VOL.
LVII. November/December 1974 No. 6 "Good Tidings of Great Joy"
"And the angel said unto
them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings THE
great sea of human history has been divided into two parts, B.C. and A.D., and this division
was marked off by the appearance of a "great star," the star which
guided the Magi of the East to the manger where lay the Babe of Bethlehem. What
has the Bible to say concerning this stupendous event? -- for stupendous it was
when we reflect upon what really occurred in this humble scene of the nativity.
What do we find in the Old Testament which was so clearly defined that men
were at the proper time in expectation of the Messiah? Examining the record of
the Prophets, we will note a long line of prophetic utterances of such import
that they stand out in bold relief against an otherwise dark and hopeless background,
in very much the same way that the literal stars stand out in the night sky
against the background of the measureless heavens. A STAR OF HOPEThese
prophecies have their beginning at the very dawn of human history, when the
violation of God's command had brought upon our first parents the inescapable
penalty, "death" -- dying thou shalt die. However, God's mercy,
which is ever at work, in keeping with his other attributes, extended a
flickering ray of hope in the vague but meaningful words, "The seed of the
woman shall bruise the serpent's head." Not a very bright star is this
one, but at least a twinkle of light in an otherwise darkened sky. From this
moment forward "the seed" was to become a most important development
of God's great Plan of the Ages, around which all other events would revolve.
All of God's dealings with men and nations during Old Testament times were in
preparation for that promised "seed." The purpose of God to send into
the world his only begotten Son is continually kept in view by means of his
own choosing. Even the line of descent from father to son is clearly and
uninterruptedly traced from Adam down, until its end is found in the "Babe in the
manger." Here the genealogy ceases since there is no further need for its
continuance. In
the generations of Adam it is recorded of each individual that he lived so many
years and "he died," but of the promised seed, the Second Man, the
Lord from, heaven, it is said, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and,
behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hides and of
death" (Rev. 1:18). Thus we see how great a light was lighted at
Bethlehem, and how luminous has become the little twinkle in Eden, "the
seed of the woman," whose mission has become an accomplished fact. STAR OF PROMISEThe
next star we observe on the horizon of human affairs is in association with
the life of Abraham. The story is a familiar one, but always a source of
inspiration to the Lord's faithful. Here the light shines with clearer and
steadier ray, when in rewarding Abraham's faithfulness the promise comes
clear, strong, and definite: "Because thou hast done this thing, and has
not withheld thy son, thine only son; that in blessing I will bless thee, and
in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand
which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his
enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because
thou hast obeyed my voice" (Gen. 22:16-18). We
are all aware of the life of faith and obedience which eventuated in this
far-reaching promise to Abraham. How closely it touches the life of every
Christian when we read concerning its fulfillment that "if ye be
Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise"
(Gal. 3:29). This promise has been a spiritual beacon, through all the intervening
centuries in natural Israel and then to spiritual Israel, for it contains so
very much of hope for the poor groaning creation. It is the herald of good
tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people. Its surety is attested by
the oath of him who said, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my
mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I
please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isa.
55:11). The
Gospel was indeed preached before unto Abraham, when to him was said: "In
thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed" -- a
comprehensive but positive statement as to what God's purpose is with respect
to the human family. STAR OF JACOB
We
come now to a third Messianic. Star, which appears in connection with the
closing days of Jacob's life. Brighter and brighter do they shine as we go on.
Jacob, aware that his life was drawing to a close, calls for a gathering of his
sons. "Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall
befall you in the last days.... The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a
lawgiver from between
his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people
be" (Gen. 49:1, 10). We
are not left to human speculation as to the significance of this prophecy or
the identity of the one to whom it refers. We know that our Lord sprang from
the tribe of Judah. In fact, he is referred to in Revelation 5:5 as the Lion of
the tribe of Judah and the one worthy to open the book and to loose the seven
seals thereof. Jacob's message to Judah is thus seen to be of deep import and
to have far reaching and everlasting results. It sets forth the Lion of the
tribe of Judah as the One through whom will come the blessings of the great Millennial Age. A STAR IN THE TYPICAL HEAVENSAnother
prophecy was given in the days of Moses: Deuteronomy 18:15: "The Lord thy
God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren,
like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken." Deut. 18:18: "I will raise
them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth;
and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." We
see in Moses, to whom these words were spoken, a type of the Prophet to come. Moses, in his Office
as mediator and leader of his people, found it his duty to direct the minds of
his people to the one true God, and to obedience to that one God. Jesus, the
antitype, will perform a far greater and more effectual mediatorial work than
did Moses for the children of Israel. His great Kingdom will be from sea to
sea, and his kingly sway to the ends of the earth, which will be filled with
the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the great deep. A STAR OF FIRST MAGNITUDEWe
find in the Psalms also a prophecy of our Lord: "I will declare the
decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten
thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and
the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession" (Ps. 2:7, 8). This
Psalm, written by David out of his own experience, portrays the great struggle
which shall attend the ushering in of the Lord's Kingdom, against the
opposition of entrenched powers of evil. The Psalm also refers to certain
aspects of our Lord's first advent. Its language is so vivid and comprehensive
that it takes its place among the major prophecies respecting the coming of
the Lord to take control of earth's affairs. We might therefore consider it as
one of the brighter Messianic Stars -- a prophetic star of
first
magnitude. THE STAR OF BETHLEHEMComing
now to another portion of the inspired Word, namely, Isaiah, we also come to a
great galaxy of Messianic Stars, for Isaiah is recognized as one of the major
Prophets, who spoke out in great
detail regarding the coming Kingdom and its King. Notable among these is our
sixth Messianic Star, which is found in Isaiah 7:14: "Behold, a virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." In
Matthew 1:22, 23, this prophecy is applied to the birth of Jesus. Here it is
specifically stated that it is a fulfillment of the words of the Prophet; that Jesus was born of a
virgin, and that he would save his people from their sins. The details which
attended this great event are familiar to all and need not be rehearsed here,
but it is pertinent to our theme to
call attention to the celestial activity that accompanied it. To the humble
shepherds on the Judean hillside it was announced under the glare of a heavenly light by an angel
from heaven, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall
be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior,
which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the
babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger" (Luke 2:10-12). What
a sign! What a contrast to the general evidences attending the birth of a
child! What a condescension for the One who was the Logos, the Creator of all
things, to be thus made in the likeness of men! What a humble, helpless-
beginning! A babe in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes! This shall be a
sign unto you shepherds when you come to present yourselves to worship him.
That is, the circumstances surrounding his birth would be so unusual as to
leave no doubt in their minds that this was the long promised Messiah: the
Savior of Israel. How perfectly adapted were the surroundings to the thought
that "though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye
through his poverty might be rich" (2 Cor. 8:9). Here
we might also consider another aspect of this most wonderful story. "Now
when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold
there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is
born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to
worship him" (Matt. 2:1, 2). Who were these who had traveled so far by
faith, to see what to them the Scriptures and the heavens had indicated so
clearly? The Scriptures do not identify them, yet they do leave us with the
impression that they were men of faith, a faith moreover which linked them to
the prophecies concerning a coming Messiah, a deliverer for Israel, a king of
the Jews. THE ROYAL STARIsaiah
9:6, 7: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the
increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of
David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and
with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will
perform this." To a people ruled over by a hated usurper not even of their
own nation, it must have been a treasured thought that one day there would be a
child born whose destiny would be to rule over his people; that a son would be
given to sit upon the throne of David, in accordance with the covenant God had
made with that illustrious monarch, for he had promised David that one of his
seed would be ruler of a Kingdom which would be established forever (2 Sam.
7:12, 13). The character of that great King is well outlined for us in the
titles which are ascribed to him by the Prophet. WONDERFUL COUNSELORThese
words describe the One who would possess the wisdom to guide all the affairs of
his worldwide dominion. How necessary that seems in our day, when men are wrestling
hopelessly with the problems besetting the age in which we live. Men take
counsel together concerning the great questions and situations that confront
them. They try hard, but failing to seek the "wisdom that cometh from
above," their counsel comes to naught. "If any . . . lack
wisdom," we are told by the Apostle James, "let him ask of God, who
giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not" (James 1:5). This wisdom is
so different from that of the world, which is foolishness and perisheth.
"The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and
easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, . . . " (James 3:17).
How true this is can be vouched for by those who are privileged during this
Gospel Age to follow in the footsteps of this Wonderful Counselor, and thus
profit by the wisdom from above, which he is so willing to impart to those
who ask for it in faith. MIGHTY GODThis
Wonderful Counselor is also a mighty One whose power has already been
demonstrated in creation; the One, too, in whom is vested the power to carry
out the Divine commission with respect to the salvation of the world;
"mighty to save" in that he has given himself as the puchase price
for the whole race lost in Adam, "For as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22). What greater demonstration
of power could we conceive of than that he should raise the dead, for indeed,
all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and come
forth. He is the resurrection and the life. His mighty power will be
marvelously demonstrated when he lays hold of that old serpent, which is the
Devil and Satan, and binds him with a great chain, putting him in the pit and
sealing it, that thus he should deceive the nations no longer. Then with Satan
and his evil influences in restraint, the great work of restoring all things
will be carried forward speedily and without hindrance, bringing Divine blessings
unto "all people." EVERLASTING FATHERLife
is invested in the Father, and Jesus is Life-giver because he has the right to
impart life to every one who will come unto God by him. He is the One in whom
resides the power to regenerate, to give life to all those who were lost in
Adam. This not only involves a resurrection from the dead, but a loving and
considerate guidance up the highway of holiness; a dispensing of the gifts and
blessings of that glorious Kingdom to the obedient, to all who will then hear
and obey the voice of "that Prophet." THE PRINCE OF PEACEOf
the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end; upon the throne
of David and upon his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment
and with justice from henceforth even forever. Need we say anything about the
fact that "peace" is uppermost in the minds of the people most of the
time. The strange thing is that men go about promoting it in direct opposition
to the ways of the great Prince of Peace. It is, therefore, a foregone
conclusion that there will be no peace until he who stilled the waves of
Galilee shall speak peace. This, we believe, will be after the greatest of all
storms, which seems now to be building up on the horizon and before which men's
hearts are failing them for fear. Little
do men realize what a feast of fat things the Lord has planned for his
creatures beyond this vale of tears. The Word of God leaves no doubt as to the
character of that Kingdom, for it presents a most amazing contrast to that of
Satan's kingdom, under which mankind has been learning the exceeding sinfulness
of sin, where there has been sin, sickness and death, violence and bloodshed,
unrighteousness and oppression. There, in the Kingdom to come, it will be
peace, harmony, and plenty; and there love, goodness, and mercy will prevail,
and a harmony which will adjust the separation of man and beast which is
based on fear, for, according to the Prophet, the lion shall lose his carnivorous
propensity and be measurably domesticated, as will be all the animal kingdom.
Then man's original dominion over that kingdom will be restored. How precious
are the thoughts concerning that day as they are portrayed for us by the
Revelator in the twenty-first chapter of Revelation, where we read: "And
I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth
were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be
his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the
former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I
make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and
faithful" (Rev. 21:1-5). How
wonderful and significant, then, are the words announced to those trembling
shepherds on the Judean hillside: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the
city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." - J. B. Webster Thanksgiving
"Oh give thanks unto
Jehovah; for He is good; TO
THE Christian, every day is a day of thanksgiving. The Psalmist expresses this
attitude: "O Lord.... we Thy people and sheep of Thy pasture will give Thee thanks for
ever." "Giving thanks always," says the Apostle, "for all
things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ unto God, even the Father." -
Psalm 79:13; Eph. 5:20. The
appointment by the head of the nation of a special Day of Thanksgiving is
profitable to the Christian, however, for it prompts him to an enumeration of
his many and infinite blessings. When we attempt this we are impelled to
exclaim with Paul: "Thanks be to God for His unspeakable bounty" --
which is just another way of saying "The half has never been told."
"Unspeakable" here means not something which cannot be spoken of, but
that which has not been fully spoken or
declared. For
the gift of Jesus, our Savior; for the "peace with God which comes as a
result of His sacrifice; for the further "grace wherein we stand" --
the great High Calling to the Priesthood -- as a result of which "we
rejoice in hope of the glory of God": for the daily experiences, testings,
trials, and for the daily supply of grace which enables us to benefit eternally
by these temporal afflictions --all these are but a part of His
"unspeakable bounty." Eternity, and the cumulative capacity of
"all saints" will be required to realize and to tell the complete
story of our Father's munificence. - 2 Cor. 9:15; Eph. 2:18. Not
the least of our present and particular blessings is that of living under a
civil government that assures to every citizen complete liberty of religious
assemblage, worship, and expression -- in speech and in print. For such a
government we may well heed the Apostle's words: "I exhort, therefore,
first of all, that thanksgiving be made for . . . kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead
a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity." - 1 Tim. 2:1, 2. The
Apostle Paul made what might be described as the first general Thanksgiving
proclamation, on the Areopagus, or Hill of Mars, in Athens. After gracefully
complimenting the philosophers on their regard for religion, he referred to
the altar he had observed in passing through their streets, inscribed "To
an unknown god," and continued: "Whom
... ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. . . . He is the Lord of
heaven and earth ... He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things . . .
All nations of men .. . should seek the Lord ... for in him we live, and move,
and have our being. .. . And . . . he hath appointed a day, in the which he
will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath
ordained...." - Acts 17:23-31. The
God that Paul declared is almost as "unknown" to the modern world as
he was to the ancient Athenians. The Apostle did not attempt to enlighten the
Athenians in respect to God except in regard to the three broad generalities
about him: He is the Creator, he is the Preserver, he is the Restorer, of man's
life. The modern world shares the skepticism of the Athenians regarding the
third of these affirmations -the doctrine of the resurrection. While the
modern religionist, like the ancient, is willing to grant that God (through
some partly understood scientific laws) was the Creator, and, in a vague and
secondary way, is the preserver or helper of those who "help
themselves," when it comes to the future life, he seems to find it easier
to believe in something intangible and visionary than in the simplicity of the
Scriptural resurrection. To believe in that he must believe in
God! The idea of man coming back, through a resurrection, to solid earth and
veritable flesh and blood is as absurd even to the majority of professed
Christians as it was to the ancient Areopagites, who "mocked when they
heard of the resurrection of the dead." Today
the true Christian stands, as alien as was Paul in Athens, in the midst of
another and greater Mars' Hill -- a world preponderantly committed to reliance
for safety and wellbeing upon force of arms and the god of war. From every
direction the winds bring the sound of clanging machinery forging the weapons
of warfare, the blare of martial music and the hoarse shouts of the multitude
of military hero-worshipers. Few indeed hear the Voice speaking behind them,
saying: "Yet have I set my
king upon my holy hill of Zion. Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations
for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron." - Psalm 2.
- H. E. Hollister A Pilgrim's Reverie
"So he bringeth them
unto their desired haven." - Psalm 107:30. WHAT
would life be without its bridges and its fords, its resting spots where we
recline beneath the blossoming boughs and beside the still waters of quietness?
What would it be without its royal summits where we gather to our hearts
visions of the Home Land that lies beyond the tiresome journey, its halls of
friendship where hand grips hand with the earnestness of true love, and heart
becomes knit to heart in confidence and trust? And last, but not least, how
important its starting places, where having taken a retrospective glance along
the years and braced our hearts with new determination, we once more turn our
feet toward the road, buoyed up with an optimism which whispers to us that
bigger, better, nobler days lie ahead of us, and that some day we shall reach
the Palace of Blessedness, the place of life's consummation, which lies beyond
the arduous country of endeavor. How often the mind travels back - away back -
to air castles built in sunny childhood and buoyant youth, for "The
thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts." Old scenes and memories, how
they throng upon us and will not be lightly thrust aside. And through the
varying way how well we know that a great hand has been guiding our steps, leading
us into the light of an unfading and wondrous hope.
Ah,
yes, for there shall be no night there, and the end shall pay us a thousand
fold for all the toil and struggle of the way. Thus we cogitate, and in these
meditations which, effulgent in silvery light, brighten the night like stars,
we find the quiescence and the joy of faith, affording comfort through every
day and keeping alive that hope which is as an "anchor to the soul, both sure
and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. What a forepicture
of the Ages of Glory when the cold blasts of selfishness and pride shall be
shut out from human hearts, and the purest goodwill and love shall glow and
fill the world with the light of God. And
as the years have passed, the advance of time has meant much to some of us. We
are richer in experience because of the days and hours God has spread before
us. We think our love has a farther range, a fuller sweep, a stronger and truer
grip on "Love divine all loves excelling." Our sympathies have
broadened, our faith has deepened, our hope bears iridescent hues of a
brighter glow. Our craving for righteousness is more intense. We have moved
farther up the stream of truth; we are less from its source than we were years
ago. Nor have we forgotten to ask, What is truth? If formerly we held up a gem
and said, "This is truth," we have learned to qualify the statement.
No more we affirm, "The gem that I hold is all the truth, but the gem that
you hold is not truth." Rather we now say, "My gem has truth."
So the tree has water, but is not water, and the earth has gold, but is not
gold, and the diamond has beauty, but is not beauty. Even so my pearl has
truth, but truth has not stopped with my pearl. There are other pearls, rare
and wondrous pearls. Some day we'll know more about them, for now "we know
in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then
that which is in part shall be done away." And
so we have no desire to be severe with the other finders of gems, for the ocean
of truth is great, and God is not severe with us. He is glad we have our gem,
because when we gaze upon its liquid-like fairness, we catch glimpses of his
face, and he smiles upon us from out the gem and we are glad because of the
smile. And
as we think of these things, our hearts warm more to the journey before us,
more to our fellow-travelers, more to the possibility of complete victory,
more to the goal. Love has taken his royal seat. We see him crowned. He is
there to stay, yea, to subdue all things unto himself. His accents are very
gentle as he speaks to us, and his countenance is lit with "the light that
never was on sea or land." He stretches out his arms and blessing drops
from his hands upon the world of men. Welcome,
love. Your kingship of our minds is monarchy exalted and sublime. Ever wield
your scepter o'er us. In every moment of the day we need you, we need your
power, your peace, your assuagement of life's woes. -
W. Sargent My Song
Humility
"He that is least among
you, the same shall be great." - Luke 9:48, A.R.V. TO
the Greeks meekness was a deplorable lack of courage, so they had no word that
Christian writers could use to represent humility as a virtue. For that
purpose, therefore, they appropriated two Greek words, one meaning
"gentleness," and the other meaning "to depress." The first
of these our translators have usually given as meek, and the second as humble.
Perhaps because the ancient Hebrews were of a different spirit, the writers of
the Old Testament had at their disposal eight words to express these
qualities. The most frequently used of these is translated both meek and humble.
However, as in English, each of these words is given as a synonym of the other,
so in our consideration we will not have to make any fine distinctions between
them. Pride
was raising its ugly head when the discussion arose among the disciples as to
which would be greatest in the Kingdom. (Matt. 18:1.) Evidently supreme
intuition saw some sentiment deeper than that which the mere words conveyed,
for in Luke 9:47 we read, "When Jesus saw the reasoning o f their hearts, he took a little child"
"in his arms" -- a child not yet old enough to have been contaminated
much by the pride of the elders-and taught them the lesson of humility, a lesson
necessary for every Christian of the entire Age. "Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child
[thus taking an active part himself in cultivating this virtue, not leaving it
entirely to the Lord or circumstances], the same is the greatest in the
Kingdom." THE HUMBLE WALK WITH GOD
Jesus'
lesson on humility which we have been considering seems to have been imparted
soon after Peter, James, and John had been with him in the Mount of
Transfiguration. This and other similar favors shown them could easily have
caused the three to fall under the temptation to be proud. Heeding Micah 6:8
would have spared them, and us, that danger: "He bath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly,
and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" One can be sure his walk with God is entirely too
limited, or not at all, if being in his presence, the presence of the Emperor
of the universe, has not had a humbling effect. Even being in the presence of
one of the so-called great of earth, will usually leave on the mind of one of
the thus honored ones an impression of his littleness. The
margin of the King
James Version
has a reading just as essential for our instruction: "Humble thyself to walk with thy God." For the
privilege of entering into his presence, it is necessary to be humble; not,
"thankful that I am not as other men are," but thankful that he is
willing to receive me though I am a sinner just as other men are making me
acceptable in his Beloved. Closely
related in greatness and in kind is the assurance of Mark 9:37: "Whosoever
shall receive one of such children [disciples are evidently meant] in my name [regardless of his
imperfections, or the imperfections of the one who receives him] receiveth me." How out of all proportion is
this reward for humility on the part of one who has not one thing in himself
to be proud of, but abundant reason for shame and humility! JESUS' HUMILITYAs
though receiving himself were not honor enough, Jesus, demonstrating his own
humility, adds to the reward for the humility that accepts to fellowship those
whom he receives, the assurance that the one who receives him receives the Father.
To us the privilege of receiving him would be reward enough, but not so to his
humble mind. He knows that the greatest of all blessings is to receive the
heavenly Father into our lives. But that, too, like the receiving of Jesus
into our hearts, is dependent upon our being humble enough to receive as
fellow-members of the Body those whom God has invited into sonship. "If
we walk in the light [if we are truth brethren, living the truth] we have fellowship one with
another." Evidently one is not really "in the truth," "in
the light," in the complete sense, if there is one called one that he is depriving of
his fellowship, except on Scriptural grounds. "If
we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship [partnership,
gives the thought more accurately] one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin," Brother John adds. Evidently if
we do not practice such a partnership, the cleansing blood ceases to be ours.
Perhaps this is the key to the reason we cannot have our heavenly Father and
Bridegroom in our lives if we do not take our brethren into our fellowship,
into our partnership. We, without that blood, are still condemned sinners, and
such cannot be partners of the Father and his Son. The standing that acceptance of
the cleansing blood gives us, must be maintained. There is no entrance into the
heavenly presence for law breakers, but "love is the fulfilling of the
law." Love never fails to desire the fellowship of the ones loved. Therefore,
"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor
preferring one another." - 1 John 1:7; Romans 12:10. In
this last text we have an excellent means of testing ourselves on two
points-humility, and love for the brethren. Can we honestly say, and can we
prove, that it gives us greater pleasure to see another brother taking a higher
place than ourselves in the Lord's service? If so, we are near the end of the
way in Christian development. And if all the brethren of our association have
attained that same degree of Christlikeness, never again will we see difficulties
among brethren, never any separations. EVEN "JEHOVAH HUMBLETH HIMSELF"Jesus
is the answer to the question of Psalm 113:5, 6: "Who is like unto Jehovah our God, that
bath his seat on high, that humbleth himself to behold the things that
are in heaven and in the earth?" So we cannot go to a better one for
advice as to how to attain this most difficult virtue. He advises, "Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart. " -
Matt. 11:29. Love
means service. If our heads are to wear crowns in heaven, our necks must become
used to the yoke here. Only the humble will accept the yoke, for that meant
servitude. "By love serve one another" is the Apostle's advice. (Gal.
5:13.) The cross was Jesus' and the Father's greatest service to mankind; so it
is into service with them that we are invited when Jesus' voice reaches us:
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow me." (Matt. 16:24.) The brethren to whom he first said
that, thought they were already following him; but the lesson of the full denying
of self, uncomplainingly, yea, rejoicingly bearing their crosses, they had not
yet learned. "Thus
saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I
dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite
and humble spirit." (Isa. 57:15.) Since there is "none that is
righteous, no not one," what else can we be but "contrite and humble"?
And blessed is that attitude, for it will get for us the attention and
assistance of the One who can perfect in us holiness. Peter's advice would
never have been, "As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye
holy," if he had not known of God's promise of "grace
sufficient," forgiving and assisting grace. (1 Peter 1:15.) "Though
Jehovah is high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly." And so this very
quality of humility will draw from him his assistance. Humility
is a quality usually found in the truly great, whether they be of earth or
heaven. Pride, the opposite quality, demonstrates an appalling smallness in the
soul that harbors it, colossal ignorance of self. A HUMBLE TEMPLE FOR THE ALMIGHTYThe
sixty-fifth chapter of Isaiah describes the glories of the new earth. But the
next chapter opens with the assurance that even that will not be glorious
enough to be a dwelling place for Jehovah. "Thus saith Jehovah, heaven is
my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what manner of house will ye build
for me, and what place shall be my rest? " Assuredly the most ingenious,
the most skillful of men, could not build a temple here suitable for his
dwelling. The truth regarding the temple actually planned for him is so
astounding that Jehovah himself must be quoted as the authority for its
description: "Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, 'I
will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall
be my people!'" The glory of God fills these living temples when they
have humbled themselves to walk with their God. The
temples built for the Jewish nation made them think they were essential to
God's purpose. Like the Jewish nation, organizations and teachers have a habit
of thinking they are necessary in God's plan. As soon as that thought is
harbored, they become unnecessary. "To this man will I look, even to him
that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word." (Isa.
66:2.) "He forgetteth not the cry of the meek." (Margin, Psa. 9:12.)
"God heareth not sinners," but he "has heard the desire of
the meek." (Psa. 10:17.) The desire of a humble heart is in line with
God's will. Some
very helpful and beautiful examples of meekness have come to us from the past.
Abraham: "I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, I who am but dust
and ashes" -- a good description of any human being. Jacob: "I am not
worthy of all thy loving kindnesses, and of all the truth which thou halt
showed unto thy servant. " Gideon: "Behold my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's
house." Our list cannot be complete, but Moses and Joshua must not be
passed by without mention. And the herald of the new age, John the Baptist,
ushered it in with proper humility: "He that cometh after me is mightier
than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear." (Matt. 3:11.) This way of
expressing humility has lost much of its force for us who live in a different
day. In his time the vilest of the slaves, the
historians tell us, were given charge of the sandals. Jesus' testimony
regarding the Baptist was different: "Verily I say unto you: Among them
that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the
Baptist." The Baptist had the humility that God rewards. Paul, classing
himself as "the chiefest of sinners," "less than the least of
all saints," with all his talents and faithful service, set us an example
we will need much educating to be able to follow. "Put on therefore,
as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness,
meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, even as the Lord forgave
you, so do ye." - Col. 3:12, 13. HUMILITY, THEN FORBEARANCE, THEN SERVICEEphesians
4:2 enjoins, "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love." We will have to be "clothed
with humility" in order to have this love that serves. (1 Peter 5:5.) Jesus,
girding himself with a towel, finished his ministry with a visible lesson in
humility, a reiteration of the lesson of cross-bearing. Proverbs
3:4: "Surely he scorneth the scorners and giveth grace unto the lowly,"
should give confusion of face to us who have taken pleasure in scorning
others who proclaim themselves followers of the meek and lowly Nazarene, but who
struggle in a lesser light than we enjoy. Instead of scorning, we should have
had extended pity and a helping hand. One cannot but recognize how stumblingly
they walk, but scorning them for it only brings upon us the scorn of the One
who is our Judge. "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the
Kingdom of Heaven." "It
is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone and
keep silence, because He hath laid it upon him. Let him put his mouth in
the dust, if so be there may be hope [because then there will be no boastful,
scornful words to disgrace us with our God]. Let him give his cheek to him
that smiteth him; let him be filled full with reproach. For the Lord will not
cast off forever. For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion
according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses. " - Lam. 3:27-32. - P. E. Thomson The Question BoxISAIAH 28:10, 13 Question: In
Isaiah 28:10 and again in Isa. 28:13 these words appear: "Precept upon
precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little,
there a little." The words are generally understood to teach that our Lord
fits his instruction to his true followers gradually, as they are able to
receive it; starting with the milk of the Word 'in their spiritual infancy and
holding back solid food until they start to grow. 'My question is: How can this
Scripture be thus understood in relation to its context, and especially in
view of the words with which Isa 28:13 closes: "that they might go, and fall
backward, and the broken, and snared, and taken"? Answer: The
context, of course, must always The taken into consideration in Bible study;
any understanding which does not harmonize a text with its context is likely to
prove erroneous or, at best, partial. Let us consider the passage in its
setting. It
was in the early years of the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah, that the 28th
chapter of Isaiah was written (Isa 28). For some years the people had been
under the yoke of Assyria; that yoke had become intolerable; they were
determined to liberate themselves from it. Isaiah,
of course, was just as much a lover of freedom as the rest of the nation;
there was no truer patriot than he. But he knew that the people, could not
count on the help of God while they continued godless and corrupt; their yoke,
he knew, was but the manifestation of the divine displeasure. Accordingly, he
counseled them to wait -- to strengthen themselves in piety, in an unselfish
devotion to the public welfare, and in the practice of private virtue until,
God being once more on their side, they would be able to break the power of
Assyria and assert their independence. The
counsel was unwelcome. They had no mind for private or public reformation; nor
were they disposed to wait. They, preferred, instead, to try their hand at
international diplomacy and statecraft. What if they were to call Egypt to
their help against Assyria, to set the one military tyranny, of the time
against the other? Might they not thus work out their salvation? "No!"
said Isaiah. "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help ... but look not
unto the Holy One of Israel." (Isa. 31:1; Isa. 30:1-4.) Against this
proposed Egyptian alliance he set his face as a flint. But there were not
wanting other counselors who opposed him. There were plenty of priests in
Jerusalem, plenty of prophets, even who, sharing as they did in the popular
vices, were willing to pander to the spirit of the times. These
false counselors, it is evident from Isa 28:7, had lost their way through
strong drink.; It may have been that at one time they had had clear vision and
could reach sound judgment, but certain mock at the simple words which, under
divine inspiration,. I have been moved to speak, and, you lisp out your base
and drunken imitations of them -- you, who should be the first to welcome and
act upon the Word of God. Know then, that God will punish your sin by a people of stammering [Rotherham
translates: jabbering] lips and an alien tongue. (Isa 28:11.) God has taught you, by the very words which you
deride, where you might find rest and freedom, how you might give peace to the
people who are weary of war and its calamities; but you would not listen. (Isa
28:12.) . To you the Word of the Lord has become mere, baby talk, at which you
jest. (Isa 28:13.) Know, then, that that Word, which might have been a light to
your path, shall blaze up into a consuming fire. You jeer at it as an endless
series of petty injunctions; instead it shall inflict on you- an endless series
of intolerable calamities. In the very teeth of that Word you are about to
strike a blow for freedom; seeking it in your own way, not in God's way; but as
a reward and consequence of your disobedience, the Word, that might have given
you freedom and a stable security and peace, shall become a stone on which you
shall fall and be broken, a net in which you shall betaken and bound, a' trap
in which you shall be caught and imprisoned. (Last words of Isa 28:13.) These false counselors, it is evident from Isa 28:7, had lost their way through strong drink. It may have been that at one time they had had clear vision and could reach sound judgment, but certainly this was not now the case. Masters in Israel though they were, it was necessary for Isaiah, if he were to have any hope of penetrating their dull powers of comprehension, to speak with great simplicity -- to speak to them not as to masters, but babes. And this, of course, they would and did resent. In their drunken carousals erring in vision, stumbling in judgment, with their tables full of vomit (Isa. 28:7, 8) they would sneeringly ask: "Whom
would he, Isaiah, teach knowledge? And to whom would he make a message
intelligible? To them weaned from the milk, just taken from the breasts? With
him it is always precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line,
line upon line, here a little, there a little." - Isa. 28:9, 10. In a
footnote to Isa 28:10 Rotherham gives the actual Hebrew words and then cites
Davies' Hebrew Lexicon as follows: "The repetition
and assonance of the short words are intended to set forth mimetically the
drunken babble of the scoffers." Others have pointed out that the words
may be translated in many ways; for, in the original, they are more like the
babble of drunken men than sober, intelligent speech. At the same time,
although the words manifestly imply the condition of those who uttered them,
they were evidently designed as a burlesque imitation of the great
simplicity of speech which Isaiah used. The verse is so constructed as to imitate
their thickened and difficult pronunciation. Monosyllable is heaped upon
monosyllable; and, no doubt, the speakers tipsily adopted the tones of fond
mothers addressing their babes and little tots. Using the Hebrew words of the
verse, one of these shameless less roysterers would say: "Tsav latsav,
tsav la-tsav; kav la-kav, kav lakav; zeeir sham, zeeir sham; that is how
that simpleton Isaiah speaks." And then, doubtless, a drunken laugh would
go round the table, and half a dozen of them would be repeating: "Tsav la-tsav, tsav
la-tsav." What
really angered these men was that Isaiah treated them as though they were
children only just weaned. They were weary of hearing him repeat the first
rudiments of morality, and apply them to the sins and needs of the time. How
dared he tutor them, who were themselves teachers! How dared he
treat them as babes who were grown men, distinguished men, the foremost men and
statesmen of the nation! It
is easy to imagine how these proud, prosperous men would lisp or stammer out
their drunken sneers over their wine, at the solitary, unsuccessful Prophet,
and think it a remarkably good joke to make him, and. his message, and the
very manner in which he uttered it, a theme of mockery and contempt. Nor is it
difficult to imagine the righteous indignation with which he would turn on
these blind guides, who were only too surely leading their blind followers
into the ditch, and forewarn them that the retribution they had provoked by
their sins would speedily overtake them. In effect he said to them: You mock at
the simple words which, under divine inspiration, I have been moved to speak,
and you lisp out your base and drunken imitations of them -- you, who should be
the first to welcome and act upon the Word of God. Know then, that God will
punish your sin by a people o f stammering [Rotherham translates: jabbering]
lips and an alien tongue (Isa 28:11). God has taught you, by the very words
which you deride, where you might find rest and freedom, how you might give
peace to the people who are weary of war and its calamities; but you would not
listen (Isa 28:12). To you the Word of the Lord has become mere baby talk, at
which you jest (Isa 28:13). Know, then, that that Word, which might have been a
light to your path, shall blaze up into a consuming fire. You jeer at it as an
endless series of petty injunctions; instead it shall inflict on you an endless
series of intolerable calamities. In the very teeth of that Word you are about
to strike a blow for freedom; seeking it in your own way, not in God's way; but
as a reward and consequence of your disobedience, the Word, that might have
given you freedom and a stable security and peace, shall become a stone on
which you shall fall and be broken, a net in which you shall be taken and
bound, a trap in which you shall be caught and imprisoned (last words of Isa
28:13). The
prediction was fulfilled. The fierce Assyrians, when they heard that the
Hebrews had allied themselves with Egypt, once more swept through the land.
The very men who had jabbered their scornful imitations of Isaiah's words, who
had affected to think that he used the broken and imperfect dialect which
mothers employ to their babes, were destroyed or taken captive by the Assyrian
troops, whose language,' according to the scholars, while it closely resembled
that of the Hebrews, had just those differences which made it sound to them
like an imperfect and barbarous dialect. So terrible, and so exact, was the
retribution that fell on their sin. That
St. Paul understood Isaiah's words in the manner outlined foregoing is evident
from the use he makes of them in his
first letter to the Corinthians. At Corinth there was a great deal of speaking in unknown tongues,
often without profit to either
speakers or hearers. In chapter 14,
of his first letter to that Church, the Apostle deals with the matter in some
detail. After showing that the gift of tongues was inferior to that of
prophecy, that without the gift of interpretation it was entirely useless, and
that thus exercised it was manifestly misused, he illustrates his point by a
reference to this very passage. (Isa. 28:11, 12.) "In the law it is
written: 'With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this
people; and yet for all that will. they not hear me, saith the Lord. " (1
Cor. 14:21.) The Prophet's contemporaries scoffingly rejected his instruction,
which seemed to them childish; and he warned them that the next divine message
would come to them from Assyrian lips the conquerors with their foreign speech
would be upon them, though even so terrible an experience would not bring the
frivolous Israelites to listen to their God. And so, (this is the inference which, in his discussion of the gift of tongues,
St. Paul draws from the Isaiah passage) tongues are for a sign not to those who believe, but to the
unbelievers; and, not a sign, apparently, which would induce them to repent and
be saved, but one which would confirm them still more in their obstinacy or
indifference for will they not say that you are mad (1 Cor. 14:23) just, as
Israel would not hearken? (Isa. 28:12.) St. Paul's citation of course, has only
the value of illustration; there was, in Isaiah, no prediction of the Corinthian situation. In
the light of the foregoing discussion may we not summarize our answer to the
question thus: 1.
That our Lord graciously suits the instruction of his -true Follower according
to their several stages of development is a truth none will question. It is
abundantly attested in the Scriptures. - 1 Pet, 2:2; Heb. 5:12, 13; 1 Cor. 3:2. 2.
That this is mot the sense in which the words were originally Bused in Isaiah,
chapter 28, is also clear. On the contrary, instead of being a description of
the abundance and variety of the means of grace which God has granted to the
Church, the words in Isa 28:10 really constitute a drunken sneer at the
simplicity of Isaiah's message to the people of his time. His use of the same
words, in Isa 28:13, was (as Rotherham, in a footnote to that verse suggests)
a "giving back to the scoffers their own words now as a stern
threatening" of the coming Assyrian conquest. The sincere (unadulterated)
milk of the Word which Isaiah gave them did not produce the happy results it
might have done but, because not mixed with faith in them that heard it, proved
to be a forewarning of impending disaster. - P. L. Read. The Wrath of God
-F. G. Wilson Report of Our Directors
"The eternal God is thy
refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms!" THE
words of our text are the words wherewith Moses, the man of God, blessed the
children of Israel just before his death. However, in an important sense, they
constitute God's message, not only to Israel then, but to all mankind today. The
eternal God has long been our refuge, and through the years we have known
experimentally, the strong support of his everlasting arms. And our confidence
is that thus it will prove to be in the days ahead, however many, or however
few, they may be. Usually
our Report is presented to the Institute members at their Annual Meeting,
before being published in the Herald. However, in 1974, circumstances
were such as to make it difficult to hold the Institute's Annual Meeting
on June, 1, the date scheduled. As a result, the meeting was postponed until
1975. Meantime, in order that the Institute's members, and indeed all Herald
readers, may be informed, we submit, in the following paragraphs a brief
report of the Institute's ministry for the past year, together with our plans
for its future, if the Lord will. Each
year, as we report the Institute's activities of the past twelve months, it is
with an increased realization of the evidences, both in the world and in the
Church, that the Kingdom for which we pray is near at hand. This has seemed
particularly true in the year now ending. In these circumstances the words of
the Apostle take on a deeper significance: "The night is far spent, the
day is at hand" (Rom. 13:12). How timely, too, is our Master's
exhortation that "when these things begin to come to pass" we should
"lift up our heads" knowing that
our deliverance "draweth nigh." - Luke 21:28. THE INSTITUTE'S POLICYIn
view of the fact that a number of our readers have only recently become
acquainted with us, it may not be amiss to restate here the principles which
the Institute has consistently maintained from its inception in 1918. According
to its charter, it was organized for "the dissemination of Bible truths
by means of the publication of tracts, pamphlets, papers, and other lawful
means which its Board of Directors, duly constituted, shall deem expedient for
the furtherance of the purposes stated." In emphasizing the principles
of liberty, fellowship, and unity of all consecrated believers in Christ, we
believe that we are conforming not only to the teaching of the Lord Jesus and
his Apostles, but also to the spirit and practice of our late Pastor's
ministry. He, too, emphasized that to walk in the footsteps of the Master to
the extent of one's ability constituted the one requirement for Christian
fellowship; (not the many ramifications of doctrine which mistaken human wisdom
holds should be applied as tests of fellowship). Our
Institute is not a church organization. Moreover, it does not now exercise,
nor has it ever exercised, supervision over any Bible Class. It is, however,
pleased with every privilege of service granted it, rejoicing to be the
servant of the Lord's brethren in any detail, however minor. Furthermore, it
rejoices to report that it remains today what it was originally formed to be
-- a group of brethren voluntarily associated for mutual comfort and assistance,
brought together by a unity of spirit, "endeavoring to keep the unity of
the spirit in the bond of peace." - Ephesians 4:3. THE PILGRIM MINISTRYLast
year, in writing our report we noted that, in recent years, this branch of our
ministry had been considerably curtailed. Comparing notes with our British
brethren, we found the same is true with them, too. Last year we lost one of
our pioneers, Brother Paul E. Thomson, who ended his earthly journey August 17,
1973. Our two remaining full-time Pilgrims, Brothers Fred A. Essler and John T.
Read, for reasons of health, have found it necessary to restrict their
services to local groups. The
part-time ministry of these two brethren is presently being augmented with the
services of Brothers Alex Gonczewski, James Jordan, Loyal Petran, Will Siekman,
and James Webster. THE HERALDEncouraging
reports reach us that the Herald continues to be used of the Lord for
the spiritual comfort and strength of many. We
again urge upon all to take advantage of our offer to send a free six-months'
subscription to any names supplied to the office. We believe from past
experience that its "balanced" spiritual diet will prove a blessed witness to some. HELPS TO BIBLE STUDYInquiries
continue to be received regarding residence and correspondence courses in
Bible Study, neither of which are offered by our Institute. Instead it
recommends inquirers to consider, before other methods are adopted, an
intensive personal study of the Bible itself. To assist in such study, we do
offer a number of helps. Foremost among these we continue to rank the Divine
Plan of the Ages; a volume unexcelled in the presentation of the Bible's
basic teachings. Other
helpful works such as Bible translations, concordances, etc., are in limited
supply for the benefit of Herald subscribers. SUMMARYAs
we enter upon a new year of activity, perhaps a most momentous one, may the
realization of the abundance of God's grace which is the portion of his
children, spur us on to larger sacrifices and greater endeavors in behalf of
him who has so wondrously blessed us. Let us each seek to have a larger
appreciation of his own responsibility. Let us seek to be more faithful in
serving the Master by ministering to his brethren. Your
brethren in the Master's service, Board
of Directors FINANCIAL STATEMENTSFISCAL YEAR ENDED APRIL 30, 1974 (1) Balance Sheet as of April 30, 1974Assets Cash in Bank $20,652.22| Accounts Receivable
266.50 (2) Statement of Income and Expense and Analysis of Net WorthFiscal Year Ended April 30, 1974 Income Contributions $18,664.90 Operating Expense Pilgrim Expense $ 4,819.64 Entered Into Rest
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