THE HERALD
of Christ's Kingdom
VOL. XII. January 1, 1929 No. 1
Table of Contents
THE
CHRISTIAN'S NEW YEARS OUTLOOK
CHRISTIAN
INFLUENCE
"ANGLO-ISRAEL"
AND THE TWELVE SONS OF JACOB
"TEACH
US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS"
ENCOURAGING
LETTERS
VOL. XII. January 15, 1929 No. 2
Table of Contents
GENERAL
OBSERVATIONS AND REVIEWS
PRAYER
OF THE RENEWED AND CONSECRATED HEART
"QUENCH
NOT THE SPIRIT"
"IN
THE BEGINNING" -- CREATION
THE
MAJESTY AND MERCY OF GOD
ARE
WE BUILDING WITH GOD?
VOL. XII. January 1,
1929 No. 1
"But God, who is rich in mercy,
for His great love wherewith He loved us, hath raised us up together, and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might show the
exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." --
Eph. 2:4, 6, 7.
SURELY the
earnest and sincere desire and wish of all the children of God for one another is that the
New Year 1929 may be a very profitable and happy one in the Lord. Whether or not they will
realize a fulfillment of these good desires and wishes depends almost exclusively upon
themselves individually. By the Lord's children, we mean such as belong fully to Him by a
full heart consecration, a full surrender to His will as expressed in His Word.
Circumstances may change, hopes or health may, fail, trusted friends may become cool or
even become enemies, poverty and lack of life's necessities may stare them in the face;
yet none of these nor all of them, should they fall to the Christian's lot, need hinder
him from having a happy year.
To the
worldly or natural minded this will be both impossible and incomprehensible; for such have
no sources of comfort and peace and joy other than the creature-comforts of the present
life, and when these are taken from them, they have nothing left but disappointment and
despair. These evil consequences are only increased as knowledge and refinement increase
the appreciation of earthly good things.
"All Things Are Yours"
But the
child of God has other than earthly friends and joys and hopes and prospects. He is rich,
whatever his outward condition may appear; rich in the fact that his debt of sin has been
paid for him; rich in the assurances of God's Word that his present experiences are all
under the supervision of Divine wisdom and love, and are all being overruled for his
highest good (Rom. 8:28); rich in joy and hope through the present trials and experiences
faithfully and patiently endured, God is preparing him for future honors, and so he is
enabled to reckon those trials which once would have utterly crushed him, as "light
afflictions which are but for a moment," and which, faithfully accepted, "will
work out a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Thus he looks, not at the
transitory things that are seen, but at the invisible and eternal things. Thus, like Moses
of old, he endures as seeing Him who is invisible, a present help in every time of
trouble. Whatever he may possess of earthly luxury and comfort, he accepts with gratitude,
realizing himself not more deserving than millions less favored. Whatever he may lack, he
reflects that the faithful of every age have .been required to "endure hardness as
good soldiers," and that our blessed Savior and His noble Apostles, in choosing the
course of faithfulness to the truth, denied themselves and endured hungerings, thirstings,
privations, and loss of friends, and yet, though poor, they made many rich (2 Cor. 6:10)
with the true riches of grace -- "godliness with contentment," "great
gain," which the world can neither give, nor take away. In every condition these may
hear the Word of God saying, "All things are yours, . . . for ye are Christ's and
Christ is God's."
"Why should the children of the
King
Go mourning all their days?"
As the
Lord's people enter upon the experiences of the New Year, it is recognized increasingly by
all the faithful that their most important consideration is their faith and hope which
rests upon the sure Word of God; particularly that Word from Him that reveals so
gloriously the future -- "the ages to come," as saith our text, in which He will
show forth the exceeding riches of His grace. It is this standpoint of the future that we
are permitted to take, that constitutes our present heritage such a rich and precious one.
Such as are given this heritage are placed in positions of inestimable advantage over
others, even as Jesus said to His disciples, "Unto you it is given to know the
mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven."
The Standpoint of the Future
It is always
the part of wisdom to regard the present from the standpoint of the future, and to
regulate the conduct of the present with a view to worthy future possibilities. Any other
conception of life, or any other course in life, is unworthy of the dignity of man and
dishonoring to his Maker, who endowed him: with those mental qualities of reason and
judgment which if used, place him far above the plane of a mere animal life of present
;gratification. But here the question comes before us, how far into the future shall we
look to find the standpoint from which to view and properly estimate the things of the
present? That, we answer, must depend upon circumstances. In some instances we need to
look only an instant ahead, while in others a week or a year or a few years as indicated
by the time necessary to develop, the project. In infancy we learn by experience to look
just a short distance beyond, reasoning that it is best not to put the hand into the fire,
because the fire will surely burn again as it
did yesterday; that this or that disobedience will bring the censure of parents or
teacher, while the opposite will bring approval; and by and by childish plans are formed
and carried forward with a view to anticipated results in the near future. In mature years
wider plans are formed with a view to desirable results a few years hence; as for
instance, plans for fame or fortune or for the good of others-the training of children to
noble manhood and womanhood, etc.
In all this,
there is a measure of wisdom, but the man whose thought and planning either for himself or
for others is based upon the standpoint of the future of this life only, is not a wise man
in God's estimation, however wise he may appear in the eyes of his fellow men; as it is
written, "The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." It is not therefore
the standpoint of the future of this life only that should be a criterion of present
valuation, with those who would be truly wise, but the standpoint of a possible destiny
beyond the present vale of tears, which may be eternal if we so wisely and prudently
conduct ourselves as to prove worthy of eternal life.
He that Walketh Righteously
As all
devout students of the Divine Word are aware, it is to the future standpoint of a possible
eternal life and blessedness and to the glorious consummation of the Divine purpose that
the Scriptures invite the attention of all the people of God. We are shown that God has a
wise and benevolent Plan for all His creatures both in heaven and in earth; that the Plan
is wide and deep, requiring ages for its execution and consummation; that the victory of
that Plan is assured; that it will culminate in a most glorious triumph at the end of
Christ's Millennial reign; and that its victory will be the victory of truth and
righteousness. The truly wise man is the one who takes all this into account, accepting by
faith all of the Divine revelation concerning it; who in this state makes and pursues all
his plans, both for himself and others, with the end of ultimate victory and eternal life
in view; and who therefore seeks daily to become more and more established and confirmed
in holiness, righteousness, and truth, which constitute the foundation for eternal life.
It was of
such a character that the Prophet Isaiah wrote as one "that walketh righteously, and
speaketh uprightly; that despiseth the gain of oppressions [refusing to be profited by any
unrighteous deed]; that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes [that cannot by any
consideration be bribed to do evil], that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood [from
any scheme of oppression that would cause a brother's blood to cry unto God for vengeance,
that shutteth his eyes from seeing evil [from beholding evil approvingly or with quiet
acquiescence] ." -- Isa. 33:15.
Such a walk
through life, squared by those foundational principles of justice, truth, and
righteousness, is the one to which ultimate victory is assured through Christ, whose reign
of righteousness will fully establish these principles in the earth, so that the will of
God will then be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Of such a man the Prophet writes
further, declaring that he is fireproof even in this day of trial, when the fire is trying
every man's work of what sort it is. He shall dwell in the midst of the devouring fire and
the lasting burnings of this day of wrath, which shall burn until all opposition to God
and His righteous way is consumed. (Isa. 33:14.) And not only shall he, like the three
Hebrews in the fiery furnace, come out of the flames without even the smell of fire upon
him, but he shall come out of every fiery trial triumphantly: "He shall dwell on high
[in the place of Divine favor]; his place of defense shall be the stronghold of rocks [in
the Rock of Ages]; bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure"; for "no
good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly," even in this present
life, while they tread this valley of humiliation and vale of tears.
Visions of the Land Afar Off
It is to
these also that the words of the Prophet are addressed: "Thine eyes shall see the
King in His beauty; they shall behold the land that is very far off." "The land
that is very far off," is not visible to the natural eye; for the reference is to
that inheritance of which the Apostle speaks as "incorruptible, undefiled, and that
fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you." This land or inheritance we can see
with the eye of faith only, looking through the telescope of God's Word, and we recognize
it to be a glorious vision. There is the King in His beauty, reigning in power and great
glory, and with Him, all His elect crowned art His side. There is the happy condition
brought. about by the victory of truth and righteousness when all tears are wiped away.
There we see the will of God done on earth as it is done in heaven, and peace and
everlasting joy are upon all men. There the desert which has hitherto constituted such a
large portion of the earth, will blossom as the rose; for there is no more curse. And
there the lion and the lamb shall lie down together and a little child shall lead them;
and there shall be nothing to hurt nor to offend in all that holy Kingdom.
Oh what
rapture of soul there is for the faithful as they are permitted to view this vision of
rest and peace, of glory and blessing, of joyful fellowship, of deathless love, of
unsullied purity and unending bliss! Who but those who have caught a glimpse of its glory
can estimate its power to inspire to holy zeal, to earnest endeavor, and to patient
endurance of all the losses and crosses and sorrows of the path of discipline that leads
to it? It is no matter of surprise that not all who name the name of Christ are filled
with the inspiration .of this blessed vision; for but few, even of those who theoretically
know these things, really behold the vision in their inmost souls, and by faith realize
that they have a place in it; as our Master said, only those who do the will of God and
who know of the doctrine, as a guide and inspiration to the perfecting .of holiness in the
reverence of the Lord. Only such can see afar off with a realizing sense that what God has
spoken is true and that He is abundantly able also to perform it. If thou art a faithful
doer of the Word of God, oh thou who hast desired the higher things, and not a hearer
only, then even now, "thine eyes," of faith shall catch the inspiration of the
glories to be revealed, and thy steps shall be quickened in the path of righteousness.
A Note of Solemn Warning
The beloved
Peter reiterates this same truth in a negative form when, after enumerating the virtues of
the truly righteous character, He adds, "but he that lacketh these things is blind
and cannot see afar off." That is, he cannot see them as real things, as an inspiring
and impelling power, though he may know them theoretically and hold the truth even in
unrighteousness for a time. It is only those who have truly attained a state of heart
harmony with God, and righteousness and whose daily walk and conversation are therefore in
harmony with the principles of the character of God, who can be in any measure inspired by
the vision of faith, of the ultimate victory of truth and righteousness and its firm
establishment in all the earth. Who is so blind to the true wealth and glories of
righteousness as the man who is out of harmony with any of its precepts and principles?
Can he who glories in oppression, or misfortune of others, rejoice in the assurance that
"the oppressor shall cease," and that the gain of oppression shall perish? Can
he who despises the truth rejoice in the promise that the knowledge of the truth shall
fill the whole earth as the waters cover the deep? Can he who hates his brother rejoice in
the assurance that none shall have eternal life save those in whose hearts is written the
law of love? No, to thus by faith behold, afar off the blessed land of rest and peace, all
radiant with the glory of the King in His beauty, the heart must be in sympathetic accord
with the great purpose that is yet to workout such blessed consequences, and must be in
sympathy with that glory and that beauty of holiness associated with the character of God.
No matter how much we may know about it, we cannot thus see it and realize it as a truth
unless, as both the Prophet and the Apostle assure us, we are lovers of righteousness --
doers of the Word and not hearers only.
Evidently
there is a note of solemn warning in the Apostle's words which all would do well to
carefully consider; for not only does he affirm that the one lacking righteousness cannot
see far into the distance, but he further declares that he is blind -- blind even to
things near as well as afar off. A little reflection will show how very true this is; for
there is a philosophy in the course of life which constantly tends either toward ultimate
perfection and the attainment of holiness in its fullness, or toward, degradation and
ruin, according as the ways of righteousness or sin are pursued. The two sides or two
principles, good and evil, tend toward exactly opposite results, and their opposite fruits
develop and mature on the philosophical principles of cause and effect. Consequently the
Apostle declares that only a blind man, a man mentally blinded or deceived so that he
cannot perceive the fruits that must inevitably result from his course, could expect
ultimate good results from an evil walk in life. Such an one is blinded by his prejudices
and preferences; his judgment is warped so that he cannot see ultimate results, being
infatuated with the present gratification of his desires.
The Secret of the True Joy and Rest
What
incentive therefore there is for those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, to live
in that atmosphere and relationship to Him that they may not become blind to the great
things that involve an eternal inheritance! And how earnestly and carefully all should so
walk before the Lord that they may preserve that clearness of vision, that they may know
in whom they believe and be fully persuaded that He in whom they have trusted is
abundantly able to keep that which they have committed to Him against that day. Such alone
will continue to possess the joys of faith and hope, indeed that peace and rest of soul
that passeth all human understanding.
Truly the
Christian's secret of a happy life lies in his
knowing and trusting the Heavenly Father
and the Heavenly Bridegroom. Even worldly physicians, skeptics, are coming to recognize
the fact that the peace of God ruling in and keeping the heart is not only an excellent
medicine, but a great preservative of health. How many, looking back, can see that not
only their spiritual but also their physical health has improved; since they found the
Lord "a very present help," in time of trouble
If they had
nervous troubles which formerly caused them sleepless nights and haggard looks, and which
almost unfitted them for life's duties and responsibilities, they have doubtless found
some improvement since they have heard the voice saying,
"Cast
all your care upon the Lord, for He careth for you." -- 1 Pet. 5:7.
"Behold,
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of
God." -- 1 John 3:1.
"Like
as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear [reverence]
Him." -- Psa. 103 :13.
"Be of
good courage and He shall strengthen your heart." -- Psa. 31:24.
"The
Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want . . . His goodness and mercy shall follow me all the
days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." -- Psa. 23:6.
True, the
exceeding great and precious promises of God's Word may not hinder us from feeling pain,
but they will modify the pain and its frequency. Physicians are of one opinion on this
subject, that the mind, the brain, the nervous center of our being, exercises a great
influence over all our physical sensations, either an aggravating or a pacifying
influence. Truly did Solomon, the wise, say that the Lord's Word is a valuable
"medicine." --Prov. 3:8.
Having These Promises Dearly Beloved
But we have
said that these blessings come through knowing and trusting God; some fail to get the
blessings because of a lack of knowledge; others having the knowledge lack the trust, the
faith; still others, and they are probably in the majority among consecrated Christians,
enjoy a small measure of these blessings when they might have them in abundant measure by
a more thorough knowledge of God through His Word (accompanied, of course, with obedience
to the spirit of their knowledge) and by the exercise of greater trust in the Faithful
Promiser.
Well may the
consecrated join at the beginning of the New Year, in a remembrance and renewal of their
covenant with the Lord, to be obediently and lovingly His, in thought and deed-and in
harmony therewith, and to the intent that they may enjoy His blessings to their fullest
capacity and. under all conditions, let them put on the armor of truth and righteousness,
fastening the same upon them with the graces of the Spirit. All the faithful will find an
assistance in remembering and practicing daily the words of the Apostle Paul:
"Having
therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of
the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord." -- 2 Cor. 7:1.
And whoever
would have success in carrying out the foregoing resolves should not only make the
engagement at the throne of the heavenly grace, but should at all times and under all
circumstances preserve the spirit of thankfulness and prayer. As the Apostle expresses it,
he should "pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks." For what son is
he that the father chasteneth not? If ye be without chastisements and lessons, then are ye
not sons. The Heavenly Father chastens for correction, every son whom He receives.
There is no
preaching of the truth more forcible than the silent influence of a consistent Christian
character, bearing in richness and luxuriousness the fruits of the Spirit, which are love,
joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, and self-control. And no
preaching of the truth, however eloquent, reasonable, and logical, is likely to be
productive of results to the glory of God, if not backed by the silent yet potent
influence of a consistent Christian life.
Here is a
way of preaching the Gospel which may be measurably overlooked by some who are anxious to
do more active service in the cause we love. Let us not forget that golden opportunities
lie all about us. Ye are indeed living epistles, known and read of all men. Our families,
our relatives, our neighbors, are judging of the truth by its effects upon us. Let us not
forget this. We must be transparent and let the light of God's truth shine through all our
doings.
If the
Apostle's admonition is heeded, "Be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye
transformed," etc., the change in outward manifestation of the life will be such that
those around us will recognize that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him. And if as
the Apostle suggests, we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
then there ought without doubt to be a practical exhibition of this glory and sweetness of
character, of these gracious results, that would exert an influence on those around us,
causing them to feel something of the power of the goodness of God as it shines in the
face of Jesus Christ.
"1 say then, Hath God cast away
His people? God forbid, for I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe
of Benjamin . . . What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the
election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded." -- Rom. 11:1, 7
THE SUBJECT
of the Anglo-Israel teaching is not exactly of the most modern origin, although it is of
comparatively late development. During the past century a number of writers and advocates
of the theory have published what they have considered the best testimony on the subject,
but during the more recent past, attempts have been made to revive interest in the
teaching based upon certain developments that have grown out of the World War --
developments that involve Great Britain and Palestine. Responding to appeals that have
come from some of our readers, we are in this article presenting an examination of the
subject, not with a desire to encourage controversy, but with the purpose and disposition
of assisting to a correct understanding of the subject, and that the clarity of the truth
may be the mere appreciated.
Amongst the
laws and regulations set forth in the Mosaic arrangement, was the provision whereby the
"stranger," any person from the nations outside of Israel, who so desired, might
become identified with God's chosen people and partake with them of their heritage as
though born a member of that race. (Exod. 12:48.) Likewise this arrangement worked
reversely. As God did not interfere with the freedom of will of any with whom He dealt,
any natural born Israelite or any number of natural born Israelites who chose to renounce
the faith of the fathers and become apostate, were permitted to do so; but such a course
would lose for them all share in the promises and in the inheritance o£ Jacob and would
constitute them to all intents and purposes Gentiles, of the heathen. -- Deut. 29:18;
30:17, 18.
What is the British-Israel Doctrine?
The
foregoing considerations are of importance in arriving at sound conclusions with regard to
the Anglo-Israel teaching, or what is more recently designated, the British-Israel
doctrine. Briefly, the sum of this doctrine is that the division between the ten tribes
and the two tribes, which took place during the reign of King Rehoboam, who succeeded his
father, Solomon, was a complete separation and intended to be of permanent duration, and
so has continued unto the present time. Further, that the ten tribes, who formed a
separate kingdom in the days of Rehoboam, and who, some two hundred and fifty years later
had their kingdom overthrown and many of the people carried away captive by the king of
Assyria, have been a distinctly separate people ever since, with a history entirely
removed and apart from the descendants of the other two tribes, Judah and Benjamin.
Advocates of this theory endeavor to maintain that the people that are known today as the
Jewish race throughout the world, represent the two tribes only, and that the descendants
of the ten tribes can be traced through history from the days of their captivity in
Assyria, some seven hundred and twenty years before Christ, until this day; that there was
a gradual migration of the descendants of those ten-tribe captives from the land of their
captivity, Assyria, until they finally reached Britain; and that the Anglo-Saxon race,
represented in the English speaking peoples, particularly those of the British empire, are
in fact the ten tribes of Israel, designated by some, the "Ten Lost Tribes."
Following up this thought it is averred that to the British people, as the descendants of
the ten tribes of Israel, belong the prophecies and promises that are set forth in the
Prophets of Israel.
In keeping
with this claim it is further contended that the present royal line of the kingdom of
Great Britain is a continuation of the ruling line and throne of ancient Israel; and it is
urged that the glory, wealth, successes, and prosperity of the British nation throughout
its history, and particularly in modern times, are in fulfillment of the ancient
prophecies relating to Israel and his future.
But finally,
what is considered by advocates of this teaching as one of the most splendid evidences of
the truthfulness of the entire hypothesis, is represented in the fact that it was under
command of a British General and by British forces that Palestine was captured from the
Turks, and represented further in the victories otherwise attending the British armies and
her allies during the World War by which the central powers were overcome. Crossing the
line of the present and reaching into the future, some advocates of the theory endeavor to
show that since the royal line of ancient Israel is represented in the present royal
family and throne of England, the logical outcome and sequence of the entire matter is
that there is to be seen a direct connection between the present kingdom of Great Britain
and the establishment of the Kingdom of God; in other words, that the British throne will
yet be established in Jerusalem and that then it will be the Kingdom of God and constitute
the fulfillment of Jesus' prayer, "Thy Kingdom come," etc.
Built on Unsound Premises
Well do the
Scriptures counsel the children of God to moderation, carefulness, reasonableness, and to
be exercised by the spirit of a sound mind. Hearkening further to the words of
inspiration, every thoughtful child of God must recognize in these days increasingly the
wisdom and necessity of proving aft things and of holding fast to only that which is good
-- true and sound.
It is
interesting in this connection to learn what has been the conclusion of some leaders of
thought and men of note, after careful research and examination of the Anglo-Israel
teaching. Nelson's Illustrated Encyclopedia under the caption, "The Lost Tribes"
gives us the following statement:
"A
considerable proportion of the inhabitants of N. Palestine were carried into captivity to
Assyria during the reign of Pekah (2 Kings 15:29), and the monuments inform us that no
fewer than 27,290 persons were taken to Media and Mesopotamia after the fall of Samaria,
721 B. C. (2 Kings 17:6.) . . . Many inquirers have busied themselves with fantastic
speculations as to what became of the expatriated people -- e.g., they have been found in
the North American Indians, the inhabitants of Great Britain and the United States -- the
Anglo-Celtic peoples, and the Japanese. The natural assumption is that they were absorbed
by the peoples among whom they were settled."
Again we
have an equally interesting statement from the Encyclopedia Britannica:
"Anglo-Israelite
Theory, the contention that the British people in the United Kingdom, its colonies, and
the United States, are the racial descendants of the 'ten tribes' forming the kingdom of
Israel, large numbers of whom were deported by Sargon, king of Assyria on the fall of
Samaria in 721 B.C. The theory (which is fully set forth in a book called Phile-Israel
rests on premises which are deemed by scholars -- both theological and anthropological --
to be utterly unsound."
The Revolt in the Days of Rehoboam
That there
was a division in Israel during the reign of Rehoboam, just following the death of
Solomon, is readily conceded by all. That the ten tribes formed a separate kingdom which
lasted about 250 years is not disputed by any. More than this, that during the period of
this separation particularly, the name Jew, which is derived from Judah, was used with
reference to the descendants and kingdom of Judah, and that the name Israel, formerly used
with reference to the entire twelve tribes, was during this period of separation applied
particularly to the ten tribes, is also admitted by all who have made a careful
examination of the subject.
The vital
and interesting point in this entire discussion is whether or not the separation that took
place in the days of Rehoboam resulted in a complete and permanent separation of the ten
tribes from the two, constituting two separate nationalities from that time forward; and
whether or not all the people composing the ten tribes were removed from the land of
Palestine and carried, away captive into Assyria at the end of the nine years' reign of
Hoshea, the last king of the ten-tribe division of Israel. Upon examination of the records
as contained in 2 Kings, chapter 17, we find there a summary of the various and many sins
of the ten tribes -- representing the grossest forms of disobedience and idolatry. And in
that connection we read
"Therefore
the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of His sight: there was none
left but the tribe of Judah only. And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel, and
afflicted them, and delivered them into. the hand of spoilers, until He had cast them out
of His sight. For He rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son
of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord, and made them sin a
great sin, For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did;
they departed not from 'them ; until the Lord removed Israel out of His sight, as He had
said by all His servants the Prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to
Assyria unto this day." -- Ver. 18, 20-23.
A Remnant of All the Ten Tribes Left in Palestine
The above
indeed is strong language, and on the surface appears to convey the thought that there was
a complete extermination of the ten tribes of Israel from Palestine, and that none were
left. However, there are other facts recorded subsequently which prove conclusively that
this was not the case. Rather the thought is that there was a complete overthrow of the
sovereignty and the kingdom of the ten tribes of Israel. Their dominion was entirely taken
away. That many of the people of the ten tribes, possibly the majority, were literally
removed and taken in captivity to Babylon need not be disputed. What we are maintaining is
that there were some of all the tribes left in Palestine subsequent to this great
captivity to the kingdom of Assyria.
Let us note
the record that establishes this claim in 2 Chronicles, chapter 30. It was in this same
era, in the close of the reign of Hoshea, when Israel's captivity took place, that
Hezekiah appeared upon the throne of Judah. We read concerning him that "He did that
which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had
done." And the record goes on to tell of the great reform that he instituted, not
only in the kingdom of Judah but in all the land of Israel. Previous to his reign,
idolatry and apostasy had been rife throughout the Judean kingdom, as we read, "Also
Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of
Israel which they made." (2 Kings 17:19.) Early in the reign of Hezekiah, Judah was
also threatened with captivity to Assyria. King Sennacherib of Assyria apparently made all
preparations and plans to accomplish the same thing with Judah that had been done with
Israel. The record of this matter we find in 2 Chronicles 32. But on account of the great
reformation instituted by Hezekiah, Jehovah's providence interposed, so that the king of
Assyria was completely discouraged, discomfited and defeated, and suffered ignominious
death. (Vet. 21.) Thus the kingdom of Judah was delivered by the Lord's hand because the
due time for his captivity had not yet come.
Hezekiah Calls for a Reuniting of all Israel
But in
connection with the reformation and the restoration of the true worship that was
accomplished by Hezekiah throughout the kingdom of Judah, the king called for a special
holy convocation in connection with the Passover season. We read, "And Hezekiah, sent
to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh that they should
come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover unto the Lord God of
Israel. . . . So they established a decree, to make proclamation throughout all Israel,
from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover unto, the Lord God
of Israel at Jerusalem; for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was
written. . . . So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout
all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of
Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and He will return to
the remnant of you that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. . . . So the
posts passed from city to city, through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto
Zebulun; but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless divers of Asher and
Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. . . . For a multitude
of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed
themselves, yet did they eat the Passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah
prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one . . . . And the children of Israel
that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great
gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by :day, singing with loud
instruments unto the Lord . . . . And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and
the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came
out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt. in Judah, rejoiced. So there was great joy in
Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel, there was not
the like in Jerusalem . . . . Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present
went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves,
and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim
also and Manasseh; until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of
Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities." -- 2 Chron.
30:1, 5, 6, 10, 11, 18, 21, 25, 26; 31:1.
There is no
mistaking the significance of the foregoing accounts; they tell us the simple facts: that
Hezekiah called for the observance of a special Feast of the Passover and sent forth
messengers throughout the entire land of Israel, "from Beersheba even to Dan,"
with the object in view of drawing and uniting together a representative body, composed of
the entire twelve tribes.
Josiah Gathers all Israel unto the Passover
If any
further evidence or testimony is required, we hove only to read the history of
developments nearly one hundred years later. It was during the reign of Josiah, the third
king after Hezekiah. He followed the example of Hezekiah, and carried on a great reform
work, restoring the true worship and the temple services that had been polluted and
desecrated by Manasseh, who succeeded Hezekiah. We read concerning the eighteenth year of
his reign that there was a collection of money which was to go toward the repairs of the
house of the Lord, "And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the
money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had
gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and
of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin, and they returned to
Jerusalem." (2 Chron. 34:9.) Here we have an expressed statement regarding money that
had been received of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim and of all the remnant of Israel and of all Judah and
Benjamin, etc. Verse 21 of this chapter contains another pointed statement with reference
to Israel apart from Judah: "Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel, and in Judah,
concerning the words of the book that is found." Note how in verses 23 and 26,
Jehovah is referred to as the Lord God of Israel, which
must be admitted would have reference not merely to the two-tribe kingdom but to the
entire nation. Finally, we read of the great Feast of the Passover that Josiah commanded
to be observed in which the statement is plainly made that all Judah and Israel were present. -- 2 Chron. 35:17,
18.
The reign of
Josiah brings us close to the great captivity that resulted in the overthrow of the
kingdom of Judah. It was approximately in the third year after the death of Josiah that
the first captivity took place. (Dan. 1:1.) And this was about the year 606 B.C. Nineteen
years later, in the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah, the crown was removed, the
kingdom overthrown, Jerusalem destroyed, and the people carried away captives into
Babylon; this was the third and final stage of the Judean captivity.
The Situation When the Kingdom of Judah Was Overthrown
Now the
question is asked, What were the circumstances in Palestine, and what was the situation so
far as the twelve tribes of Israel were concerned, at the time the kingdom was overthrown?
The answer is that during the period of more than one hundred years that had elapsed from
the time the ten-tribe kingdom was overthrown by Assyria, to the time when the captivity
commenced in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, there had been a
general coalescing and reuniting of all the tribes of Israel. No other purport or
conclusion can be drawn from the history we have referred to foregoing of the activities
and accomplishments during the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah. The reforms that were
instituted by both of these kings, the calling upon all Israel, of .all tribes throughout
all the land to return to the true God and the true worship and temple service, evidently
had the effect of bringing all the tribes together again in sympathetic accord, so that
the twelve tribes were all one and constituted one people, under one kingdom, at the time
when the Babylonian captivity took place. It was not merely the two tribes therefore that
were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon; it was all the tribes of all Israel that
were represented in the servitude to Babylon during the period of seventy years, which
commenced about the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, which was Nebuchadnezzar's first
year, and extended to 536 B.C., when Cyrus issued his proclamation of liberty that all
Israel might again return to the land of their fathers.
The Ten-Tribe Captives in Assyria Absorbed by the
Gentiles
We pause
here to consider the question, What became of those multitudes of the ten tribes that were
carried away captive into Assyria at the time the kingdom of Israel was overthrown in the
days of Hoshea, their last king? In finding our answer to this question, we ask the reader
to consider again what was the condemnation of the Lord as expressed by Moses on those who
should renounce the Mosaic Covenant and become apostate: "But if thine heart turn
away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and
serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall
not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess
it." (Deut. 30:17, 18.) Now we have only to read further the description of the sins,
the idolatry, and the apostasy as contained in 2 Kings, the 17th chapter, of the people of
these ten tribes taken captive into Assyria, to understand what their condition was before the Lord. In every way they have met
the description given by Moses, of those who should reject the Lord and bring upon them
His complete condemnation.
Were there
any promises of protection over those apostate captives in Assyria who had renounced
Jehovah and the faith of the fathers, or that there would be a regathering of them back to
Palestine? No such promises whatever. Is there anything in the sacred record to the effect
that these captives in Assyria or any of their descendants, ever thereafter expressed any
repentance, or showed any disposition, or put forth any effort to return to the land of
their fathers? We know of nothing in the records to convey any such idea.
Is it
reasonable to suppose that the apostate captives of the ten tribes in Assyria would make
any effort to preserve their racial distinction and genealogy separate from the idolatrous
people amongst whom they were cast? Such a supposition is most unreasonable, for we read,
"And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah
and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: because they obeyed
not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed His covenant, and all that Moses and
the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them." (2 Kings
18:11, 12.) Here we are told that as captives they were scattered in different cities and
provinces of the Assyrian kingdom. And having renounced Jehovah and the Mosaic Covenant,
one of the very important provisions of which was that there a should be no intermarrying
with other nations, their racial distinction would begin to fade at once. Under such
circumstances and conditions it is utterly unthinkable that these captives of the ten
tribes would preserve or make any effort to preserve a clear line of Israelitish stock
through the various countries and centuries of history until they should reach the shores
of England, The conclusion is unavoidable that these captives of the ten tribes in
Assyria, in a comparatively short time, became absorbed and swallowed up by the other
nations amongst whom they dwelt, and thus to all intents and purposes became Gentiles,
heathen,
How About the Babylonian Captivity?
Now we turn
in this discussion to the Babylonian captivity which was completed at the time the kingdom
of Judah was overthrown, approximately 588 B.C. Some who acknowledge, in harmony with our
findings foregoing, that not only Judah and Benjamin but all the twelve tribes were
carried away captive by Nebuchadnezzar into Babylon, have endeavored to establish the
claim that only the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, returned to Palestine after the
seventy years' servitude, following the proclamation of liberty by Cyrus; and that the ten
tribes, who according to this teaching did not return, continued to maintain their
Israelitish genealogy, and that after centuries their descendants migrated westward, with
the result that they today are represented in the Anglo-Saxon race. Practically the same
line of argument is used with reference to these as is offered with regard to those who
were taken captive of the ten tribes more than one hundred years prior to the Judean
captivity. And we would add that the same line of Scriptural reasoning we have used with
regard to the Assyrian captivity, is fully applicable to those captives in Babylon who
refused to obey the call of Jehovah to return to Palestine in the time of Cyrus, and who
thus demonstrated that they had renounced their Israelitish faith. For these, nothing
would remain but that which happened to the Assyrian captives, namely to be absorbed by
the Gentile nationalities amongst whom they dwelt. However, the records show conclusively
that there were some of all the tribes who returned from the Babylonian captivity. On this
phase of the discussion, Brother Russell has offered some very profitable and interesting
comments:
Some of All Twelve Tribes Returned from Babylon
"At the
time of the return from the Babylonian captivity, though those who showed their continued
faith in God and His promises by returning to the land of Canaan, were mostly of the
tribes of Judah and Benjamin, yet all who came back were not of these two tribes. Among
them were some from the various tribes, who loved the Lord and sought Him with repentance,
still relying upon His promises. However, the vast majority of the ten tribes, as well as
of the two tribes, did not avail themselves of the opportunity to return to the land of
promise, preferring Babylon and other lands, many among them having fallen into idolatry
and lost their respect for God's promises.
"We
must remember that but a few of those who returned to their land under the lead of Ezra
and none of those who returned under Nehemiah, were of those who had been taken captive,
the vast majority having died years before in Babylon. These were their children, in whose
hearts the faith of their fathers still burned, who still hoped for the blessings and
honors promised to Abraham's seed. Thus the returning little band of less than fifty
thousand were all the Israelites then remaining, of all the tribes, who by the act of
returning to the land of promise showed that they still held to the faith of Abraham It
was to the descendants of these fittest ones, sifted out of all the tribes of Israel --
though, principally of the two tribes, and all called Jews, after the royal and
predominating tribe -- that our Lord presented Himself and the Kingdom, at the First
Advent, as representing the holy nation, Israel entire."
In harmony
with the foregoing, we will find it interesting to observe the record of the return from
the Babylonian captivity as given by Ezra and Nehemiah. If the breach had not been healed
between the ten tribes and the two tribes, it would show itself in their accounts. But as
Cyrus set free "all the people of the God of Israel," so the records show that
Ezra and Nehemiah and the people regarded themselves as Israel. Let each one prove this
for himself, by turning to and noting their use of the words "children of
Israel," "people o£ Israel," "tribes of Israel," "all
Israel," and the offering .of sacrifices for all Israel, according to the, twelve
tribes, in the following passages
Ezra 2:2,
59, 70; 3:1, 11; 4:3; 6:16, 17; 7:7, 11, 13, 28 ; 8:25, 35 ; 10:5, 10.
Nehemiah 1:6
; 2:10 ; 7:7, 61, 73 ; 9:1, 2 ; 10:33, 39 ; 11:3, 20 ; 12:47 ; 13:3, 18.
New Testament Proofs that Israel Was not Ten Tribes, But
Twelve
The term
"lost sheep of the house of Israel," twice used by our Lord (Matt. 10:6; 15:24)
most positively contradicts the theory that the ten tribes were elsewhere than in
Palestine in the days of our Lord's First Advent; and also contradicts the thought that
the term "Israel" now belongs to the ten tribes only. We have but to read the
passages cited, to see that the "lost sheep" were individuals -- not tribes, and
that Israel was not lost, because Christ had come to the only Israel whom He recognized,
and, with His disciples for three and a half years, He went through "the cities of
Israel" seeking therein "the lost sheep of the house of Israel." -- Matt.
10:23.
That the
term "Jew" had come to be synonymous with the term "Israel" is proved
by the fact that those terms are repeatedly used interchangeably. For instance, Pilate
wrote for the cross -- "Jesus, the King of the Jews"; while the soldiers and
others mocked, saying, Let Christ, "the King of Israel," come down from the
cross. -- See Matt. 27:42; Mark 15 :32.
Nathanael
was an "Israelite indeed," and his testimony to our Lord was, "Thou art the
King of Israel." (John 1:47-49.) The people never thought about a king of Judah, but
rather, when the Lord rode on the ass as King in fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah,
the people strewed the way with palm branches, etc., shouting, "Blessed is the King
of Israel." (John 12:13.) Neither were the disciples thinking of Judah as a kingdom;
for they asked the Lord, "Wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to
Israel?" And talking over the matter on the way to Emmaus they said, sorrowfully and
disappointedly, "We trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed
[recovered, delivered] Israel." (Luke 24:21; Acts 1:6.) Is it reasonable to think
that these all erred in their choice of language and said Israel but meant Judah? No! but
it is proof positive that they recognized no "lost" tribes, but a reunited
Israel -- part "dispersed among the Gentiles," but coming to Jerusalem
occasionally to keep the national festivals, and part at home in the land of Israel, in
the cities of Israel, also trodden under foot by the Gentiles.
The angel,
when directing Joseph to return from Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus, said, "Go
into the land of Israel." And the Apostle Matthew says, "He arose, and . . .
came into the land of Israel." (Matt. 2:20, 21.) Were the angel and the Apostle
mistaken? John the Baptist, when introducing Christ, declared that his ministry was to
Israel. (John 1:31.) His ministry surely was to the Jews; and if they are not Israel, John
was mistaken, and told an untruth; yet the power of God was upon hint, from his mother's
womb, and there never was a greater prophet. (Luke 7:28; Matt. 11:11.) If John erred, how
great a prophet must he be who could be relied upon to correct him?
Our Lord
sent His disciples throughout Palestine to seek "the lost sheep of the house of
Israel," and He went also Himself to "all the cities of Israel," and when
commending the faith of the Gentile centurion, He said, "I have not found so great
faith, no, not in Israel." And, addressing Nicodemus, He called him "a ruler in
Israel." Was our Lord mistaken? Had He missed the place in not going to the British
Isles? Or shall we not conclude that those who would pervert these plain testimonies of
Scripture to support a theory are greatly mistaken? "Let God be true"!
Apostolic Testimony Respecting Israel
The Apostle
Peter on the day of Pentecost, preaching the Gospel under the influence of the Holy
Spirit, addressed himself to the Jews, saying, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words:
Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs,
which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know Him . . ye [men of
Israel] have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. . . . Therefore, let all
the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye [men of
Israel] have crucified, both Lord and Christ." -- Acts 2:22, 23, 36.
John was
with Peter at the healing of the impotent man, a few days after the above discourse, and
therefore joined in the statement, "Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this?"
(Acts 3:12.) The same two were together preaching a few days later, when they were
arrested and agreed in the testimony of Peter recorded in Acts 4:8, 10: "Peter,
filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel,
. . . be it known unto you and unto all the people of Israel," etc. Evidently these
Apostles knew nothing about any "lost ten tribes" nor of any other people than
the Jews entitled to the name Israel. Further along verse 27, a prophecy which specifies
Israel, is quoted as fulfilled by the Jews, in the crucifixion of Christ; and proves to
whom the name Israel belongs in prophecy.
All the
Apostles were together when "all the senate of the children of Israel" convened,
and Gamaliel, a leading doctor of the law (of whose pupils Said of Tarsus was one), a man
noted among the people for his learning, showed that if Israel were lost, he did not know
of it, for he said to all the senate of the children of Israel, not, Ye men of Judah, but
"Ye men of Israel," etc. -- Acts 5:21, 35.
The Apostle
Paul, one of the learned men of his day, and one of the most exact and logical men of any
day, did not know of it if the ten tribes were "lost," and surely thought quite
to the contrary, as is proved by the following statements of his respecting Israel:
Further Testimony that Israelites and Jews were the Same
He went to
Antioch in Psidia -- among the Gentiles-and had no trouble in finding the
"dispersed" Israelites, "the twelve tribes scattered abroad," and
their synagogue; and, getting opportunity to speak to the people (being recognized by the
ruler of the synagogue as a man of education), he said, "Men of Israel, and ye
[Gentiles] that fear God, give audience: The God of this people of Israel chose our
fathers: . . . God according to His promise raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus; when John
[the Baptist] had first preached before His coming [manifestation], the baptism of
repentance to all the people of Israel." (Acts 13:16, 17, 23, 24.) In verses 43, 45
and 50, these "men of Israel" are called by the common name by which all
Israelites are known today, namely Jews. And it is worthy of note that, while in modern
times there are some Jews who claim to know the tribe to which they belong, yet, as a
rule, the Jews today do not know from which of the twelve tribes they spring so completely
have the twelve tribes amalgamated into one nation.
When Paul*
returned to Jerusalem after several years absence among Gentiles, and especially among the
people of Israel scattered abroad and dwelling everywhere among the Gentiles as today, he
went into the temple and was recognized; and a tumult was raised by a man crying out:
"Men of Israel, help!" etc. (Acts 21 :28.) That Jew evidently thought the same
as all the rest, that Israel was again a united nation, and that all Jews were now, as
before the rebellion, "men of Israel."
__________
* In his
request for a hearing before the captain who was leading him to trial, the Apostle Paul
said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia." (Acts 21:39.) In his
discourse to his brethren in Rome he says, "For I also am an Israelite of the seed of
Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin." -- Rom. 11:1.
The fact that
the Apostle Paul calls himself both an Israelite and a Jew, though of the tribe of
Benjamin, proves conclusively that the terms Jew and Israelite were used synonymously with
reference to the twelve tribes.
__________
When Paul
pleaded his cause before King Agrippa, he said, "I think myself happy, King Agrippa,
because I shall answer for myself this day before thee, . . . especially because I know
thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews." When
therefore he said, "Our twelve tribes instantly
serving God, day and night, hope to come" to the promises which God made to our
fathers, it proves conclusively that neither the Jewish scholar and lawyer, Paul, nor the
well informed Roman governor had: any knowledge of the ten tribes being longer separated
from the two tribes; nor did they know that the ten tribes were "lost"; nor did
they in any manner or degree recognize the then heathen savages of the British. Isles as
any part of the twelve tribes; for of the latter he expressly says, that they were serving
God and hoping in the promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Acts 26:2, 3, 7.) The
Epistle to the Hebrews was written to those same "twelve tribes instantly serving
God" and hoping; especially such as were Israelites indeed and had accepted Christ:
it is applicable therefore also to all those who from 'among the Gentiles have been
grafted into the promises of God to Abraham, by union with Christ, the true, faithful
"seed." Similarly, the Epistle of James was .addressed to the "twelve
tribes scattered abroad." -- Jas. 1:1, 2.
Only One Israel Referred to
In his
epistle to the Romans the Apostle Paul has much to say about Israel having rejected Christ
and thus having brought blindness upon himself, unquestionably referring to the rejection
and crucifixion of Christ by the Jews, "all Israel." He points out that so it
was foretold by the Prophets, and thus shows that the Prophets are in accord with this
fulfillment; and that they, when speaking of Israel, have no reference to our savage
forefathers who, when found .by "Saint Patrick" and "Saint Augustine,"
were totally devoid of knowledge of Jehovah, and of Moses and the Law, and of David, and
of Solomon, and of the Prophets, and of all expectation of a Messiah. Such total ignorance
and forgetfulness are not supposable in any people, even in longer periods -- much less in
Israelites who never lose their respect for Abraham and circumcision, nor for Moses and
the Law -- even when they become "free-thinkers."
The Apostle
then proceeds to show that it is the same Israel that was blinded because of rejecting
Christ that is to be saved from that blindness at the Second Coming of Christ. (Compare
Rom. 9:27, 31-33 ; 10:1-3 ; 11:2, 7, 15, 24-28.) Is it supposable that if there were
another Israel recognized by the Holy Spirit and the Apostle, they would have been ignored
in the comprehensive statement of the entire plan of God from first to last, given in this
wonderful and logical Epistle to the Romans? It is not supposable!
Another Important Consideration
Furthermore,
the Israelite according to the flesh who would lay claim to anything under God's covenant
with Abraham must indicate his adherence to that covenant by observing the ordinance of
circumcision. If, therefore, it could be proved that the Anglo-Saxon people have any
Israelitish blood in their veins (and we deny that this has been proved), we may know that
from the time they failed to perform the Israelitish .ordinance of circumcision, that long
they have been cut .off from all share in the promises made to Israel. The law on this
subject is found in Gen. 17:14 and is very explicit. It says: "The uncircumcised man
child . . . shall be cut off from his people [from Israel-shall no longer be an inheritor
of the promises made to Israel; for in neglecting thus to indicate his fealty to the
covenant]; he hath broken My covenant."
So then, if
it could be proved that the Anglo-Saxons are descendants of Abraham (which we deny), it
would avail nothing for them; for, having been uncircumcised for two thousand years, or as
far back as their history extends, the covenant of God would be broken, so far as they
were concerned, and they could inherit nothing under it. Neglect of circumcision by an
Israelite constituted him an alien, a foreigner to the covenant of promise -- a Gentile.
Our
conclusion, therefore, respecting the blessing upon the Anglo-Saxon people is that,
whoever their fathers may have been, they have no hope for any Divine favor or blessing as
Israelites according to the flesh; for such they are not. Their blessing has resulted from
the fact that some of them became members of the Body of Christ -- the higher, the
spiritual Israel; and that a larger number have been blessed through the influence of
these, and become members of "the household of faith"; and that in general the
light óf the Gospel, and the spirit of liberty which it always induces, has been shed
abroad abundantly upon that people -- bringing with it great responsibilities, as well as
great blessings.
Brother Russell's Reply to a Criticism
In replying
to a criticism of "Millennial Dawn," published in an English journal, "The
Banner of Israel," Brother Russell wrote the following which is well deserving of a
place in this discussion:
"The
point of discussion turns upon the question whether, after the separation of the ten
tribes from the two tribes of Israel, in the days of Rehoboam, they ever again became
united, either actually or reckonedly. Your correspondent claims that there was no reunion
and that the name, Israel, from that date forward belonged exclusively to the ten tribes,
and not to the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, known as the Jews. This error seems
necessary to his theory; that the Anglo-Saxon people are those ten tribes, and that their
prosperity is due to this fact. We hold that from the period of the seventy years
desolation, and especially from the return from Babylonian captivity, the nation of Israel
has been recognized by God as one, including all. of every tribe who respected God's
promises and returned to Palestine when Cyrus issued his decree of permission. We hold
that all who did not return were not of the commonwealth of Israel, not Israelites indeed,
but that they were thenceforth reckoned as Gentiles. We affirm, too, that those 'lost'
ones who were not Israelites indeed will require recognition and blessing under the New
Covenant during the coming Millennial Age, and not during the Gospel Age.
"We
have found, and pointed out the significant fact, that our Lord and the Apostles addressed
the 'twelve tribes' under one name -- 'the House of Israel' -- and this, too, in speaking
directly to the people living in Jerusalem, who, as all admit, were chiefly of the tribe
of Judah, but partially of all the twelve tribes. The fact that the Lord and the Apostles
thus addressed the twelve tribes as one nation, and applied prophecies to them as such,
seems to us quite sufficient reason for our doing the same.
Waiting for the Consolation of Israel
"The
arguments of your correspondent seem to be summed up in the following extracts, which we
quote from your journal. He says:
"'As to
the non-return of Israel, a comparison of Jer. 29:1, 4, 10 with Ezra 1:1 shows that the
edict of Cyrus was in fulfillment of a prophecy which referred exclusively to the Jews;
and from Ezek. 4:3-8 it is patent that Israel's term of captivity had to extend far beyond
Judah's. There is no proof whatever that the ten tribes were embraced in the offer of
Cyrus.'
"We
must take exceptions to these statements, and ask your readers to examine more carefully
the texts cited. Jeremiah (29:1-10) does not advise the people to settle down contentedly,
never expecting to return to Jerusalem, but that they should make themselves comfortably
,at home in the land of Babylon, because there would be no deliverance for seventy years
-- a much longer period of captivity than they had ever 'before experienced.
"Ezra
1:1 does not limit to the members of Judah and Benjamin the privilege or liberty to
return. On the contrary, verse 3 declares that Cyrus extended the offer to 'Whoever ,among
you that is of all His people'; verse 4 repeats the 'whoever,' and makes the invitation
worldwide, as was Cyrus' dominion, by the words 'in every place'; and verse 5 declares
that not only the chiefs of Judah and Benjamin responded, but also 'the priests and the
Levites, with all those whose spirit God, had awakened -- that is, all whose hearts, like
Simeon's, were 'waiting for the consolation of Israel.' Among such were some from the ten
tribes, even though they were fewer. For instance, among those who with Simeon waited in
the temple for the consolation of Israel was Anna, the prophetess, the daughter of
Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. -- Luke 2:36.
"As for
the citation from Ezekiel (4:3-8), no suggestion is offered as to when the forty years
upon Judah, or the three hundred and ninety years upon the remainder of Israel, were
fulfilled. Your correspondent overlooks the fact that although this trouble is divided
into two portions, it is all represented as coming against one people, as illustrated by
the one capital city, Jerusalem, which was portrayed by the Prophet as a part of his
tableau teaching. Some suppose the lesson taught to be that God's wrath against the ten
tribes dated from the time of the revolt, when they went into idolatry, about 390 years
before the desolation of Jerusalem, and that the wrath against the two tribes dated from
forty years before the desolation, when, under King Manasseh, the two tribes became
idolaters, and that God's wrath ceased, or was assuaged, by the expiation for their sins
in the utter desolation of Jerusalem and the land. If this be correct, His favor returned,
while they were in Babylon, to all who revered His promises and waited for the seventy
years .of desolation to expire, that they might return to God's worship in His holy city
and temple.
"We
answer, then, that there is no evidence that the willing, faithful ones of the ten tribes
were hindered and did not return to the holy land after its seventy years desolation. On
the contrary, the evidence shows that they had the liberty to return and that some of them
exercised it.
The Grafting in of Spiritual Israel
"After
quoting from "Millennial Dawn" Vol. III, 'They the ten tribes] deserted the
Israelitish covenant, and became idolaters, unbelievers, and practically Gentiles,' your
correspondent continues
"'This
is perfectly correct: the ten tribes did apostatize and were formally divorced from the
Mosaic covenant. (Jer. 3:8.) But he overlooks the companion jewel -- namely they were to
be remarried in a new and better covenant. (Isa. 54:4-8; Hos. 2:7, 19; Jer. 31:31-33.) The
Israelites were indeed practically Gentiles, and are esteemed Gentiles to this day; but
that is concordant with prophecy; for Ephraim's "multitude of nations" are
"goyim" or nominal Gentiles (Gen.
48:19) ; and the children of Ephraim-Israel, "which cannot be measured nor
numbered," are the off-spring of Lo-ammi, or nominal Gentiles. -- Hos. 1:9, 10:
"We beg
to differ regarding the above statement. The Lord has not remarried, nor will He ever
remarry the ten tribes. The citations prove nothing of this kind. Hosea gives some hard
pictures of a bad people. Chapter 1:4, 6, 7, seems to mention the ten tribes separately
from the two, but promises no more mercy, but, instead, an utter taking away of the ten,
and mercy upon Judah. Verses 9 and 10 show the rejection (for a time) of all Israel (the
natural branches of the olive), and the grafting in of spiritual Israel upon the original
root or promise -- those from among the Gentiles who formerly had not been recognized by
the Lord as His people, who had been strangers and foreigners and aliens to the
commonwealth of Israel, but who are now brought nigh and made partakers through Christ.
This application of this Scripture is made by the
Apostle Paul. (Rom. 9:23-26.) Verse 11 declares that 'then,' at the time of their
rejection and at the time of the recognition of spiritual Israel, Judah and Israel would
be reunited under one head.
The Door of Hope
"Hosea
2:1-7 includes one of the proofs offered; but the most careful search in these verses
discloses no promise from, the Lord that He will remarry them. Reading down to verse 13
proves to the contrary. Then verses 14-18 show the 'door of hope' for these rebellious
people, which the Millennial reign of the true spiritual seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:16, 29)
will open; for verse 18 locates the date of this 'door of hope,' by declaring it to be
after the time of trouble, when wars shall be no more.
"Verses
19 and 20, if applicable to the fleshly seed at all, should be applied to 'all Israel'
(last before mentioned) -- see chapter 1:11 -- and in that case would not call for
fulfillment before the close of the Gospel Age, when wars shall be no more. But there is
good reason for believing that these verses (19 and 20) relate to the spiritual class,
selected during the time when fleshly Israel has been cast off. To this view the 23rd
verse as well as chapter 1:10 gives support, both being quoted in Rom. 9:23-26, and
agreeing well with the Apostle's other statement, 'Israel hath not obtained that which he
seeketh for, abut the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.' -- Rom. 11:7.
"As for
Isaiah 54:1-8, the Apostle Paul has thrown the light of superhuman wisdom upon it, and has
applied it to spiritual Zion, our mother or covenant, symbolized by Sarah. The fleshly
seed of Abraham had been cast off from being heir of the promise, and the true seed,
Christ (typified by Isaac and Rebecca), had been received as the only seed of promise. --
Gal. 4:22, 24, 26-31.
Prophecy not Yet Fulfilled
"Jeremiah
31:29-33 is quite to the point. It was written at a time when the ten tribes, called
Israel, were separate from the two, called Judah; and hence it was necessary for the
Prophet to mention both, in order not to be misunderstood to mean the ten tribes only. But
here, in verse 31, he puts the two together; and, after thus joining them as one, he uses
the one name for all, in verses 33 and 36; and this is confirmed by verses 38-40, which
describe places lying in the portion of the two tribes, in and about Jerusalem.
"But
next let us notice that this is a prophecy not yet fulfilled; so that the ten tribes, even
if they could clearly identify themselves now, have as yet no cause for boasting. They
would do better to wait until the New Covenant is made with them, and until the law of
that New Covenant has been written in their hearts. Then surely they will no longer boast
themselves of their old covenant, but of the new.
"During
the Gospel Age the New Covenant and its blessed heart-writing and spirit-teaching is not
for the ten tribes, nor for the two. It must first be sealed by the blood (death) of the
Mediator -- Head and Body, from Jews and Gentiles. The fleshly seed (Ishmael) must wait
until the spiritual seed (Isaac) has inherited all, and must then get his portion through
Isaac. In those days-when the fleshly seed receives its portion-the blessed Millennial
privileges, mentioned in verses 29 and 30, will be realized.
"Beloved,
let us make our calling and election sure by the obedience of faith, and not hope for
spiritual blessings to come to us because of fleshly connection-which the Lord's Word
clearly shows us cannot be. If the Anglo-Saxon races are the literal descendants of the
ten lost tribes, it certainly is to their advantage that the Lord will overlook the
relationship and count them as Gentiles; for His favor was withdrawn from the natural seed
when the remnant had been selected, and He turned to take out the people for His name from
among the Gentiles, who previously were not His people; and, as we have seen, no return of
His favor is promised until the elect Church shall have been completed, in the Millennial
dawn."
Concerning Ephraim and Manasseh
We submit a
question and its reply by Brother Russell:
Question --
"At what time in the forgotten history of the race did the house of Joseph enjoy the
birthright blessings of Gen. 48:19?
Answer --
"The birthright, with its 'double portion' of the promised land (Deut. 21 :15-17),
went to Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph; and the blessing, 'let them grow into a
multitude in the midst of the earth [margin, land],' made the double portion almost a
necessity. Nevertheless, notice carefully that the ruling power went to Judah. -- See Gen.
49:8-12.
"You
possibly refer specially to Jacob's declaration, Ephraim 'shall become a multitude of
nations.' The marginal reading corrects this to read 'fullness of nations.' But the
fullness of what nations? We answer, Ephraim became the fullness' of multitude to the
tribes, or nations, or peoples* of Israel. Look in your 'Teacher's Bible' at a map showing
Canaan as divided among the tribes, and note the goodly portions given to the children of
Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) on the west of Jordan; and then note how the 'branches went
over the wall' or river; see the large tract east of Jordan. In all they had about
one-half of Canaan. These large appropriations of the best of the land were because these
tribes were multitudinous amongst the tribes or nations of Israel. The map shows Manasseh
more numerous than Ephraim at the beginning: but soon, as Jacob had prophesied in this
blessing, Ephraim became the greater, so that when the federation of tribes split and
formed rival kingdoms, the influence of Ephraim's multitudes among the nations or tribes
was so great that the side which he espoused took the name Israel, and sometimes because
.of his numbers and influence all were called Ephraim.
_______________
" *The
same Hebrew word rendered nations in Gen. 48:19 is rendered the people in referring to the
twelve tribes, in the following passages:-Josh. 3:17; 4:1; 5:6, 8; 10:13; Judges
2:20."
_______________
"Now
turn to Gen. 49 and compare the blessings upon Judah in verses 8-12 with those upon Joseph
(including Ephraim and Manasseh) in verses 22-26. Both blessings are great, but that of
Judah is by far the greater.
"The
statement, 'The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: but his
bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the
mighty God of Jacob, by the name of* the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel; even by the God of
thy father, who shall help thee,' is not a promise for the future but a recounting of
Joseph's past experiences at the hands of his brethren. His blessings, as enumerated, are
multitudes of children and estate. If any think the prosperity of Joseph's children among
the tribes does not fulfil all this, let them recognize the fact that Ephraim and Manasseh
constituted a majority of the dispersed Israelites now commonly called 'Jews' after the
name of their great capital city, Jerusalem. Surely, the Jews are a fullness amongst all
nations, and prosperous as no other people. They are, as predicted, lenders to many
nations (Dent. 28:12), and in a particular manner are pushing or goring all peoples to the
ends of the earth; (See Deut. 33:17, Revised Version) so much so that every nation is
seeking to get rid of them. These are the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of
Manasseh.'"
______________
* Preferred
reading of old Mss.
_______________
"So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." -- Psa. 90:12
THIS prayer
of the Psalmist which has been selected as our year motto text, conveys a thought of
solemn import to all the Lord's people; and we trust that in having it before our minds as
a daily prayer, it may have the good effect of strengthening our resolves to please the
Lord in the very highest sense and to make the most progress possible in the Narrow Way.
While the
sentiment of this prayer can to some extent be appreciated by the natural man, it is best
understood and appreciated by the children of the light, those who have been called out of
the darkness of this world, and through the knowledge of the Divine purpose are enabled to
place the proper valuation upon the present life, its opportunities and privileges. At
very best and most the present life is brief -- seemingly altogether too short to achieve
the great ends that are placed in view. A glorious goal has been set before the people of
God; and there are certain purposes, changes, transformations that must be wrought out in
them if they would ever reach the goal. Work out your own salvation, admonishes the
Apostle, addressing those who have been made partakers of the heavenly calling; but he
also adds, it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. It is for
us as His children to see to it that His Word of truth, His Spirit, His corrections and
providences work in us increasingly the desire to fulfil all His good pleasure.
The Apostle
Paul also says something about "redeeming the time" because the days are evil.
The thought is that we are to very carefully guard our time; we redeem the time in the
sense of purchasing it through self-denials, by the practice of denial of certain uses of
our time that might be in the direction of personal and self-gratification. The cares of
this life, its necessities, the customs of the world, our fallen tendencies, all would
absorb every hour of life in the things pertaining to this life, whereas, as New
Creatures, our. new hopes and aims and efforts are properly ,centered upon things above,
the heavenly, the King's matters. Where may we obtain the necessary time wherewith to
study and refresh ourselves in rehearsing the blessings, the promises, the favors which
are ours as New Creatures? And where may we obtain the time for telling these Good Tidings
to others? If we allow the spirit of the world to direct us, we shall have no time for any
of these things and shall fail, but as wise and not as foolish children of the Lord, we
will see and appreciate the greater importance of the heavenly things and be ready to
sacrifice our earthly interests and customs and ambitions in favor of the heavenly.
"The Time is Short"
Again the
Apostle Paul solemnly admonishes the Church, reminding them that "the time is
short." Therefore as we endeavor to number our days it means that we consider how
very short is the opportunity which each of us as individuals possess, that we may more
fully realize the necessity for haste and diligence in the Master's service. When we
deduct from the brief space of our present life the years past before we came to a
knowledge of the Truth and consecrated our lives to the service of God, and then the
declining years of life when sight groves dim and physical strength grows more and more
feeble, and then the time and strength which must be expended in providing the things
needful for the temporal wants of ourselves and those necessarily dependent upon us, even
with the greatest economy of time, how much is left for the great work in hand to which we
have consecrated ourselves?
Truly the
Apostle Paul was right-the time left for service is extremely short, and it behooves the
saints to resolutely push aside the hindrances and overcome the obstacles if they would
run successfully for the prize, or accomplish any thing to the Master's honor, or show
their love and appreciation of the Good Tidings by sounding the trumpet of truth to
fellow-pilgrims.
Finally,
while necessarily occupied with the business of this life and the expenditure of its
incomes we should not go beyond the just using of it for ourselves as becometh saints.
Provide things honest, decent, and comfortable for the temporal necessities and then give
them no further thought.
Though we
have consecrated ourselves and all our goods which we have acquired or may acquire to the
Lord, He permits us to appropriate this much of it for our temporal wants. In harmony with
our covenant this only is the proper using of earthly goods.
How truly
narrow is the way which the saints must walk to follow the footsteps of their Master!
There is self-denial at every step, but Jesus said, "He that taketh not his cross and
followeth after Me, is, not worthy of Me." If we cannot prove our love for the Lord
by thus sharing in His reproaches and self-denials, we are not of the class He wishes to
make His Bride. It will be no easy thing for any to endure unto the end, but blessed is he
that shall do it. If we keep looking at the things behind, cherishing the old ambitions
and fostering the old spirit which once held us, endurance of our trials will become more
difficult if not impossible; but let us take the Apostle's advice, and forgetting the
things behind, seek new conquests over the world, the flesh, and the Evil One. Let us thus
press forward toward the mark for the prize of our high calling which is of God through
Christ Jesus. And bearing in mind that the time is short, let us make haste to improve
passing opportunities for such a grand and blessed service. Truly blessed and rich will he
be who learns to number his days and gives all diligence to those things which embrace the
heavenly treasures of wisdom and grace Divine.
Dear
Brethren:
Loving
greetings in the Lord.
Enclosed
please accept money order for $_____. Please continue to send the "Herald" to
the following addresses: . . .
The ministry
of your journal is indeed a help in our walk in the Narrow Way, a spiritual strength and
encouragement in these trying times. You are holding on to the things, doctrines, which we
have learned and which have prompted us, to give our all to God in eternal consecration
They still satisfy our longings as nothing else can do. My heart is still centered on the
things above, on the blessed promised day when I shall see my greatest Benefactor face to
face, and be able then to render better service, better praise, for all He has done for
me.
There is
much "new light" shining out now from various sources; brethren which are near
and dear to us are attracted by it -- but the discouraging feature about it is, they do
not return with joy and gladness in their hearts, a song for the Lord, and prayer on their
lips, a word of encouragement for their fellow-travelers in the way, but instead, with
confusion, on a sandy foundation, strife the fruits of our great Adversary's spirit, not
the Holy Spirit of God. Truly, by their fruits we shall know them, and God is not the
author of confusion, but of peace. When I shall see individuals walking in the new
"light," deeper consecrated, more sanctified, more like our dear Lord, I will
accept it as light from God; until then I will be content and thank God for the things I
have received in the past.
May God
continue to bless you in your efforts to minister to His people. "He is not
unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love." -- Heb. 6:10.
Yours in the invisible bonds of
Christian love,
M. F. M. -- Colo.
Dear
Brethren in the Beloved:
I am not
very good at expressing my thoughts on paper, but feel prompted to send you a little
encouragement in regards to your labor of love toward the Church of God. The
"Heralds" are helpful for our spiritual life; the contents are very spiritual
and give me an indication that it is the Spirit of God working through the various
brethren conveying the message to the people of God.
We here are
a small company . . . but the brethren are whole hearted for God and His cause, and we
rejoice that God is not confined to great numbers, but where the two's or three's meet, we
have the wonderful promise that Jesus is in our midst. We all realize that it is our
privilege and bounden duty to make our calling and election sure. One of the grandest
works accomplished in our lives is the fruit of the Spirit of God (not our own fruit) --
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control
-- against such. there is no law. Jesus said, "Herein is My Father glorified that ye
bear much fruit."
I noticed in
the "Herald" that you have reprinted the book, "The Divine Plan of the
Ages." I am enclosing £_____. Will you kindly send as many of these books as the
amount will pay for. We want them for loaning.
This Age
seems to be rapidly closing. May we all be ready -- "Watch and pray." Oh, the
joy, the ecstasy, when our Lord appears and we shall see Him as He is in His glory! Oh,
that we may be found worthy to be like Him! Wonderful love of God to give us this
privilege of running in the race for the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus!
May God
bless you all and give you grace to put on Love, which is the bond of perfectness (Col.
3:14), and also to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace.
Your sister in the one Hope,
B. K. -- Aus.
Dear
Brethren:
Enclosed
find check for $______ as part of my Good Hopes for this year. I was at the Buffalo
Convention in September and I received a great blessing.
I just
finished reading a booklet given me by a brother in regard to the Pyramid; the author
states that upon reviewing the measurements of the Pyramid he finds a few errors which
make August 28th, which is now past, and also October 3rd as the final date for the big
battle of Armageddon to begin. These two dates have passed and nothing has come to pass to
substantiate the deductions. Those who follow these calculations mean all right, but the
article in the last "Herald" in regard to the "Acts of the Apostles"
makes very clear the meaning of Christ's words to the disciples when they asked Him if He
would at that time restore the Kingdom to Israel. Christ gives us signs to watch for,
which would tell us how near the Kingdom is and about where we stand on the stream of time
(and I think we are close to the end of this Age), but He also told us that no one would
know the exact "day and hour." The indications of its nearness would be given to
His faithful watchers, He has assured us. Take heed that your heart is not overcharged
with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon you
unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole
earth. (Luke 21:33-35.) May the good Lord continue to bless and keep you.
Your brother in Christ by His grace,
P. M. C.-N. Y.
VOL. XII. January 15, 1929 No. 2
"ALL
THINGS are onward moving," says the poet; and in this time of unparalleled
development in knowledge and education along many lines, the pace at which all things are
moving, increases with the years; and the year which has just closed is no exception. The
words of the same poet indicate the great end toward which all things are progressing:
"Let the blessed time begin
The old is swiftly passing
And the new is coming in. "
Because this
is without doubt the day of the long hoped for transition or change from the old order of
the reign of sin and death, to the new dispensation of righteousness and life, it is
recognized to be in many respects the most interesting period thus far of human history.
All humanity instinctively waits for the Golden Age. The longing for the darkness to pass
and for the day of light and peace to dawn becomes so intense that some would believe that
the world's last great conflict is in the past and that permanent peace is now assured.
Indeed, all lovers of peace must heartily commend many of the noble expressions and
efforts in the direction of peace that come under our observation in these recent years.
These efforts are ío be commended even though they will not be attended with the success
that is hoped, for the Lord's method of bringing in peace is along a different line and
according to His own program. But those who do not understand the Lord's way, and they are
the vast majority, are not to be criticized for doing the best they can and for believing
that they are making progress. Thus reads an Editorial in "The New York Times,"
of December 30:
"We
have a great body of men and women in all countries looking hopefully for peace and
combining their individual efforts so as not only to seek it but to ensue it. Thus it may
fairly be said that a new orientation of the world has been coming about. Public men and
responsible government officials are in ever greater numbers willing to modify the old
vengeful saying, so as to make it read: 'From this time forth my thoughts be peaceful or
be nothing worth.'
"It
would require almost a chapter to include the whole list of agencies and organizations now
seeking to embody, in one way or another, the world's will for peace. Several of the more
prominent of them have been lately in the public eye. There is the Kellogg Peace Treaty,
with its unavowed but implicit relation to the League of Nations. The latter body
continues to function in many useful ways, one of which was its prompt and effective
appeal to Bolivia and Paraguay in order to substitute arbitration for arms in settling a
dispute about territory. To this same end the Pan-American Conference, fortunately meeting
in Washington at the time, and also fortunately not bound by instructions from the home
governments of the delegates, who were thus left with a free hand, contributed usefully.
Step by step, in spite of discouragements, the movement of the nations toward an agreement
by which armaments may be cut down, and military burdens be lightened on the shoulders of
the taxpayer, makes progress. A meeting of the Preparatory Commission of the League of
Nations is now set down for April, and the United States will again have representatives
present at it. There may be no Wilson peace award for 1928, but it is obvious that in this
year the Wilson peace spirit has been mightily astir."
The Bible
analyzes the present situation as cannot be done by any of the great masters of this
world: Sin, selfishness, and general depravity are at the bottom of all strife, anguish,
distress and trouble, and only He who is declared to be the Prince of Peace and who the
Prophet assures us will arise with healing in His beams, can so teach the world of
humanity the lesson of love in connection with the iron rule of the new Age, that they
shall be at peace and learn war no more.
__________
AMONGST THE IMPORTANT THINGS
The end of
the old year and the beginning of the new is generally made an occasion for serious
reflection on the part of all the sober minded and thoughtful. How to improve upon the
past, how best to face the future, and what is to be regarded as most deserving of the
concentration of all our powers, are amongst those considerations to receive careful
attention. Another writing on the general outlook at the beginning of the year submits the
following as amongst the most important contemplations:
"To
form good habits that will take you through life comfortably is more important than to get
money.
"Above
all, to learn, through the will, to control yourself, which means that you are really
master of yourself, is the greatest human good.
"Many a
man with plenty of money 'controlling his time,' cannot control himself. Many are to be
pitied, as they drift from one city to another, from one indulgence to another, from one
divorce to another, from one fine house and automobile to another.
"Whether
you are the slave of another man with a lash oven you, or whether all the monkeys,
jackals, tigers, foxes, and pigs, locked up in your disposition, control you, instead of
being controlled. by you, makes no great difference.
"The
difficult thing, for nearly all of us, is to retain interest in the new year and its
possibilities, keeping alive our desire for progress, as the days, weeks, and months
slowly drag along.
"Spring
comes with sprouting green, and then the hot. days of summer.
"Gradually
effort seems less worth while, rest and 'taking things easy' more desirable.
"Anybody
can be excited, interested, ambitious and determined for a little while.
"Anybody
can run a hundred yards at a fair rate of speed, but running a mile is another thing, and
running the Marathon is another.
"Life
is a Marathon. Each year is a long race.
"And no
matter how well you start a race, no matter how good your intentions, if you sit down in
the middle or slow down to a walk, you won't do much as a racer.
"The
trouble with nearly all of us is, that it seems so reasonable to slacken the pace,
particularly when we cannot see ourselves passing others.
"The
most important thing in the world, which is steady, determined work, often seems the
dullest, the least worth while."
The child of
God enjoys an advantage that is all-important: Conscious that in his flesh dwelleth no
good thing, and that of himself he can do nothing, that he cannot live the overcoming life
in his own strength, he learns to cast his burden upon the Lord and is thereby instructed
that it is not by might nor power, but, "by My Spirit saith the Lord." He learns
that the Lord's Spirit operates through the power of faith and that this is the victory
that overcometh the world, even your faith. The Holy Spirit or power from the Lord becomes
the source of his daily victories, becomes the means whereby he is able to keep his body
under, whereby he is enabled to rule his own spirit, and with St. Paul to say, "I can
do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
___________
"NEW CONCEPT OF GOD IN LIGHT OF
RESEARCH URGED ON SCIENTISTS"
Truly the
Apostle declares that the world by its wisdom knows not God. Many times since the
utterance of those words has their truthfulness been substantiated by the foolish theories
and philosophies of men. One of the latest of such expressions was read by Dr. Harry Elmer
Barnes, of Smith's College, before a recent conference of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science:
"Man
began living in caves in Mesopotamia or Central Asia between 500,000 and 1,000,000 years
ago and has developed to such a mastery of the universe that a new definition of God, in
the light of astrophysical studies, has now become necessary, while the Ten Commandments
must be subjected to the same scientific
scrutiny as that with which we would examine cosmology portrayed in Genesis.
"From
stressing man's debt to his animal ancestors for his hands, feet, backbone, and brain,
scientists traced his upward growth and struggle to his conquest of atoms and electrons
and his advancing revelations of the starry universe. Contemporary science, it was said,
had necessitated a complete revolution in the accepted views of the purpose of life. The
new cosmic perspective has banished the old idea of sin, although admitting immorality, it
was said, and new rules of conduct, based on scientific foundations, must be worked out.
"Dr.
Barnes, in a paper on 'Medical Science Versus Religion as a Guide to Life,' appealed for a
supplanting of theology by mental hygiene and said that the sociologist must unite with
the student of mental hygiene to work out a valid basis for new rules of conduct that will
rest squarely on scientific foundations.
"Dr.
Barnes said that if there is a greater need for an adequate conception of God, 'this newer
view of God must be formulated in the light of contemporary astrophysics, which completely
repudiates the theological and cosmological outlook of Holy Scripture. It is of little
value to attempt to inculcate a view of God so hopelessly inadequate and out of date as
that which was slowly and painfully evolved by the semi-barbarous Hebrew peoples in the
days when a rudimentary type of geocentric and anthropomorphic outlook reigned supreme and
unchallenged.'
"Contemporary
science, according to Dr. Barnes, has necessitated a complete revolution in the accepted
views of the purpose of life. This earth, he said, can no longer be viewed 'as a training
camp preparatory for life in the New Jerusalem,' but should be regarded as a place in
which man should make himself as happy as possible during his temporary existence here on
earth.
"Would Test Decalogue"
"'If
the Ten Commandments are to be obeyed today, it should be only when their precepts and
advice can be proved to square with the best natural and social science of the present
time,' he declared. 'They must be subjected to the same objective scientific scrutiny as
that to which we would submit the cosmology of Genesis or the medical views in Leviticus.
"'The
new cosmic perspective and Biblical criticism, indeed, rule out of civilized nomenclature
one of the basic categories of all religious and metaphysical morality, namely sin. One
may admit the existence of immorality and crime, but scarcely sin, which is by technical
definition a willful and direct affront to God -- a violation of the explicitly revealed
will of God. Modern science has shown it to be difficult to prove the very existence of
God, and. even more of a problem to show any direct solicitude of God for our petty and
ephemeral planet. Biblical criticism, the history of religions and cultural history have
revealed the fact that we can in no direct and literal sense look upon the Bible or any
other existing holy book as embodying the revealed will of God. Consequently, if we do not
and cannot know the nature of the will of God in regard to human behavior, we cannot very
well know when we are violating, it. In other words, sin is scientifically indefinable and
unknowable. Hence sin goes in to the limbo of ancient superstitions such as witchcraft
and sacrifice."
More and
more it becomes evident that amongst the most dangerous foes to the Christian faith today
are those sophistries and fabrications promulgated by the learned men of this world, under
the distinguished title of "scientific truth." The devout student of the Divine
revelation has nothing to fear. Because having the Divine sealing in his forehead, and
intellectual appreciation of the truthfulness of God's Word, he is prepared to recognize
the empty and utterly vain claims and assertions of those who w |