclusion I would add that I
have endeavored to bring this very helpful work to the attention of other brethren. I have
no doubt that if a humble, teachable child of God reads these two volumes he will very
soon be rejoicing in the liberty in which we are exhorted to stand fast. My constant
prayer on your behalf is that the grace of God may abound to you more and more.
With warm Christian love,
Your
brother by His grace. D. W. B.-Ire.
Dear Brethren:
Greetings in the Beloved.
I wish to express my deepest love
and gratitude for sending Volumes I arid II of the Revelation books. We have received a
great blessing from a .perusal of them, and find that much which previously was vague and
hard to understand, is now luminous. Our hearts also rejoice as we realize our Father's
loving care and supervision over His people all down the Age, and especially at this
present time, when this added light and encouragement has been given to us.
We would also like to express our
appreciation of the help and blessing received regularly through the "Herald".
As the consum-mation of our sacrifice and the realization of our glorious Hope approaches,
we feel all the more the need for this ,added comfort and exhortation.
Our
sincere prayers continue to go up for you all; that our Father may continue to richly
bless your efforts on behalf of the "Household of Faith," and that you may be
faithful to the Spirit, Word, and work of the great Harvester, until we all drink of the
fruit of the vine in the Kingdom.
With much love to you all,
Yours
in the One Hope, W. R. M.-Eng.
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