VOL.
LXI. March/April 1978 No. 2
Israel and the Middle East
"He
shall cause them that come of Jacob
to take root: WHAT
is God's Plan for Israel? And why should it interest both Jews and
Gentiles? I answer: God's Plan for Israel is an important feature of
God's Plan for all mankind. Israel is the nation it has pleased God to
choose. They are his chosen people-chosen, not for favoritism, but for
service -- to be the channel through whom his blessings are yet destined
to flow to all mankind. GOD'S SELECTION OF ABRAHAMTo
get the record straight we must refer back to the first Book of the Bible.
There, in Genesis 12:1-3, we read of the promise made by God to Abraham,
whose name at that time was Abram: "Get
thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's
house, unto a land that I
will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be
a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that
curseth thee; and in thee [and in thy seed - Gen. 22:18] shall all
families of the earth be blessed." There
is no question but that God has fulfilled a part of this promise, namely,
to make the name of Abram great. This selection of Abram did not go to his
head, as so wonderful a promise might easily have done, but, lest it
should have that effect on his offspring, the children of Israel were
expressly informed that it was not because they were a great nation, but
for the exact opposite reason that they were chosen. The words of Moses on
this point are found in Deuteronomy 7:7: "The
Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more
in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people." Very
early in our investigation we discover that, supplementing the promise
that Abraham and his seed should be God's channel of blessing to mankind,
God made a specific promise that Abraham and his seed should inherit land.
No sooner has he obeyed God's command and journeyed to the land to which
God guided him than he is promised, by God himself: "Unto
thy seed will I give this land." - Genesis 12:7. In
later chapters this promise is amplified: "Lift
up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and
southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which thou seest,
to thee will I give it, and to thy seed [for 100 years? No!] forever... "Arise,
walk through the land, in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I
will give it unto thee ... and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein
thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession." - Genesis
13:14-17;
17:8. How
has the promise progressed? it is asked. First, we note that it was not
realized by Abraham personally. However, it was confirmed to his son,
Isaac (Gen. 26:23, 24); and again, to Isaac's son, Jacob, whose name was
changed to Israel (Gen. 28:10-15; 32:28; 35:9-15). Thereafter the promise
passed to Israel's twelve sons and to the nation of which they were the
tribal heads. After
their experience with slavery in Egypt, and deliverance therefrom at the
hand of Moses, the children of Israel were led into Canaan under the
leadership of Joshua. Here in this, the land of promise, they dwelt for
centuries, and experienced the special favor of God. With them he dealt as
he dealt with no other nation (Psa. 147:19, 20). According to his
promises, detailed in Leviticus 26, he blessed them in basket and in store
when they sought to walk in his counsels. He also graciously chastised
them when they deflected from the paths of truth and righteousness, so
that their national conscience might be kept tender. While they walked in
his statutes, he sent them rain in due season and blessed their crops.
Their enemies fled from them. On
the other hand, when as a nation they departed from the ways of God,
exactly the reverse conditions were permitted to come upon them. Rain was
withheld. Crops failed. They were defeated in battle. Those not slain were
taken captive. And then, since this treatment proved unavailing, the
"seven times" of punishment, predicted in Leviticus 26 began
to take effect. GENTILE TIMESWhile
it may be questioned if, in this Leviticus chapter, the expression
"seven times" has any chronological significance, history has
shown that such was, indeed, to be the case. Israel was to become subject
to Gentile rule for a long period of time. The length of that period was
to be the same as that covered
by two of the prophecies contained in the Book of Daniel. One of these was
that of the great image seen in his dream by the Babylonian monarch,
Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 2); the other was that of Daniel's own vision of
four wild beasts (Dan. 7). The meaning of these two prophecies is not
left to surmise. Each is interpreted in the Scriptures themselves to
represent four Gentile World Empires: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and
Rome, which in one form or another have held sway over the earth from that
day to this. A
remarkable scale for measuring the duration of the periods indicated
in the two prophecies has been furnished in the Old Testament. It is
known as the year-day scale; that is, a day in prophecy stands as a symbol
for a year. Using the year-day scale, "Gentile Times" are seen
to extend over the long period of 2,520 years. That
the year-day scale is a Godgiven key, becomes abundantly evident when
we find that by its use not only the prophecy of Nebuchadnezzar's image,
and that of Daniel's four beasts, but all other related time prophecies
are readily unlocked. Speaking
in broad general terms, we may say that, so far as Israel is concerned,
the characteristics of this long period are three in number: 1.
Jewish loss of dominion and independence, and their subjugation to and
suffering under Gentile conquerors. 2.
Dispersion of the Jews. 3.
Desolation of their land. The
period of "Gentile Times" would affect three factors in Israel's
national life: 1.
The land. 2.
The throne. 3.
The Temple. Insofar
as the land was concerned, this period would extend from the desolation
of their land by Babylon to the restoration of the Jews back to Palestine. Insofar
as their throne was concerned, it would extend from the fall of
Zedekiah, their last king, to the restoration of the throne under Shiloh. And,
insofar as the Temple was concerned, it would extend from the destruction
of the Temple at Jerusalem to the re-establishment of the worship of God
on Mount Zion. Stated
very concisely, we may say that immediately prior to the commencement of
"Gentile Times" the Jewish monarchy was recognized by God, and
that immediately after the close of that long period God's Kingdom is
scheduled to be established on earth. ISRAEL'S DOUBLEAnother
very striking set of prophecies concerning Israel's experiences is three
times designated in the Scriptures as Israel's double. From
the time she became a nation, at Jacob's death, Israel had enjoyed
God's favor continously, until for reasons all too apparent his favor
towards her was, of necessity, withdrawn. Whatever the length of this
period of favor, for an equal period of time would she be required to
experience his disfavor. Only when this period of disfavor had run its
course, would he be ready to take her back into favor again. Hear the
testimony of three Prophets on this matter: 1.
Jeremiah in Chapter 16, verses 14 and 15 (Jer. 16:14-15), says that the
days will come when God will accomplish such a wonderful deliverance for
Israel that his former miraculous deliverance of her from Egyptian bondage
at the hand of Moses, would fade into insignificance. Then, in Jer. 16:18,
he adds this further statement: "First
I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double." 2.
Zechariah, in Chapter 9, verses 9-12 (Zech. 9:9-12), predicts the coming
of Messiah and then, speaking for Jehovah, addresses Israel in these
remarkable words: "Turn
ye to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope. Even to day do I declare
that I will render double
unto
thee." Here
the word "double" is translated from the Hebrew word mishneh
as in
the prophecy by Jeremiah. It signifies a second portion; a repetition. 3.
A third Prophet, Isaiah, testifies concerning the matter in these words: "Comfort
ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to
Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her appointed time is accomplished,
that her iniquity is pardoned; for she bath received of the Lord's hand double
for
all her sins." - Chap. 40: verses 1 and 2 (Isa. 40:1-2, margin). Here
the Hebrew word translated "double" is kephel,
which
signifies double, in the sense of a thing having been folded in the
middle. In
connection with these three prophecies it has been well observed:
"The student of prophecy should notice that the Prophets vary their
standpoints of utterance, sometimes speaking of future things as future,
and sometimes assuming a position future, and speaking from that assumed
standpoint." That
these three Prophets lived hundreds of years apart, and wrote things quite
contrary to Israel's expectations, only serves to increase the force and
value of their utterances. One
other Scripture bears directly on this phase of our subject. It is found
in Psalm 102, verse 13, and reads: "Thou
shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favor her, yea, the
set time, is come." Evidently
the same spirit which operated in Jeremiah, Zechariah, and Isaiah,
inspired the words of the Psalmist. The time to favor Zion, "yea, the
set time, is come." When
is that to be? We may know today, within a very close approximation, our
position on the stream of time. As in the case of "Gentile
Times," so also in reference to Israel's double of disfavor, these
great time prophesies are not to be measured from any one particular year
to another, but from one era to another. This is so, because the rise and
fall of nations must, in the very nature of the case, cover more or less
extended eras. The fall of Israel and Judah covered a period of 160 years,
culminating in the overthrow of their last king, Zedekiah. It should not
surprise us then, if we find their restoration extending over a number of
years, or decades, or even longer periods. What we should be on the
lookout for is not a thunderbolt from the skies, but a noticeable
change in the trend of events. We should be watching and
intelligently reading the signs of the times, and noting how they fit in
with the prophetic forecasts. ISRAEL'S MESSIAHThe
promise to Abraham was not confirmed to all of his children-not to
Ishmael, for example, but to Isaac only. Again,
not all of Isaac's children constituted the seed of promise. Esau was
by-passed in favor of Jacob. Even
in the case of Jacob, while none of his twelve sons was excluded from
God's promise of an inheritance in the land, yet on his deathbed
Jacob saw, and predicted, that the throne, as distinguished from
the land, was to be limited to the tribe of Judah. Moreover, within the
tribe of Judah, Jacob's deathbed prediction narrowed down the
throne-promise to one individual. - Genesis 49:10: "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." Doubtless it was this same great one to whom Ezekiel referred,
when he addressed Zedekiah: "Thou
profane, wicked prince of Israel. . . . Thus saith the Lord God; Remove
the diadem, and take off the crown: ... I will overturn, overturn,
overturn it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and
I will give it him." - Ezekiel 21:25-27. In
other words, the original promise to Abraham, when closely examined, is
seen to contain much more than at first appeared, much more, doubtless,
than Abraham himself realized. It is composed of two parts. One, the one
we have been considering earlier in our discussion, is to the natural
seed of Abraham, the nation of Israel. To them, as we have seen, God
promised an inheritance in the land. That promise will yet be kept. Not
only so, but through them God's blessing of everlasting life and all
earthly favors will be channeled to the Gentiles in due time. But
there was another part to the promise, also sure of fulfillment. It is
to be the inheritance of one worthy of the honor, namely, Israel's great
Messiah. Moses
had seen this. In Deuteronomy 18:15-19 he declares: "The
Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet .. like unto me; unto him
ye shall hearken." David,
in Psalm 110:1, spoke of the future Messiah as his Lord, that is, his
superior, as one evidently destined to be a greater king than himself,
while in verse 4 he declares that, in vision, he heard God himself
addressing this great Messiah as a priest, occupying a much higher station
than the high priest Aaron, a priest who would function not for a few
brief years and then, because of death, be compelled to resign the
office to a successor, but one who would serve for an entire Age; a priest
after the order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek was both a priest and a king,
whose exalted station even Abraham recognized, in that he did him
homage, paid him tithes, and from him received a blessing. This
great prophet, priest, and king, is not a man like Moses, Melchizedek or David, but a highly exalted spirit being,
the very Son of God himself. He it is whom the great Jehovah delights to
honor. Of him it is written in the second Psalm (Psa. 2): "Jehovah
said unto me, Thou art my Son; ... Ask of me, and I will give thee the
nations for thine inheritance, and the utter most parts of the earth for
thy possession." RESTORATION OF ISRAELSo
far as Israel is concerned, the signs of the times according to the
unanimous testimony of the Old Testament prophets, should be looked for in
three main directions, namely: 1.
Restoration of
the
land. 2.
Restoration to the land. 3.
Restoration to God. The
land is to be recovered from the state of desolation in which it has lain
during the long period of Gentile rule. As Isaiah expresses it, in that
wonderful 35th chapter of his (Isa. 35): "The
desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose, . . . in the wilderness
shall waters break out, and streams in the desert." Is
this sign in evidence today? Is the land, in fact, being restored? He
would be blind, indeed, who could not see this sign. Restoration of the
land, admittedly, is far from complete, but the economic growth of the
country in recent times, along both agricultural and industrial lines,
has been nothing short of miraculous; and this, too, notwithstanding the
hardships and difficulties which beset the nation of Israel under present
conditions. And
what of the second sign? Are there any indications that the people of
Israel are being restored to the land? Yes, indeed, there are. Even
as far back as 1878, the year of the famous Berlin Congress, faithful
watchers realized that a change in the status of Israel was
taking place. That conference, with the war that preceded it, was
without doubt a most marked stage in the downfall of the Ottoman power-a
stage in the dismemberment of the Turkish Empire, which was destined to
be completely broken up at the end of World War I. Then,
too, it was surely no mere coincidence that when the British General
Allenby, without firing a shot, captured Jerusalem from the Turks, the
date of that event, perhaps one of the most important in Israel's national
life, namely, December 9, 1917, should prove to be exactly 1335 lunar
years from the birthday of that particular Gentile power which, for so
long, had desolated the Holy Land, and trodden down Jerusalem. JACOB'S TROUBLEBut
what of the third sign mentioned? Is there any evidence that not only is
the restoration of the land in progress; not only is the nation being
regathered to that land; but that the hearts of the people of Israel, as a
nation, are returning to the God of their fathers? be
admitted, that while there are, indeed, some signs in this direction, they
are not very pronounced. The economic progress of the country, both in
relation to the land and the people, is still largely secular. With all
due respect to the few devout souls in Israel, there is little of the
faith of Abraham to be seen in Israel today. As
a matter of fact this state of affairs should not surprise us. Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah -- each has cautioned us to expect exactly
what we see in progress today. Briefly summarizing their forecasts, my
understanding of them is that first, there was to be the regathering of
a representative remnant of Israel, not in the faith of Abraham, but in
unbelief. This is now taking place. But what follows? I answer: After a
brief interval of prosperity there comes a time of anguish. To quote
Jeremiah 30:7, "it is the time of Jacob's trouble." What is it,
according to the united testimony of the four Prophets I have named,
that occasions this dark hour which threatens to fall on Israel in the
nighttime of her sad history? It is nothing more nor less than a gathering
of envious nations against her, graphically described in Ezekiel 38:1-13.
In these verses the chief actors in this yet future struggle in Palestine
are named. However, we may not be too sure of our identifications. But one
thing is quite definite, the battle will not end in triumph for Israel's
enemies. Does one ask: "Why not?" I answer: Because it is the
set time for Israel's deliverance. God himself, represented by
Israel's great Messiah, will intervene. Of this there is no question, for,
after telling us that it is the time of Jacob's trouble, Jeremiah goes on
to say: "But he shall be saved out of it." According to
Zechariah 14:2, 3, God will go forth and fight against Israel's enemies as
he fought in the day of battle. Isaiah, too, speaks in a similar vein. -
Isa. 28:21. That
will indeed be a great and wonderful day in Israel's history, an hour of
triumph such as they have never known before, greater even than when they
came out of Egypt; greater than when they triumphed over Pharaoh and his
host at the Red Sea; greater than when they entered the Promised Land and
the walls of Jericho fell down before them. There
is, however, something greater, more solemn and more blessed, than mere
deliverance and triumph over their enemies that Israel is to experience.
And that is God's final conquest over them. On
former occasions, when God had given them the victory over their enemies,
it was not long before they became proud in heart and rebelled against the
Rock of their salvation. But this will never be true of them again. For
he, their great Messiah, who comes to conquer their foes, comes also to
subdue their hearts. Hence, great as their triumph will be when they
return from the victory, their glorious day of triumph will end in
self-abasement and tears. How this wonderful change will be brought about,
how the stubborn heart of unbelieving and gainsaying Israel will at last
be broken, we are told in Zechariah 12:10: "I
will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
the spirit of grace and of supplication;" or,
as Jeremiah speaking as the Lord's mouthpiece expresses the matter: "I
will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of
Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in
the day that I took them by the hand, to bring them out of the land of
Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto
them, saith the Lord, But this shall be the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law
in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their
God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man
his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying: Know the Lord: for they
shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith
the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin
no more." - Jeremiah 31:31-34. EGYPT'S NATIONAL PRESERVATION ASSUREDNor
will this be true of Israel only. No! It will be true also of Egypt and
Assyria (present-day Iraq). Dr. Arthur W. Kac writes instructively as
follows: "Many
of the nations in the ancient world have disappeared forever in
accordance with Biblical prophecy, but in the case of Egypt we have a
definite -assurance in God's Word that her national life shall not be
extinguished. On the contrary, God has a future for Egypt. The passage in
Jeremiah painting a gloomy picture of the destruction of Egypt at 'the
hand of the people of the north' concludes with this significant
statement: 'And afterwards it [i.e. Egypt] shall be inhabited, as in
the days of old, saith Jehovah' -
Jeremiah 46:26. EGYPT'S SPIRITUAL REGENERATION"Since
God has decreed that Egypt shall not perish from the earth, the purpose of
the many afflictions heaped upon her is not merely to punish her, but to
rid her of her vain pride, to cause her to forsake the errors of her ways,
to give up her false doctrines and philosophies, and to come to a saving
knowledge of Jehovah and place her trust in him. That this is the aim
which God seeks to accomplish through his judgments upon Egypt may be
seen from the frequency with which the phrase and they shall know that
I am Jehovah' occurs in the Egypt passages in the Bible. 'And all
the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am Jehovah' - Ezekiel 29:6;
(see also Eze. 30:8, 19; 32:15). The
true purpose of the chastisement of Egypt is nowhere expressed better
than in the following passage in Isaiah: 'And Jehovah will smite
Egypt, smiting and healing, and they shall return unto Jehovah, and he
will be entreated of them, and will heal them' - Isaiah 19:22. "Egypt's
conversion to the God of Israel is more fully described in the second half
of the nineteenth chapter of Isaiah: 'In that day shall there be an
altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the
border thereof to Jehovah. And Jehovah shall be known to Egypt, and the
Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day' - Isaiah 19:19, 21. "That
the Egyptian people have never fully experienced the kind of spiritual
transformation spoken of in Isaiah 19:19-22 is quite certain. This may
be easily seen from an examination of the concluding passage of this
chapter in Isaiah describing the striking changes which are to take place
in Egypt's international relations as a result of her spiritual regeneration. A NEW DAY FOR THE NEAR EAST"'In
that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the
Assyrians shall come into Egypt; and the Egyptians shall worship with
Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Assyria, a blessing in
the midst of the earth. For that Jehovah of hosts bath blessed them,
saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and
Israel mine inheritance' - Isaiah 19:23-25.
To grasp the full significance of the closing passage of this great
chapter one must be acquainted with the history of the Middle East in the
centuries before, and at the time of, this recorded prophecy. The Near
East, or the Middle East, was the known civilized world of ancient
history. On the southwest border of this world was Egypt, while Assyria
was situated on the northeast rim of that part of the world. Israel lay
between these two great empires. For many centuries that ancient world was
dominated either by Egypt or Assyria. Israel's position was that of a
buffer state between these two great powers . . . . If Israel favored
Egypt she incurred the enmity of Assyria and vice versa. Israel often
became a battleground where the two opposing forces met. This rivalry
between Egypt and Assyria never ceased until both were struck down by the
rising power of Persia. Now, after some 2,500 years, Assyria, Egypt and
Israel have regained political existence, the ancient rivalry between
Egypt and Assyria has reappeared ... "The
meaning of the closing portion of Isaiah 19 is, therefore, that this
rivalry between Egypt and Iraq, so catastrophic to the whole Middle East,
will not cease until both these nations, humbled by many defeats and much
suffering, will surrender themselves to Jehovah, the God of Israel. When
that day comes there will be a highway between Egypt and Iraq; the two
nations will mix andmingle freely and unite as friends instead of being
divided as enemies. This newly found friendship and cooperation between
Egypt and Iraq will be reinforced by a covenant with Israel, who at that
time will be a blessing not only to the Middle East but to the whole
world." ALL MANKIND TO BE BLESSEDYes!
All
mankind will then be blessed through Israel as God promised to Abraham.
The Prophet Isaiah tells us this in Chapter 2 (Isa. 2:4), verse 4. So also
the Prophet Micah states in Chapter 4 (Micah 4:1-3), verses 1-3: "In
the last days it shall come to pass that the mountain [or kingdom] of the
house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains [that
is, overruling all other kingdoms], and it shall be exalted above the
hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. "And
many nations shall come, and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain
of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of
his ways and we will walk in his paths."' "And
they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into
pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more." -P.
L. Read The Glorious Prospect"What
a glorious prospect the new dispensation will present when fully
inaugurated! The changes from one dispensation to another in the past have
been marked and prominent, but this change will be the most eventful of
all. No
wonder that the thought of such a spectacle -- of a whole race returning
to God with songs of praise and everlasting joy upon their heads -- should
seem almost too good to believe; but he who has promised is able also to
perform all his good pleasure. Though sorrow and sighing seem almost
inseparable from our being, yet sorrow and sighing shall flee away; though
weeping in sackcloth and ashes has endured throughout the long night of
the dominion of sin and death, yet joy awaits the Millenial morning, and
all tears shall be wiped from off all faces, and beauty shall be given for
ashes, and the oil of joy for the spirit of heaviness." -
C. T. Russell (D642) The Memorial"This
do in remembrance of me." - Luke 22:19. ALL
Christians should commemorate with deep devotion the anniversary of our
Lord's death.* To those who have been taught the deep things of God there
is more than the remembrance of ------------------- *The
14th of Nisan this year, as previously announced, falls on Thusday, April
20, beginning at sundown, at which time it is appropriate to keep the
Memorial. - Ed. Com. An
important event in the history of the Israelites was memorialized by some
outward ceremony or ritual. This was intended to deepen the impression and
to prevent the occurrence from fading from the memory. Too often and too
soon the freshness of an experience fades from the mind. This can happen
to the actual participants. How much more readily will it happen to nonparticipants! THE PASSOVER AS A MEMORIALThe
feast of the Passover was instituted on such a basis. Here was a mighty
and most striking deliverance of God's people by God's power. They must
not forget it. (Exodus 12:24.) An annual ceremony must be established.
Thus was the feast of the Passover most carefully outlined by the
Creator, together with specific instructions that it should be
perpetuated. Obviously
as time passed this feast became a reminder only of some act in remote,
history. But always linked with this reminder was the name of Jehovah -
his greatness and his watchful care for his own. Jehovah's name and his
greatness were inseparable from this feast. "I
am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy
mouth wide, and I will fill it." This
and similar exhortations were "that they might observe his statutes
and keep his laws." -Psalm 105:45. With
God there is no hidden future -- all is known to him. He saw his Son Jesus
as the great Passover Lamb. His Plan included that greatest of all deliverances
followed by the blessing of all the families of the earth. The human
family was to be freed from sin and all its concomitants terminating in
death. What a deliverance! Abraham saw it by faith and rejoiced. Joseph,
the husband of Mary, had just a glimpse when he was told by God that the
child should be named Savior. THE ATTITUDE OF THE DISCIPLESJesus
himself knew that he was the great Passover Lamb for the world. He tried
to convey this thought to his disciples but they were so trammeled with
earthly ideas of a kingdom with great pomp, power, and glory that they
heeded not his words. Here is a lesson for us. Are we so attached to the
affairs of this life that we fail to appreciate all that our Heavenly
Father would have us know concerning the Memorial? When
the disciples inquired of the Master where they were to keep the annual
Passover, he gave them instructions and on the Day of Preparation they
had carried out his orders. No other thought, so far as we can gather, was
in their minds but the partaking of the legal Passover. Jesus had other
intentions. He was about to leave them. He wished to have an intimate,
loving, farewell Supper --something for them to remember; something for
them to look forward to. They were not aware that they were on the
threshold of the greatest event in human history! Illimitable results
would follow this act. WHO CAN UNDERSTAND?We
believe we are nearing the end of this Age. All the called, chosen and
faithful of the Lord should be enjoying a deeper insight into the meaning
and import of this last meal of our Redeemer with his loved ones. Jesus
knew that his disciples would not be able to understand the deep things
that he knew and had in his mind. But he longed to convey as much as
possible at that time. Symbolism is a powerful means of conveying a
profound thought. He must convey to them the understanding that they were
to have a share with him in a great undertaking to establish his Father's
name in the earth, and to have a part in the great work of blessing all
the families of the earth. Further, he must convey to them the fact that
to reign with him they must suffer with him. His pathway must be their
pathway, his suffering must be the precursor of their suffering; his
glory would include their ultimate glorification. No human mind can
grasp this. Only those begotten of God can do so. This act of begettal, is
entirely the result of the work of God, consequently it may be said that
only those to whom the Father reveals the great truth contained in the
Memorial can fully and really enter into its height and depth, its length
and breadth. JESUS THE PASSOVER LAMBIt
should be understood that the meal partaken of by the Lord and his disciples
was not the Passover Feast, for it was yet the 14th day of Nisan.** ---------------------- **
The Passover lamb was eaten on the 14th; the Feast of the Passover
commenced on the 15th and continued until the 21st. - Ed. Com. Feast
day was the
15th. It is not reasonable to think that Jesus would break the Law. Luke
records that Jesus definitely stated that he would "not eat
thereof." If it was not the Passover Feast, what was it? Jesus saw
himself as the lamb to be slain. Within a few hours he was to die,
therefore he instituted a simple ceremony that would live in their minds
because it was of the deepest significance to them. He was chosen and begotten
of God; they were chosen, and later to be begotten of God. He was the Son
of God; they were chosen and privileged to be sons of God. They were his
brethren; he was their elder Brother. How his heart must have yearned over
them! How great his desire to do all that he could to help them. Surely
we can see what a very intimate, family atmosphere must have pervaded
that sacred, very private, but very far-reaching event. He was to leave
them; but he would see them again. A place in heaven he would prepare for
them and eventually spend eternity with them. All that he thought and did
for them, he thinks and does for us. When
he broke the bread and said, "This is my body which is given
for you: this do in remembrance of me"; and when, after pouring the wine, he said further: "This cup is the
new testament in my blood, which is shed for you," he uttered great
truths that they did not yet understand. The word "remembrance"
that he used conveys the thought of "waiting for." What were
they to wait for? Soon they would know, and then they would continue the
Memorial feast annually "until he come." This the faithful
followers of the Lord do, and have done for the last nineteen hundred
years. Now our hopes are high, for we are nearing the time for his
glorious return in power, and his first act is to gather together all
those who are the chosen and begotten of his Father. In all conditions and
circumstances; in peril and in danger; in sickness and in health, this
simple feast has been kept. INCREASED LIGHTVery
soon our Heavenly Father rewarded the faithful followers of the Lord by
giving a deeper insight into the real significance of the bread and wine.
It was the privilege of that faithful servant Paul to reveal the hidden
meaning of the symbol used at the Lord's last Supper. There
is no evidence that Jesus ate of the bread or drank of the wine -rather
the words go to show that he would wait for the time of the establishment
of the Kingdom. In simple and expressive language, but with impelling
force and power, the Apostle demonstrates that we enter into that breaking.
When we partake and assimilate the bread, and it becomes part of us, this
symbolizes that we are one with our Head and united to all other members
of that Body. Paul in essence says, here is a mystery kept hid from the
ages, that Christ is not composed of one person but is composed of many,
all of whom become one! Christ is one, but comprises many members. - 1
Cor. 12:12. Evidently
the great Apostle found it necessary to give the foundation of his
interpretation of the symbol used in the Memorial and we find him saying,
"For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you."
Paul was anxious that his fellow-members should see and know that the
partaking of the emblems was more than a reminder of a sacrificial life
and work finished at Calvary. For him, for them, and similarly for us it
is an entering into a covenant or agreement with the Lord Jesus and with
his Father. Note the words of Jesus and see what a flood of light is
thrown upon them by this understanding. "And
I covenant for you, even as my Father has covenanted for me, a Kingdom"
(Luke
22:29, Diaglott). Here
was a loving intimacy, a sweet fellowship that had never before been
extended to members of the human family. Did the disciples appreciate
these words when they were spoken? Have we appreciated them as much in the
past as we do now? A greater knowledge of our loving Heavenly Father,
accompanied by
a wider
experience of his purpose and way should endear this ceremony to us more
and more. Our relationship to our Heavenly Father and to the Lord should
be quickened and enhanced. OUR ATTITUDEOur
Father, at this Memorial season, would have us carefully and prayerfully
examine our relationship with him and his purpose. Frequently we quote,
"Now are we sons of God." How have we become sons? Could we take
this relationship of our own volition? Can we attain to this position by a
demonstration of faith or of works? Is it a natural growth or
development? John declares it to be a privilege or position given by God.
(John 1:12.) Paul asserts that only those led by the spirit of God are his
sons. To all those who have the assurance of being sons of God, what an
intimate, reverential, homely feeling becomes associated with the
partaking of the feast. This
knowledge that, by the grace of God, we are in a special relationship to
him; that he has undertaken all on our behalf; that he will never leave us
nor forsake us, will not puff us up. If rightly exercised we shall
approach this Memorial with the deepest gratitude, with the truest
humility, and with the sincerest honesty of heart. "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts:
and see if there be any wicked way in me." "Cleanse
thou me from secret faults." "Therefore
if a man purge himself from these things [dishonoring to God] he will be a
vessel unto honor, sanctified, fit for the Master's use, prepared for
every good work." If
this be the attitude of our heart toward God, towards this time of the
Memorial, happy will be our lot! Further, if we fully apprehend what our
Father has done for us through the gift of his dear Son, and with faith
and with gratitude live in harmony with his definite promises, how blessed
we shall be as we once more partake of the emblems so lovingly
introduced and used by our Head and Elder Brother. "For
as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's
death till he come." -
A. J. Lodge, Eng. The Resurrection"If
Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins ... But
now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them
that slept. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ GOD
is said to have "looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from
heaven did the Lord behold the earth: to hear the groaning of the
prisoner; to loose those appointed to death; to declare the name of the
Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem" (Psa. 102:19-21). God saw
that these prisoners of death, banished from their home, perfect food, and
climate, had lost much in strength God
also "saw [by the time of the flood, about 1654 years after the great
disobedience] that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually" (Gen. 6:5). Man's thoughts, sentiments, and morals had
shriveled even as his life span had shrunken. Men had become corrupt,
dissolute, and continually in rebellion against God and his laws, and as
such, "children of [God's] wrath." - Colossians 3:5, 6. RANSOM MUST PRECEDE RESURRECTIONIn
his pity God determined to loose these prisoners of death and to declare
the name of the Lord and his praises (excellent qualities) in Jerusalem.
But how should he go about this gracious work of salvation for all
mankind? How could God be true to himself, to his wisdom, justice, and
power, and yet show the compassion and love his great mercy had determined
upon? How could God be consistent with his glory and be reconciled to such
wretches as we are? Could he accept us back into his love and care just as
though no disobedience, rebellion, sin, death, or wrath had occurred?
Could he deal directly with us or must he use a mediator? If too easy a
forgiveness were given to men would it not have a bad effect on the
"morning stars" and "all the sons of God" who
"sang together" and "shouted for joy" when the
corner-stone of the earth was laid (Job 38:6, 7)? Would the God of Truth,
after saying, "Thou shalt surely die," release the sinners and
reverse his own word? Could he, the most righteous and holy, let pass
this opportunity to show his love for obedience and purity and his
hatred of evil? Obviously
we could not be cleared from our guilt and death penalty without
expiation, without a satisfaction of justice, without a ransom. So God
designed to make this salvation a work that would increase the knowledge
of his glory throughout the universe; that as a result of Satan's
rebellion there should be a better understanding of God and a gathering
together of all his sons, human and spirit, under the great Savior of men.
- Ephesians 1:7, 10. But
who should be the savior, ransomer, and mediator between God and men?
There was none of Adam's race who could "by any means redeem his
brother nor give to God a ransom for him" (Psa. 49:7). The angels had
tried to stem the tide of sin and death in the first Age, before the
flood, and had failed, and they themselves, many of them, had "left
their first estate, had "sinned," and been "cast down to
Tartarus [earth's atmosphere] and delivered into chains of darkness, to
be reserved unto judgment of the great day" (Heb. 2:2, 5; 2 Pet. 2:4
- margin; Jude 6). Lucifer, the shining one, once "the covering
cherub" to Adam and Eve, until "iniquity had been found in
him," had now become Satan, the enemy of God and man (Ezek.
28:13-16). God, being divine, could not die, yet only some one having
sufficient knowledge of Jehovah to cope with the wily Adversary and his
minions could be the savior, else he would fail under the great pressure
put upon him by the forces of evil, and the redemption would not be
accomplished. - Isaiah 53:7-11. Therefore
the great Logos, the Word of God, the only direct creation of God, the
one through whom all things were made, was selected. When the offer was
made, and the "joy set before him," he said, "Lo I come (in
the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, 0 God"
(John 1:1-3, Diaglott Literal; Heb. 10:7; 12:2; Rev. 3:14). The
life and personality of the Logos was then transferred and he became the
babe of Bethlehem. "He was made flesh and being found in fashion as a
man he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross." - John 1: 14; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 2:14. The
advantage Jesus had over Adam and the angels in resisting Satan's attempts
to divert him from the path of sacrifice, the doing of God's will, was
in his knowledge and experience of his prehuman life. In memory he saw
"Satan as an angel of light, fall from heaven." To others he
said: "Before Abraham was, I am." - Luke 10:18; John 8:58. JESUS' DEATH ON THE CROSS NECESSARYIt
was necessary for our Savior to die. But why did Jesus' cup include the
death on the cross, a criminal between two thieves? "He was numbered
among the transgressors." "He was made sin for us, who knew no
sin." He was accused of many crimes-sabbath breaking, blasphemy,
making himself equal with God, deceiving the people. destroying the Jewish
religion and the Temple, being a malefactor,
seditious, rebellious, and teaching the people not to pay tribute to Rome.
For these he was condemned to death, though Pilate, the judge, did not
believe the accusations and wanted no part in his death. - John 18:31,
38. Naturally,
one would think God would have spared his beloved Son the disgrace
attached to death as a criminal. St. Paul says, "We preach Christ
crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks
foolishness" (1 Cor. 1:23). But the wisdom of God is above ours, and
as we study over the matter, we think we can see some of God's reasons. It
is distressingly painful to any one to be accused of dishonesty and crime.
Jesus was no exception, for he said at Gethsemane, "Be ye come out as
against a thief with swords and staves?" (Luke 22:52). Early in his
ministry he knew of his coming betrayal, rejection, and death (John 6:64;
16:1-33; Luke 9:22; 18-32, 33). To have died an easier death similar to
Enoch's or Moses' (Heb. 11:5; Deut. 34; Jude 9), might not have revealed
the exceeding costliness of the ransoming work. He had been willing not
only to become a man and dwell among poor, sinful humanity, but to be a
servant, misunderstood, falsely accused, and finally condemned as a
criminal to die on the cross, the most odious and painful means of death
in that day. Further, since Jesus was to take our place as a ransom-we who
are all sinners and criminals before God's courtit was proper, to assist
our understanding, that Jesus should die as an apparent criminal for us
(Isa. 53:6). Jesus accepted this as God's will, for he said to Pilate.
"Thou couldest have no power against me except it were given thee
from above." - John 19:11. While
Jesus' death as a criminal has caused some to stumble and say he acted
foolishly, Christendom has accepted Jesus as a good man just because he
suffered these indignities. Seneca said of Socrates that his taking the
cup of poison made him a great man, and gave him the respect of those who
since have studied his socialistic ideas, for which he died so meekly,
telling his disciples of his philosophy even while drinking the cup of
hemlock. Plato, before Jesus' day, had said that he could approve a man as
fully righteous only after he had been tortured for his faith. The
Jewish people, besides being under the Adamic death penalty, through
heredity, were under the added curse of the failure to keep their promise
to obey the Sinaitic Law. They therefore required a special sin-offering.
Jesus, born under the Law Covenant, keeping it fully, and dying on the
cross, provided that special sin-offering and saved the Jewish nation.-
Galatians 3:10-13. Jesus
was perfect in his prehuman condition, and still perfect as a man, for
his life came not from Adam, but from God's holy spirit. Mary gave Jesus
his human body. His life was from God, his Father (Scripture Studies, Vol. V, pages
E97-E106). However, the Logos had the promise of a high exaltation to
the divine nature, that he should be King of earth, Mediator of the New
Covenant, and High Priest to make intercession for the Church and the
world. These latter positions, evidently required added perfections, for
we read, He "learned obedience by the things which he suffered,"
and was "made perfect" (Heb. 5:8, 9). These added requirements
of character explain why his patience, meekness, temperance, and love were
so sorely tested and fully developed. Surely he became qualified as a merciful and faithful high-priest; learning obedience through his suffering has
fitted him for all power in heaven and on earth; his faithful performance
of God's will under most grueling tests proved him worthy of the crowning
reward, that of being resurrected in the "brightness of God's
glory, and the express image of the Father's [divine] person." -
Hebrews 1:1-3. Much
of what Jesus endured was for the sake of his followers of this Gospel Age
who were to "fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of
Christ," who were to "go to him, without the camp, bearing his
reproach," be "baptized for the dead," and "die
daily." They were to be tempted to "becoming weary and faint in
their souls, striving against sin," and were likely to
"despise" the chastenings of the Lord or "faint when
rebuked by him." How often the only comfort in our woes is to look
"unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith," to
"consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against
himself," and to say I have not yet shed great drops of blood
striving against sin as he did. - Colossians 1:24; Hebrews 13:1013; 1
Corinthians 15, 29, 31; Hebrews 12:1-7. IF CHRIST BE NOT RAISED - YE ARE YET IN YOUR SINSWhat
a waste of creative effort, experience, and suffering it would have been
if Jesus (who carried with him into the tomb all the magnificence of the
great Logos, all the tenderness of the man who wept at Lazarus' grave; who
said to the woman "neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no
more"; who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; who, when he knew
that just a few of his brilliant words of defense would cause the wavering
judge to declare him innocent, "opened not his mouth"; who during
the six hours of agony on the cross gave comfort to the thief, provided
for his mother's welfare, and would not accept the proffered drug to
deaden his suffering) - if he had not been resurrected from the grave. 1
Corinthians 15 is Paul's argument against the teaching of some in the
Church, who, while still believing in Jesus' resurrection, denied the
resurrection of the saints and the world. The Apostle proves God's ability
to resurrect these by the admitted fact that Jesus was resurrected. A
further thought in the reasoning is that Adam's race needs lifting up from
death, degradation, and sin, and that Jesus who bought us from death is
the only One who can perform this restoration work. The Atonement has
two parts, ransom and restitution. God,
whose throne is founded on justice, cannot look on sin, hence he has
arranged for the 1000-year judgment day, when the world will be under the
Mediator of the New Covenant,
and God will not be in direct contact with the weakened human race until
they are brought to physical and moral perfection. If
Jesus were not raised, how could he call from their graves the 20 billion
human beings estimated to have lived on earth since Adam? How then could
Jesus be the King of earth, Mediator of the New Covenant, and High Priest
after the order of Melchisedec, to make intercession for the sins of the
world? And how could a dead and unresurrected Savior oversee the vast
multitude of mankind, as they walk the highway of holiness and write God's
Law in their hearts and minds? - John 5:28-30. Thus
we see the force of St. Paul's argument in our text, "If Christ be
not raised, ye are yet in your sins. But now is Christ risen from the dead
and become the first-fruits of them that slept." Now the promised
resurrection of all of Adam's race Jew and Gentile, black and white,
bond-servant and freeman, those who have done evil and those who have done
good-all will be resurrected, each in his own order by our risen Savior. But
how could Jesus die as the corresponding price for Adam and his race and
yet on the third day be resurrected? We briefly answer, the man
Jesus
has not been resurrected, but will stay dead throughout eternity. It was
the New Creature, Christ the Head, which was begotten at Jordan and which
was resurrected from the tomb. All of the personality, experience,
knowledge, and character of Jesus is in the divine Christ; his being was
transferred from the human to the divine body in the same way the
personality of the Logos was transferred to the Man Jesus. RESURRECTION TO FOLLOW THE GOSPEL AGEThe
preparation for the gigantic task of giving a full and effective
opportunity to all the human race has been going on quietly, unknown to
the world. It began at Pentecost. Jesus, the only one having the right,
power, patience, and sagacity to do this work, has been calling a little
flock of foot-step followers to be assistant judges and under-priests.
These will share his throne and his personal exaltation. The development
of the Church is the Mystery of God. The Church is called the Body of
Christ, the members likened to the members of the human body because of
their willingness to do exactly as their head, Jesus, directs. Members of
Christ's Body start as sinful human beings, but through faith, the gift of
God, are reckoned perfect because of Jesus' ransom and their belief
therein. These consecrate their all, and because of their justification by
faith are accepted in the Beloved, begotten by God to the spirit nature,
to the same status as Jesus after his consecration at Jordan-new creatures
in Christ. These are running for the prize of the High Calling in Christ
Jesus. Only by prayer and supreme effort can we be transformed to the image
of God's dear Son. Only by working
out our
salvation with fear and trembling can we have God work in us to will and do of his good pleasure. But the way is not impossible,
for the promise is that "as thy days so shall thy strength be."
When we are weak in our own self-confidence, then are we strong, in that
God will give us strength to bear our crosses. The
Christ, or anointed class, has part in the First Resurrection. Jesus was
raised the third day after his death-at the beginning of the Gospel Age.
Each member of the Body of Christ, from Pentecost to the end of the Gospel
Age, upon completion of his sacrifice in death, has fallen asleep,
awaiting Christ's second coming. "The dead in Christ," we are
told, "shall rise first," upon the coming of the Lord with a
shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God. I believe Jesus'
secret coming and presence have already occurred, that the thunderous
events of our day and Israel's establishment in Palestine indicate this.
Such being the case, I believe that the resurrection of the dead in
Christ is going on now. First, those asleep were to be raised, and after
that, as they finished their course, "we which are alive and
remain" on the earth during the first phase of Jesus' presence are to
be raised immediately upon death to join those of the First Resurrection
that have preceded them. - Luke 12:37-39; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; Acts
15:16. The
After-resurrection will consist of those who will be obedient children
of God during Christ's 1000-year reign on earth. "Every man in his
own order" indicates a planning in the awakening and lifting to
perfection which the very word, "resurrection" means (1 Cor.
15:23). Lazarus and others were not resurrected, but awakened. Jesus was
the first-fruits of them that slept. He awakened Jairus' daughter during
his ministry, but she was not released from the Adamic death, for she
later returned to the grave. - John 11:11; Luke 7:14; 8:54. In
the Millennial Age, his organization complete and ready for the task, all
stones of stumbling removed, Satan bound, and the highway of holiness
opened, Christ shall call to all in the graves. Those not of the first
resurrection, even those who have done evil, will come forth; first
awakened, as was Lazarus; then as they strive to do good, their efforts
will be rewarded with greater measures of life. The arrangement for
justification by faith will be unnecessary then because of the mediatorial
covering, but at the end of the highway and the Millennial Age, all the
willing and obedient will have learned righteousness, will have God's law
written in their hearts. The effects of Adamic sin and death will be
removed, and man will have become actually perfect. The last enemy to be
destroyed is the Adamic death, wherein one wastes away, becomes old and
dies. Adam and his race will finally be in at-one-ment with God. What
a glorious hope the resurrection holds out to this weary, sick,
fear-ridden and dying world! Let
us strive to be worthy of our high calling, and faithful stewards of the
knowledge of the Divine Plan of the Ages given us in advance of the
world of mankind. -
B. F. Hollister Christian Fellowship"Truly our
fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." IT
IS most natural for one to be drawn to another or a group that speaks the
language of the heart's affection. That is the law of fellowship; for it
is oneness of interest that creates a fellowship. Fellowship is a
partnership; a common sharing with another, a jointpartaker with
another. Fellowship is never arbitrary, for we either do or do not have a
common interest with another. The bases for fellowship are many and
varied, such as partnership in business, in social relief, in community activities,
in profession or trade, in oneness of religious convictions, in scientific
investigation, and in conservation projects. In
1 Corinthians, chapter twelve, the Apostle uses the oneness of the human
body as an illustration of a closely knit unit of many parts: "When
one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member be
honoured, all the members rejoice with it" (1 Cor. 12:26). But
oneness such as this can exist in natural family groups, clans, tribes,
and other divisions of men. It can be, and often is, manifest in religious
groups who closely adhere to some leader or teacher and his system of
interpretation. This creates an affinity, one for another, of the same
persuasion; Seventh Day Adventists for Seventh Day Adventists; Mormons
for Mormons; Christian Scientists for Christian Scientists; Amish for
Amish. The spirits of Lutherans are elated after spending a week
together at a retreat. The same is true with Jehovah's Witnesses, as well
as with any group in which there is a mutual compatibility. Often the impression left after a gathering of
likeminded ones is expressed in these words, "It was good to have
been there." But
our topic is Christian Fellowship, which, by its title, denotes a special
oneness. The Christian Church, the prospective body of Christ, is'
composed of many individuals taken out of all nations, and languages, and
divisions of men; but in Christ these distinctions have ceased,
"for, as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek [Gentile], there is neither bond
nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ
Jesus" writes Paul in Galatians 3:27, 28. He also asserts that the
Church is a unit apart from both Jew and Gentile: "Give none offence,
neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God"
(1 Cor. 10: 32). Those who by nature were "children of wrath, even as
others, minding earthly things," are, by a new begettal, made mindful
of heavenly things, the things of the spirit. "Now we have received,
not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might
know the things that are freely given to us of God." - 1 Corinthians
2:12. REDEMPTION NECESSARYIt
may be that many think of redemption as being merely a bringing out of the
darkness and ignorance of God's plans and purposes into the light of
what Peter terms "present truth" (2 Pet. 1: 12). But redemption,
as unfolded in the sacred writings, is from the slavery to sinful
propensities, the thraldom of Satan's kingdom and ways, into fellowship
with God. As we read in Colossians 1:12-14, where the Apostle gives
"thanks to the Father ... who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son; in whom
we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." Redemption
is necessary to this fellowship with God. As an illustration, Israel in
Egyptian bondage could have no common union with God. Certainly the
Eternal, who inhabits the boundlessness of eternity, could have nothing in
common with a debased, restricted people, even though they were the
descendants of Abraham, the Friend of God. If they were to be the people
of the Lord, he must redeem them from their bondage, they being unable to
effect their own deliverance. And so it was, "with a stretched out
arm, and with great judgments" on Egypt (Ex. 6:6), Israel was brought
out of bondage into the relationship of a redeemed people. Thus it is with
the true Israel of God, of which natural Israel was a type, or figure.
"All these things happened unto them for ensamples" (1 Cor.
10:11; Rom. 15:4). How could we, "dead in trespasses and sins"
have fellowship with a holy God? "Who among us shall dwell with the
devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Such
is Isaiah's estimation of the excellencies of God. His answer to his own
query is, "He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he
that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding
of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his
eyes from seeing evil." - Isaiah 33:14, 15. "Dead
in trespasses and sins!". Not partly dead; not merely needing more
or less of the merit of Christ to cover our deficiencies; but without a
scintilla, not the slightest trace of life as God views life; born but to
die! Jesus testified to the true state of the human family when he said to
one who would postpone discipleship until first he had buried his father:
"Let the dead bury their dead" (Luke 9:60). Even in the present
condition of the race, what fellowship has any one with a corpse? At the
cessation of sensation all communication ceases. And this lack of communication
between the Giver and Sustainer of life and the Adamic race of dying
humans has continued since the transgression in Eden. "But God, who
is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we
were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye
are saved)" (Eph. 2:4, 5). For this reason we give "thanks to
that Father who called and qualified us for the portion of the saints' inheritance
in the light; who delivered us from the dominion of darkness and
changed us for the kingdom of the Son of his love" (Col. 1:12, 13, Diaglott translation). This is redemption from the bondage to sin and death into a
state of harmony with divine holiness. Only Divine power can accomplish
this. Self-redemption
is a delusionas with Israel, who did not by their own endeavors deliver
themselves from bondage. No! it was accomplished for them by Moses who
was sent for that purpose. (Ex. 3:1-12). So Jesus was sent into the world
for its redemption: "God sent not his Son into the world to condemn
the world; but that the world through him might be saved" (John
3:17). With Israel redemption was with blood: "When I see the
blood" (Ex. 12:13). So with the believing people of God "which
in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God" (1
Pet. 2:10). These are redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ, as
a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Pet. 1:18). The very fact
that we .partake with others of the emblems at the celebration of the
Lord's supper, is a testimony that we acknowledge our mutual redemption
by the sacrifice of the Man, Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 10:1-10); that "God
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor. 5:21). This is the basis of all
true Christian fellowship-our mutual redemption in Christ. The
forgiving of sins is something that delights the heart of God as one, in
penitence comes to him through faith in the sacrifice of Christ. This was
foreshadowed in Eden when God made covering of skins for the first
transgressors to clothe them (Gen. 3:21); and it is the constant
testimony of the Word of God that "He retaineth not his anger for
ever, because he delighteth in mercy" (Micah 7:18). "Joy
shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety
and nine just persons that need no repentance" (Luke 15:7).
"Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is
covered" - Psalm 32:1. SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRITEven
though we have by faith a righteous standing with God (Rom. 5:1), yet
there needs to be the sanctifying power of the spirit of truth, of
righteousness, to fit us for the fellowship of saints. "For we
ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving
divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and
hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our
Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the holy spirit, which he shed on us
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his
grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life"
(Titus 3:3-7). This is redemption from error, prejudice, malice, and all
the evil tendencies of the fallen human nature, into a new nature,
"which after God is created in
righteousness
and true holiness" (Eph. 4:24). There must be the renewing energy of
the holy spirit present, for there can be no true Christian fellowship
without it; "for by one spirit are we all baptized into one
body" (1 Cor. 12:13). This baptism not only opens up a whole new
outlook on life, it opens up a whole new life: a life contrasted to death.
It is doing righteousness as a consequence of having been begotten of
God to a relationship with him through faith in Christ. And all who have
been so begotten are drawn, as by a magnet, to Christ. This, in
fulfillment of Jesus' prayer "that they all may be one; as thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us ... that
they may be one, even as we are one" (John 17:21, 22). This was
beautifully foreshadowed in the 12th chapter of Exodus: Israel under the
shelter of the blood, and feeding on the roasted lamb. This
fellowship may be augmented by cooperation in the work of the ministry;
in the spreading of the gospel of God's grace; of the call to
sanctification; in deeds of mercy; in labors of love; in edifying the
Church in spiritual understanding; and, necessarily, the sharing of
the sufferings of Christ. In all this there is the bond of Christ which
cements the saints together as one; and that bond is their mutual
redemption and sanctification in Christ. - 1 Corinthians 1:30. While
there may be, and has been, a fellowship in a mutual ministry, such as
"witnessing to the truth," yet this ministry can be entered into
and controlled by some who are devoid of spiritual understanding. These
may, and have, excluded from fellowship those who are not of their spirit
of sectarianism. Or, like Diotrophes (3 John 9, 10), so love preeminence
that they cast out anyone whom they think might be a rival; and put their
own decisions as the authoritative voice in the church, or ecclesia. THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERYIn
Ephesians 3:9, the Apostle writes as to the purpose of the ministry laid
upon him: "To make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning hath been hid in God." And this fellowship
is to be of those who have fellowship with God himself. "Called of
God" to joint-heirship with his Son. Fellowship with God is a
present reality; joint-heirship with Christ is the future inheritance. At
a time, perhaps at the close of the first century, when the Gnostics were
claiming that Jesus was a mythical figure, John wrote his first epistle,
testifying that esus had been manifested to the senses: "That which was from the beginning, which we have
heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and
our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal
life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.)" - 1
John 1:1, 2. What John had seen was more than the perfect man Jesus; he
had seen eternal life manifested; and, moreover, was having fellowship
with eternal life, with the Father and the Son. And the message he had
heard of Jesus, and desired to pass on to his readers, is that "God
is light, and in him is no darkness at all." This is also Paul's testimony
of God, that he "dwells in
the light
which no man can approach unto; Whom no man has seen, nor can see"
(1 Tim. 6:16). John's desire is that his readers "walk in the light
as God is in the light, and have fellowship one with another; and the
blood of Jesus Christ cleansing from all sin (1 John 1:7). Thus to have
this greater fellowship, each must be having a personal oneness with the
Father and the Son. This is the ultimate purpose of our receiving a
knowledge of the truth and spiritual understanding. In
1 John 2:29 and 1 John 3:7, John equates walking in the light with doing
righteousness, thus having fellowship with God: "He that doeth
righteousness, is righteous, even as he [God] is righteous." And in 1
John 2:10, 4:8 and 4:16, dwelling in love is equated with dwelling in God;
or, in other words, having fellowship with God. How
in contrast is this John who, in his younger days would call down fire
from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village (Luke 9:54); or when he would
forbid one the casting out of demons, "because he followeth not
us." - Mark 9:38! Brethren,
let us abide in Christ; and revel in true Christian fellowship. -
F. A. Essler Notice of Annual MeetingAll
should be aware of the fact that the affairs of our Institute are in the
hands of seven brethren who are elected from its membership to serve for
a period of one year or until their successors are elected. Our
Annual Meeting this year is scheduled to be held (D.V.) Saturday, June
3, at 11:00 a.m. in Agawam, Mass., 218 Shoemaker Lane. Membership
in the Pastoral Bible Institute is, and always has been, open to any
consecrated brother or sister who "is in full harmony with the
purpose, spirit, and policy of the Institute," and who intends to
support it "in all reasonable ways as he or she shall deem to be the
Lord's will." As
stated in its charter, the purpose for which the Institute was formed is
"the dissemination of Bible truths in various languages by means of
the publication of tracts, pamphlets, papers, and other religious
documents, and by the use of all other lawful means which its Board of
Directors, duly constituted, shall deem expedient for the furtherance of
the purposes stated." The
membership fee is five dollars ($5.00) which should accompany the
application. If an applicant lacks the membership fee, but is otherwise
acceptable, the fee will be paid out of a special fund provided for that
purpose. In
order to participate in the election of directors at the next annual
meeting, anyone, not already a member, who desires to apply for membership
should do so promptly as, according to our bylaws, "the
registration of such membership must be made twenty days prior to the
election." Members
of the Pastoral Bible Institute are hereby reminded of the privilege which
is theirs of nominating in the pages of this journal the brethren they
wish to elect as directors for the fiscal year 1978-79. The
brethren whose terms of service will expire are: F. A. Essler, A.
Gonczewski, L. Petran, J. T. Read, P. L. Read, W. J. Siekman, and J. B.
Webster. The
brethren here named are pleased to report that a spirit of Christian love
and harmony exists in their midst; and they have every reason to believe
that the Lord has seen fit to bless their association in this ministry.
They realize however, that those carrying on any work may fail to see
opportunities for improvement and expansion apparent to others not charged
with such responsibilities, and that for this reason changes in office
sometimes have beneficial effects. They therefore urge upon all members of
our Institute that they make this a special occasion for prayer, that our
Father's will may be expressed in the vote of the members. If after
prayerful meditation any are led of the Lord to nominate brethren, and
will forward the names and addresses of such brethren so as to reach
this office on or before April 10, 1978, such names will
be published in the
May June issue of the Herald, that all members may have an opportunity of voting for them. THE MEMORIAL SUPPER"For
as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup, ye do show the Lord's
death till He come." According
to our usual method of reckoning, the Memorial celebration this year
should be held after sundown, Thursday, April 20. This, according to the
Jewish calendar, is the 14th of Nisan, and the appropriate time for the
brethren to meet "in remembrance" of the Lamb ho was slain. "This
do in remembrance of Me" Entered Into Rest
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