{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_12868/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_12868","id":"gutenberg_12868","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12868","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Religion/Spirituality","Category: Teaching & Education","Jehovah's witnesses -- Controversial literature"],"text":"[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nThe Harp of God\n\n\n_Proof Conclusive that_\n\nMillions now Living will never Die\n\n\n\nA text-book for Bible study specially\nadapted for use of beginners; with numerous\nquestions and Scripture citations\n\n\n510,000 Edition\n\n\nBy J.F. Rutherford, Author of\n\"_Can the Living Talk with the Dead_?\"\n\"_Millions now Living will never Die!_\"\n_etc., etc._.\n\n\n_Publishers_:\nWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society and\nInternational Bible Students Association\nBrooklyn, New York, U.S.A.\n_Also_: London, Toronto, Melbourne, Cape Town, Orebro, Barmen,\nBerne, _etc._\n\n\n\n\n     To the invisible King of Glory now present\n\n     in the interests of\n     the generation now on earth who\n     will become his loyal subjects\n\n     this book is dedicated\n\n\n_\"This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled_.\"\n--Matthew 24:34\n\n\n\n1921\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPreface\n\nThere is need of a textbook for beginners in Bible study. This book is\nintended to meet that long-felt want. The subject matter is arranged\nprogressively and orderly. A list of questions follows each point\ndiscussed, thus enabling the teacher to direct the mind of the student\nto the subject under consideration. The numeral following each question\nrefers to the paragraph of the text where the answer may be found, each\nparagraph being numbered to correspond.\n\nJehovah had a great plan before the foundation of the world; but no one\nknew about it. During the first four thousand years of man's history\nGod's plan was kept a secret. He began to reveal it to man nearly\nnineteen hundred years ago, and then only to those who are consecrated\nto do his will. Promise was made that greater light should come at the\nend of the age, and this promise has been kept. We are at that time, as\nis clearly proven by the contents herein. This book points out the\nsalient features of the divine plan, which plan is both orderly and\nprogressive.\n\nPeople generally have not been thoroughly instructed in the Bible. Even\nthose who have attended the Sunday schools have merely learned the text\nand not the meaning of the text. Like the prophets of old, they have\nheard but understood not. The real reason for these conditions is that\nGod's plan could not be understood until his due time to reveal it. His\ndue time is here.\n\nBecause of the dispensational change taking place at this time, Bible\nstudy was never so important as now. If important to educate the rising\ngeneration in the things taught in our common schools, with stronger\nreasoning is it important to educate them concerning that which is now\nbeing revealed of the divine program for the uplifting and blessing of\nmankind.\n\nThere is no disposition, desire, nor attempt to induce any one reading\nthis book to become a member of any organization, sect, or denomination.\nThe sole purpose of the book is to aid honest seekers for truth in\ntheir endeavors to understand the Bible, to learn the meaning of the\npresent-day events, and to prepare some at least to receive the\nblessings that are soon due to mankind.\n\nIf you knew that there was to be a radical change in the government for\nthe better, and that your children might have a part in the affairs of\nthe new government, you would be anxious for them to acquire all the\nknowledge possible concerning the new order of things. The greatest\nchanges of the ages are now taking place. It is conceded by everybody\nthat these changes began with the World War and that they continue. But\nwhat do they mean? The real answer is that the old world, or social and\npolitical order, has ended and is passing away, and that a new and\nbetter order is due and will shortly be established. Every parent owes\nit to his child to instruct him insofar as possible concerning the\nincoming new order or government. The contents of this book will start\nyou in the right way.\n\nThe subject matter herein treated is not discussed at great length. The\ninterested reader is referred to the STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES and\nkindred publications of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, wherein\nthese matters are treated in greater detail. The King James Version of\nthe Bible is used in the quotations, except as otherwise indicated. The\nreader should consider each point herein made with his Bible before him,\nproving each proposition, that he may be thoroughly convinced in his own\nmind.\n\nThe harp is an instrument which, when used by a skilled performer,\nbrings happiness and cheer to those who listen. The harp of God, when\nunderstood and skillfully used, brings peace of mind and gladness of\nheart. The title of this book suggests the thought of good cheer and\nhappiness. The message herein contained, taken from the Word of God, is\nsent forth with the prayer that it may be a blessing to many, that it\nmay cheer some who are sad, bind up some broken hearts, comfort some\nthat mourn, and give all who earnestly read a deeper appreciation of\nJehovah and the Savior of mankind.\n\nBrooklyn, N.Y., October 1, 1921.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n\nThe Harp of God\n\nCreation\n\nJustice Manifest\n\nThe Abrahamic Promise\n\nThe Birth of Jesus\n\nThe Ransom\n\nResurrection\n\nMystery Revealed\n\nOur Lord's Return\n\nGlorification of the Church\n\nRestoration\n\n\n\n\nThe Harp of God\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I\n\n\"_I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark sayings upon\nthe harp.\"--Psalm 49:4._\n\n\nThe harp is a musical instrument invented many centuries ago. When\nproperly strung and played upon it yields sweet music, making glad the\nheart. The first mention of the harp made in the Bible is in Genesis\n4:21, and the inventor's name was Jubal. He was therefore called \"the\nfather of all such as handle the harp and organ\".\n\n[2]It was 1812 years before the coming of Jesus in the flesh that God\norganized the twelve tribes of Israel, the descendants of Jacob, into a\nnation, which nation thereafter was known as the nation of Israel. It\nwas the only nation with which God made a covenant, and he did not\nrecognize any other nation in the same way. (Amos 3:2) The nation of\nIsrael was used to make living pictures or types, foreshadowing better\nthings to come; and those who study the Scriptural account of Israel's\nexperiences are able to approximate closely future events which will be\ngood for mankind.--1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Hebrews 10:1.\n\n[3]With the nation of Israel the harp was an instrument consecrated to\njoy and exaltation. David, who for forty years was king of Israel, was\nan expert player on the harp, and it will be noted that in the Psalms\noften the harp is used to symbolize or teach some great truth. The Jews\nused this instrument on occasions of joy, such as jubilees and\nfestivals.\n\n[4]Josephus, a writer of Jewish history, is authority for the statement\nthat the harp usually had ten strings, but that at times it was smaller\nand had only eight strings. The number _ten_ is used in the Scriptures\nto symbolize that which is complete or perfect as pertaining to man. We\nwould understand, then, that the harp with ten strings pictures the great\nfundamental truths concerning the divine plan. When two of these strings\nwere absent, there being only eight, the indication is apparently given\nthat there would be a time when two important features of the divine plan\nwould not be seen by men. God promised that greater light should come\nupon his Word at the end of the age, or end of the world, which means the\nsocial order of things. Since we have reached that time, we confidently\nlook for more light and thus we find it.\n\n[5]The Book of Revelation is written largely in symbols. In Revelation\n14:2,3 and 15:2,3 we find a brief description of a class of glorious\nbeings who are playing upon their harps, and these are described as the\n'harps of God'. The harp here is used as a sign or symbol of some great\ntruth, or feature of the divine program; in fact, a great deal of the\nBible is written in symbolic phrase. The Lord uses objects which we know\nto illustrate great unseen things which we do not know; and the harp is\nso used.\n\n\nWHO IS GOD?\n\n[6]Before we can know God and understand his great plan it is first\nnecessary for us to believe that he exists and that he rewards all who\ndiligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) But how can we believe? We must\nfirst have some knowledge. But how can we know that there is a great\nGod? Let us look at some of the simpler things about us and reason upon\nthe matter.\n\n[7]Look at the flowers in your garden. Out from the same soil grow the\nmany varieties of different hues and colors. Likewise from the same soil\nspring the divers kinds of trees, bringing forth different fruits at\ndifferent seasons of the year. Some wisdom superior to man's must have\narranged these things. Observe the broad fields, the lofty mountains,\nthe mighty rivers, and then behold the ocean, exhibiting unlimited\npower, upon the waves of which majestically ride the great ships. Are we\nnot compelled to conclude that there was a wise One, who created these\nthings, greater than anything we see?\n\n[8]Now gaze into the silent heavens above you, and there number, if you\ncan, the stars and planets which are noiselessly moving through space.\nMany of these are far greater than the earth, and yet each one hangs in\nits place and moves noiselessly about in its orbit. Surely they could\nnot have come there by chance, but the reasonable mind must say that a\nCreator greater than the planets put them there. When King David looked\nat these wonders of creation he was so impressed with the greatness of\ntheir Creator that he wrote: \"The heavens declare the glory of God; and\nthe firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and\nnight unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language,\nwhere their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the\nearth, and their words to the end of the world.\"--Psalm 19:1-4.\n\n[9]Consider man. What a wonderful piece of mechanism is his body! The\nframework is there; the muscles that hold each part in place; the\nnerves, like a great electrical system by which messages are conveyed\nfrom the brain to all parts of the body. He has power to reason and to\nplan and carry out these plans. Truly no machine can be compared to man\nfor intricacy of construction and harmony of action. Who, then, is the\nCreator of this wonderful thing? We must conclude that there was a\ngreat First Cause who made and put into action all things visible in the\nuniverse, as well as things to us invisible. And who is he? Jehovah is\nhis name; the great God of the universe.--Psalm 83:18; Genesis 17:1;\nExodus 6:3; 20:2-5.\n\n[10]The name Jehovah means self-existing one. He was without beginning\nand without end, and of him Moses wrote: \"From everlasting to\neverlasting thou art God\". (Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 26:4) He is the great\nAlmighty Jehovah God and there is none other besides him, and his honor\nand dignity none other possesses. (Isaiah 42:8) He is the great all-wise\nCreator of all things that are made. (Isaiah 40:28; Genesis 1:1) The\nfour great and eternal attributes of Jehovah are justice, power, love,\nand wisdom. (Ezekiel 1:5,6) These attributes work together in exact\nharmony at all times; and in various times and ways he makes manifest\nthese attributes. At certain times he has specially manifested such\nattributes.\n\n[11]His justice was made manifest by inflicting punishment for the\nviolation of his law. Power was particularly manifested in the great\nflood that destroyed all things on the earth. His love was especially\nexhibited in the sacrifice of the dearest treasure of his heart, his\nbeloved Son, that mankind might have an opportunity for life. His wisdom\nis particularly manifested in his great plan, which he gradually unfolds\nand permits man to see. His attributes have no limitations. He is so\nwise that he knew the end from the beginning and outlined all of his\ngreat plan to the very minutest detail.--Acts 15:18.\n\n\nHIS REVELATION\n\n[12]It is conceded by all that man is the very highest type of all\nliving creatures on the earth. His intelligence is far superior to that\nof any other earthly being. Truly man is fearfully and wonderfully made.\nIs it not reasonable for him to expect that the Almighty God would\nreveal to man something of the divine greatness and plans and purposes?\nYes, and such revelation is found in that wonderful book, the holy\nBible.\n\n[13]Who wrote the Bible? What is known as the Old Testament was written\nby holy men of old who were moved upon by the invisible power of Jehovah\nto write it. (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Samuel 23:2; Luke 1:70) The New Testament\nconsists of the spoken words of Jesus, the Son of God, who spake as\nnever man spake, and whose words were recorded by those who heard him\nand witnessed his acts; and in addition thereto, the written testimony\nof his disciples, who wrote under inspiration from God.\n\n[14]The holy spirit means the invisible power or influence of Jehovah--\nholy because he is holy. This power of Jehovah operated upon the minds\nof honest men who loved and who were devoted to righteousness, directing\nthem in the writing of the Bible. The spirit of God, i.e., his invisible\npower and influence, moved upon the waters and thereby he created.\n(Genesis 1:2) In like manner his invisible power and influence operated\nupon the minds of men and directed them what to write. Thus did Moses\nwrite the first five books of the Bible. The invisible power or influence\nof God, which is the holy spirit, operating upon Moses' mind enabled him\nto make a record of the chief events that had occurred and to write the\nlaw of God, as given to his people through Moses. In no other way could\nthe true history of creation have been written. These facts and truths\nwere, therefore, written by inspiration of God. (2 Timothy 3:16; Job\n32:8) There are twenty-four prophetic writers of the Old Testament, who\nforetold the great events that were to transpire in the earth. Their\naccounts were written at different times and under widely different\nconditions, yet their testimonies agree. Their testimony foreshadowed\nfuture events.\n\n[15]History, when written, is a recorded statement of facts and events,\narranged in a chronological order.\n\n[16]Prophecy, which is true, is a statement of facts and events foretold\nto take place at some future time. Otherwise stated, prophecy is history\nwritten before it transpires.\n\n[17]No human mind could actually foretell facts or events to happen in\nthe future. Only the divine mind could do that. If, then, we find that\nthe Bible foretold certain facts and events to happen and the record of\nthe same was made centuries before these facts and events did happen,\nand these events and facts are now definitely established as having\ntaken place, such would be the strongest proof that the persons\nrecording such facts and events were directed in so doing by the divine\nmind; hence that such writing was under divine inspiration.\n\n[18]As an illustration of this point: Wireless telegraphy and airships\nare modern discoveries; yet since they have been discovered we find that\nGod, through his holy prophets, foretold centuries ago the use of such\ninventions. (Job 38:35; Isaiah 60:8) The railway train has been in use\nless than a hundred years; and yet the prophet of God many centuries ago\ngave a clear and particular description of the railway train and the\nmanner of its operation, and prophesied that the same would be in vogue\nat the time of the end, at the time the Lord is making preparation for\nthe establishment of his kingdom. (Nahum 2:3-6) And he also foretold\nthat at that time there would be a great running to and fro by other\nmeans of transportation, such as automobiles, electric cars, etc.\n(Daniel 12:4) There is no one living in modern times who is wiser than\nSolomon; yet during the past 125 years there has been a great\ndevelopment in invention and a marvelous increase of knowledge; because\nit is due time, and because the prophets of God centuries ago foretold\nthat such would come to pass.\n\n[19]Through his holy prophets God foretold that at a time future there\nwould come into the world a mighty man; that he would be born a Jew\n(Deuteronomy 18:15), specifying the place where he would be born (Micah\n5:2); that he would come to his own people and they would not receive\nhim; that he would be despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and\nacquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:1-3); that he would ride into Jerusalem\nupon an ass, the foal of a like animal, and offer himself as king to the\nJews (Zechariah 9:9); that he would be rejected by the Jews (Isaiah\n53:3); that he would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah\n11:12); that he would die, but not for himself (Daniel 9:26); that there\nwould be no just cause for his death (Isaiah 53:8,9,11); that\nnevertheless he would be numbered among the transgressors (Isaiah\n53:12); that he would die a violent death, yet not a bone of his body\nshould be broken (Psalm 34:20); that his flesh would not corrupt, and\nthat he would arise from the dead (Psalm 16:10)--all of which and many\nmore similar prophecies were completely fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth,\nthe great Teacher who lived about and died at Jerusalem. Later we will\nexamine the Scriptures proving a further fulfillment of all these\nprophecies.\n\n[20]All of the foregoing facts show that the Bible was written, as it is\nclaimed, by holy men of old, who were directed in writing it by the\npower of Jehovah, and that it is a record which God caused to be kept\nand has given to man for his guidance in righteousness, and which\nforetells the course and final destiny of man.\n\n[21]The prophets who made record of the divine arrangement did not\nunderstand what they wrote. They knew they were writing something that\nwould take place in the future, but just how and when they did not know.\nThey inquired and searched diligently all sources of information open to\nthem as to what these prophecies meant and when they would be fulfilled\nand in what manner of time. Particularly with reference to the coming of\nJesus, his suffering, death and resurrection they prophesied and did not\nunderstand, although they attempted to understand. (1 Peter 1:10,12)\nEven the angels of heaven knew that the prophets were thus writing, but\nthey did not understand, although they desired to look into these\nthings. God revealed his great plan only in his own due time, and until\nthat time he kept it all to himself.\n\n[22]The divine plan means the arrangement made by Jehovah for the\ncreation of everything that has been created and for carrying out his\npurposes with reference to his creatures. The first one to understand\nthe divine plan was Jesus, who prior to coming to earth was known as the\nLogos, which means one who speaks and acts for Jehovah. In Revelation,\nchapter 5, a wonderful picture is given in symbolic language. Jehovah is\npictured as seated upon his throne, holding in his right hand a record\nor scroll of his great plan. The hand is a symbol of power and holding\nit in his hand foreshadowed the fact that Jehovah held it exclusively in\nhis own power and keeping. The picture then shows a strong angel or\nmessenger speaking with a loud voice and asking the question: \"Who is\nworthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof?\" In heaven there\nwas a host of holy beings or angels. No one of them was able to open\nthe book or scroll, neither to look on it. No one in earth was able to\nlook upon it nor to open it.\n\n[23]One of the titles given to Jesus is \"Lion of the tribe of Judah\".\nThis great and mighty One, the beloved Son of God, afterward designated\nJesus, was granted the privilege of opening the book and of loosing the\nseals that kept it secret, thus picturing how Jehovah made known his\nplan to his beloved Son. The picture describes him thus: \"And I beheld,\nand, lo, in the midst of the throne ... stood a Lamb as it had been\nslain, having seven horns and seven eyes, ... and he came and took the\nbook out of the right hand of him [Jehovah] that sat upon the throne\".\n\n[24]_Seven_ is a symbol of perfection; horn a symbol of power; and eyes\na symbol of wisdom. Therefore this One is pictured as having perfect\npower and perfect wisdom to perform this wonderful privilege and duty.\nThis is the first time that the great mystery of Jehovah, his great plan\nor program, was made known to any one; and since then, from time to\ntime, he has been pleased to reveal portions of his plan to men who have\nhonestly and faithfully sought to understand it. He has promised to\nreward those that diligently seek him and who seek a knowledge of him.\nTherefore we can come to the study of his plan, confidently expecting\nthat he will grant us from time to time such a vision and understanding\nof it as pleases him and as would be for our good and happiness.\n\n[25]The harp is used to symbolize the grandeur and beauty, the exquisite\nharmony and majestic sweetness of the divine arrangement or plan. The\nrecord of this great program or plan is found in the Old and the New\nTestaments. This record reveals the purpose of God concerning man, gives\na record of his fall, a prophetic vision of his redemption and\ndeliverance, and ultimately the blessing of all obedient ones of mankind\nwith life everlasting. The great fundamental doctrines or truths stated\nin the Bible and which constitute the fundamentals of his plan\nconcerning man would, therefore, constitute the strings upon the harp of\nGod. These fundamental truths were spoken by Jehovah through the\nprophets, through Jesus, and through his disciples. God's law is his\nexpressed will. Law means a rule of action, directing that which is\nright and prohibiting that which is wrong. The Bible contains the law of\nJehovah for the governing of mankind.\n\n[26]The name David means beloved one. The beloved One of Jehovah is his\nSon, Jesus, the Christ. David was therefore used by Jehovah to picture\nor to make a type of Christ, including Jesus and his faithful followers.\nDavid used the harp of ten strings and was an expert performer upon it.\nThis would seem to picture how that the antitype of David, Jesus and the\nmembers of his body, his faithful followers, would have an understanding\nof this harp of God and that God would use them to make it plain to\nothers who would want to understand it. The ten strings of the harp,\ntherefore, very fitly represent the ten great fundamental truths or\ndoctrines of the divine plan. These ten fundamental doctrines appear in\nthe order named, as follows:\n\n   (1) CREATION\n   (2) JUSTICE MANIFESTED\n   (3) ABRAHAMIC PROMISE\n   (4) BIRTH OF JESUS\n   (5) RANSOM\n   (6) RESURRECTION\n   (7) MYSTERY REVEALED\n   (8) THE LORD'S PRESENCE\n   (9) GLORIFICATION\n  (10) RESTORATION\n\n[27]When one understands these ten fundamental truths and can\nappreciate the beauty and harmony by them expressed, he is thereby\nenabled to use the harp of God, and the use of it brings joy to his\nheart and fills his soul with sweet music. Without doubt the great plan\nof God pictured by the harp was all made and arranged at one time, but\nwe will here consider each one of these fundamental truths, represented\nby a string, separately and in the order above named.\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the harp? and when was it invented? \u00b6 1.\n\nWho invented the harp? and where is mention made of it in the Bible?\n\u00b6 1.\n\nWhen did God organize the twelve tribes of Israel into a nation? \u00b6 2.\n\nWhat arrangement did God make with the nation of Israel? \u00b6 2.\n\nFor what purpose was that nation used by Jehovah? \u00b6 2.\n\nTo what did the nation of Israel consecrate the harp? \u00b6 3.\n\nWhat king of Israel was skilled in the use of the harp? \u00b6 3.\n\nWhere in the Scriptures is the harp used symbolically? \u00b6 3.\n\nOn what occasions did the Jews use the harp? \u00b6 3.\n\nHow many strings were there on Israel's harp? and what did these\nsymbolize? \u00b6 4.\n\nDid the harp at any time have a less number of strings? and if so, what\ndid that picture? \u00b6 4.\n\nIn what phrase or language is the book of Revelation written? \u00b6 5.\n\nWhere in the book of Revelation is the harp mentioned? and what kind of\nbeings are pictured as using it? \u00b6 5.\n\nWhat is the first essential to an understanding of God's plan? \u00b6 6.\n\nName some visible proof of the existence of a Supreme Being or Creator.\n\u00b6 7.\n\nHow was David impressed with what he observed of creation? \u00b6 8.\n\nHow does man's organism prove the existence of a Supreme Being? \u00b6 9.\n\nWho is the Supreme Being or Creator? and what does his name signify?\n\u00b6 10.\n\nGive some Scriptural proof of the existence of Jehovah. \u00b6 10.\n\nName the four primary divine attributes. \u00b6 10.\n\nHow was divine justice manifested? \u00b6 11.\n\nHow was divine power manifested? \u00b6 11.\n\nHow was divine love manifested? \u00b6 11.\n\nHow was divine wisdom manifested? \u00b6 11.\n\nIs there proof that God foreknew the end from the beginning? \u00b6 11.\n\nWhy should man expect some revelation of the divine plan? \u00b6 12.\n\nHas man found a revelation of God's plan? and if so, where? \u00b6 12.\n\nBy whom was the Bible written? and what are the two general divisions of\nit? \u00b6 13.\n\nWhat is meant by the holy spirit? \u00b6 14.\n\nWhat relationship does the holy spirit bear to the Bible and its\npreparation? \u00b6 14.\n\nWho wrote the first five books of the Bible? and under what influence?\n\u00b6 14.\n\nWas the Bible written under inspiration? \u00b6 14.\n\nHow many prophetic writers contributed to the Old Testament? and does\ntheir testimony agree? \u00b6 14.\n\nDefine history. \u00b6 15.\n\nDefine prophecy. \u00b6 16.\n\nCan a human mind accurately foretell future events? \u00b6 17.\n\nWhat is one of the strongest proofs that the Bible was written under\ninspiration? \u00b6 17.\n\nWhat relationship do wireless telegraphy and airships bear to fulfilled\nprophecy? \u00b6 18.\n\nWere railway trains foretold by the prophets? and if so, where? \u00b6 18.\n\nWhat other means of rapid transit did the prophets foretell? \u00b6 18.\n\nWhy did not Solomon give the world great inventions such as we now have?\n\u00b6 18.\n\nDid the prophets point to the coming of any special one to earth? \u00b6 19.\n\nWhat prophecy, if any, did the coming of Jesus of Nazareth tend to\nfulfill? \u00b6 19.\n\nHow did the coming of Jesus tend to confirm the authenticity of the\nScriptures? \u00b6 20.\n\nDid the prophets understand the meaning of what they wrote concerning\nthe happening of future events? \u00b6 21.\n\nWhat effort did they make to understand? \u00b6 21.\n\nDid the angels in heaven understand what the prophets were writing?\n\u00b6 21.\n\nWhat is meant by the term \"the divine plan\"? \u00b6 22.\n\nWho was the first one to understand the divine plan? \u00b6 22.\n\nWhat was the name of Jesus before he became a man? and what is the\nsignificance of his prehuman title? \u00b6 22.\n\nWhat is pictured by the fifth chapter of Revelation? Give the details of\nthe picture. \u00b6 22.\n\nWho is the \"Lion of the tribe of Judah\"? \u00b6 23.\n\nWhat is the symbolic meaning of the words \"seven\", \"horns,\" and \"eyes\"?\nand what do these words signify as used in Revelation 5? \u00b6 24.\n\nIs there reason to expect that God would grant certain ones from time to\ntime an increased understanding of his plan? and if so, why? \u00b6 24.\n\nWhat does the harp symbolize? \u00b6 25.\n\nWhere is the record of the divine plan found? \u00b6 25.\n\nWhat does this record reveal concerning man? \u00b6 25.\n\nBy whom has God spoken his fundamental truths? \u00b6 25.\n\nWhat is the law of God? \u00b6 25.\n\nDefine law. \u00b6 25.\n\nWhere is the law of God found? \u00b6 25.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the word David? \u00b6 26.\n\nWhom did David picture or typify? \u00b6 26.\n\nWhat did David's use of the harp typify or picture? \u00b6 26.\n\nWhat is pictured or symbolized by the ten strings of David's harp? \u00b6 26.\n\nName the ten fundamental truths represented by the strings on the harp.\n\u00b6 26.\n\nHow can one learn to use the harp of God? \u00b6 27.\n\nWhat effect is produced upon one who skillfully uses the harp? \u00b6 27.\n\n\n\n\nOMNIPOTENT GOD\n\n  Harps of eternity! begin the song,\n  Redeemed, and angel harps! begin to God,\n  Begin the anthem ever sweet and new,\n  While I extol Him holy, just, and good.\n  Life, beauty, light, intelligence, and love!\n  Eternal, uncreated, infinite!\n  Unsearchable Jehovah! God of truth!\n  Maker, upholder, governor of all:\n  Thyself unmade, ungoverned, unupheld.\n  Omnipotent, unchangeable, Great God!\n  Exhaustless fullness! giving unimpaired!\n  Bounding immensity, unspread, unbound!\n  Highest and best! beginning, middle, end.\n  All-seeing Eye! all-seeing, and unseen!\n  Hearing, unheard! all knowing, and unknown!\n  Above all praise! above all height of thought!\n  Proprietor of immortality!\n  Glory ineffable! Bliss underived!\n  Of old Thou build'st Thy throne on righteousness,\n  Before the morning Stars their song began,\n  Or silence heard the voice of praise. Thou laid'st\n  Eternity's foundation stone, and saw'st\n  Life and existence out of Thee begin.\n\n  --_Pollok_\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II\n\nString 1: _Creation_\n\n\nThe subject of creation here treated relates particularly to the earth\nand the creatures of the earth, the chief one of which is man. We will\nnot attempt to discuss at length the creation of other planets, nor of\nthe other creatures. Attention is merely called to the Scriptural\nstatement that the beginning of God's creation was the Logos, which term\nis translated in our Bibles \"the Word\". The record reads: \"In the\nbeginning was the Word, and the Word was with [the] God and the Word was\n[a] god\". (John 1:1) God is a name applied to Jehovah, the Almighty One.\nIt is sometimes applied to other mighty ones also; whereas the name\nJehovah applies exclusively to the great eternal God. The Logos, the\nWord, was a god, a mighty one. \"The same was in the beginning with God.\nAll things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that\nwas made.\" He was Jehovah's great active agent in the creation of all\nthings created.\n\n[29]Since the Bible was written for _man's_ benefit, the Genesis account\nof creation has to do with man and his place of habitation. There we\nread: \"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth\". He\ncreated the sun, for light by day; and the moon, for light by night,\nupon the earth. God then created the birds and fowls that fly through\nthe air, and the fish of the sea. He created the cattle and the creeping\nthings, and all the beasts of the earth. All this was before the\ncreation of man. He had formed the earth many centuries before man's\ncreation, and he created it that man might have a place to live. He\ncaused his prophet to write: \"I have made the earth and created man upon\nit. For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that\nformed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not\nin vain, he formed it to be inhabited.\"--Isaiah 45:12,18.\n\n[30]God created the first man and woman out of the elements and gave\nthem power to produce and bring forth children, and all the human race\nsprang from the first pair. God was the Father and the earth the mother\nof Adam. The first man was named Adam; the first woman, Eve. \"God\ncreated man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male\nand female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto\nthem, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and\nhave dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,\nand over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.\"--Genesis 1:\n27,28.\n\n[31]We are all interested in knowing how Jehovah created the first man,\nAdam. \"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and\nbreathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living\nsoul.\" (Genesis 2:7) God did not give man a soul separate and distinct\nfrom the man. The word soul means being; living, breathing creature.\nEvery man _is_ a soul. No man _has_ a soul. Every living creature is a\nsoul. God called all moving creatures that have life souls. (See Genesis\n1:20, _margin_) He designates various animals as souls.--Numbers 31:28.\n\n[32]Jehovah then made a beautiful home for man, which is designated in\nthe Bible as Eden--a garden, a beautiful park. Everything in Eden was\nperfect, because all the works of Jehovah are perfect. (Deuteronomy\n32:4) \"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he\nput the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God\nto grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the\ntree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge\nof good and evil. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the\ngarden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.\"--Genesis 2: 8,9,15.\n\n[33]God next gave to man a law to govern him. He told him what he might\ndo and what he might not do; and informed him that a violation of this\nlaw would bring death upon him. \"And the Lord God commanded the man,\nsaying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the\ntree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in\nthe day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.\"--Genesis 2:16,\n17.\n\n[34]God then created Eve to be a helpmate or companion to Adam. (Genesis\n2:21-25) If Adam and Eve had been obedient to Jehovah at all times,\nthere would have been no sickness, sorrow, nor death amongst the human\nrace.\n\n[35]In the Scriptures Jesus, the Logos, is designated as \"the bright and\nmorning star\". (Revelation 22:16) He at all times was and is the joy and\ndelight of the heavenly Father, Jehovah. A star is used to symbolize a\nheavenly creature. The morning star is the most honored one in all the\ndivine realm, Jehovah alone excepted. Other heavenly creatures are\ndesignated as stars.\n\n[36]Many times you have heard the question asked, Who made the devil,\nSatan, the evil one? The correct answer is, He was not always the devil\nor Satan. He was created a perfect and beautiful creature. He was also\ndesignated a star of heaven. His original name was Lucifer. The prophet\nEzekiel says of him that he was \"the anointed cherub that covereth\",\nwhich seems to indicate that he had authority over some others.\nContinuing, the prophet records: \"Thou wast upon the holy mountain of\nGod; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.\nThou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till\niniquity was found in thee.\" (Ezekiel 28:14,15) He is described as a\nbeautiful creature. Thus the Prophet speaks of him: \"Thou hast been in\nEden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the\nsardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper,\nthe sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship\nof thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that\nthou wast created\".--Ezekiel 28:13.\n\n[37]Other angelic hosts in heaven are designated the sons of God. When\nGod created the earth, laying its foundations as a habitation for man,\nwhen he created these beautiful earthly creatures upon the earth, these\ntwo great stars of heaven sang together a song of gladness, and the\nangelic sons of God shouted for joy. (Job 38: 4-7) It appears that at\nthat time all the creatures of Jehovah were in harmony with him and\nobedient to him, and of course they would watch the creation develop;\nand when the highest earthly creatures were made, perfect man and\nperfect woman, endowed with the attributes of wisdom, justice, love, and\npower, made in the image and likeness of Jehovah, there was great joy in\nheaven. Hence the occasion for the song and shouting by the heavenly\nhosts.\n\n[38]In the unfolding of the divine plan, therefore, we see that creation\nis the first part and is properly designated as the first string upon the\nharp of God. \"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.\" (1 John\n1:5) All the works of Jehovah are perfect. (Deuteronomy 32:4) Hence we\nmust conclude that all the creatures of Jehovah were in the light, were\ncreatures of light, all happy, all joyful. And when the perfect man and\nperfect woman were placed in the beautiful garden of Eden, everything\nthere was joyful.\n\n\n\n\nTo what does the subject of creation herein briefly treated relate?\n\u00b6 28.\n\nWho is designated in the Bible as the beginning of God's creation? \u00b6 28.\n\nTo what does the Genesis account of creation relate? \u00b6 29.\n\nWhat earthly creatures did God create before making man? \u00b6 29.\n\nFor what purpose did God create the earth? \u00b6 29.\n\nWhat human beings did God create? \u00b6 30.\n\nWho was the father and who the mother of the human race? \u00b6 30.\n\nWho was the father and who the mother of Adam? \u00b6 30.\n\nWhat power and authority did God give to man at his creation? \u00b6 30.\n\nHow did God create man? \u00b6 31.\n\nDefine the soul. \u00b6 31.\n\nDoes the word soul apply to any creatures except man? Give Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6 31.\n\nDescribe the original man's first home. \u00b6 32.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the word Eden? \u00b6 32.\n\nWhat law did God give to man by which he was to be governed while in\nEden? \u00b6 33.\n\nDescribe the creation of Eve. \u00b6 34.\n\nBy obeying God's law, how long could Adam and Eve have lived in Eden?\n\u00b6 34.\n\nA star is used in the Scriptures to symbolize what? \u00b6 35.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the Scriptural term \"bright and morning star\"?\n\u00b6 35.\n\nWho is the most highly honored one in the divine realm? \u00b6 35.\n\nWho is the devil or Satan? and who made him? \u00b6 36.\n\nWhat was his original name? \u00b6 36.\n\nHow does the prophet Ezekiel describe Lucifer? \u00b6 36.\n\nWhat other beings in heaven are called sons of God? \u00b6 37.\n\nWhen God created man, what was the effect upon the host of heaven who\nobserved the creation? \u00b6 37.\n\nWhat is the first string upon the divine harp? \u00b6 38.\n\nDoes the revelation of this string cause rejoicing? and if so, by whom?\n\u00b6 38.\n\nWho is light and without darkness? \u00b6 38.\n\nHas God ever created an imperfect creature? \u00b6 38.\n\nWhat is the disposition of God's creatures while in harmony with him?\n\u00b6 38.\n\nWhat was the condition in Eden when man was created? \u00b6 38.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III\n\nString 2: _Justice Manifested_\n\n\nOne of the divine attributes is justice. \"Justice and judgment are the\nhabitation of thy throne.\" (Psalm 89:14) Divine wisdom devised the great\ndivine program or plan. Divine justice must perform its part in harmony\nwith the other divine attributes. God's law must be unchangeable. Being\nunchangeable, his creatures can have absolute confidence and faith in\nhim, that he always does exactly as he says. A violation of Jehovah's\nlaw must be followed by punishment in the exercise of justice. The\nprerogative of justice is to see that the law is enforced. The\nmanifestation of justice magnifies the name and the dignity of Jehovah.\nWithout the manifestation of justice it would have been impossible for\nJehovah so fully to manifest his love toward man in providing for his\nredemption and subsequent blessing. When one understands the office of\njustice and why it was manifested, he rejoices. A failure to understand\nand appreciate the divine attributes makes it impossible for one\nproperly to appreciate Jehovah's goodness and loving kindness to\nmankind. Jehovah is too good to be unjust. He is too wise to make a\nmistake; he is too loving to be unkind; and his power is always\nexercised in such a way that ultimate good may result.\n\n[40]The manifestation of justice is one of the strings upon the harp of\nGod; but we must see and appreciate it in order to understand the beauty\nand harmony it brings when used in connection with the other springs.\n\n[41]Good and evil are antagonistic principles or rules of action. Good\nis the law or rule of action by which God is always governed. Evil\nbecomes active only when some creature of Jehovah violates his law. God\nmade man a free moral agent. He did not compel him to do or not to do\ncertain things. He told man that if he did certain things he would be\nblessed; and that if he did other things contrary to divine law he would\nsuffer punishment; and the punishment prescribed was death. Mother Eve\nwas deceived by Satan, the devil, and thereby induced to violate the law\nof God. Father Adam, seeing that his companion and helpmate had violated\nthe law and judging that she must die, preferred to join her in the\ntransgression and die with her. (1 Timothy 2:14) It will be of interest\nhere to examine the circumstances leading up to the violation of the law\nof God and to see why his justice toward man was manifested in\nsentencing him to death.\n\n[42]All dominion rightly belongs to Jehovah. He had given man dominion\nover the things of earth. Lucifer observed Adam and Eve, the perfect\nones, in Eden; and knowing that they were endowed with authority from\nJehovah to multiply and fill the earth, he conceived the thought in his\nown heart or mind that he should have a dominion of his own, and that he\ncould have this by separating man from God and by inducing him to come\nunder his (Satan's) dominion. The prophet Isaiah gives us some light\nupon this subject when he says: \"How art thou fallen from heaven, O\nLucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which\ndidst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will\nascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I\nwill sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the\nnorth: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like\nthe Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of\nthe pit\"--Isaiah 14:12-15.\n\n[43]Thus we see that Satan had an ambitious desire to be like the Most\nHigh. God manifested his justice toward Lucifer by expelling him from\nhis presence and has decreed that he shall be ultimately destroyed.\n(Ezekiel 28:14-18; Hebrews 2:14) When Lucifer was expelled from the\npresence of Jehovah because of his wickedness, he thereafter was and is\nknown by the names of dragon, that old serpent, the devil, and Satan.\n(Revelation 12:9) In Genesis 3 he is spoken of as the serpent. The name\ndragon means devourer; Satan means adversary; devil means slanderer;\nwhile serpent means deceiver; and all these names indicate the\ncharacteristics of Satan, the evil one.\n\n[44]According to the Genesis account, the old serpent, the devil,\ndeceived Eve in this manner: As we have heretofore observed, Jehovah had\ntold Adam and Eve that they must not eat of a certain tree in Eden,\nknown as the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Appearing to mother Eve\nin the capacity of a serpent, a deceiver, the devil said to her in\neffect: 'Hath God said that ye shall not eat of every tree in Eden?' To\nthis question Eve responded: \"We may eat of the fruit of the trees of\nthe garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the\ngarden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch\nit, lest ye die\". The old serpent, the devil, replied: \"Ye shall not\nsurely die; for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your\neyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil\".\nIn other words, he told Eve that Jehovah was trying to keep her and her\nhusband in ignorance and thus take advantage of them. Doubtless the\ndevil himself ate of the fruit in the presence of Eve and then\ndeliberately lied to her by saying: \"Ye shall not surely die\"--God\nknows that you will not die. And by this means he induced mother Eve to\neat of the fruit--which was a violation of God's law. We know that Satan\nis a liar, because Jesus said of him: \"He was a murderer from the\nbeginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.\nWhen he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and\nthe father of it.\"--John 8:44.\n\n[45]The fact that Eve was deceived and thereby induced to violate the\nlaw of God in no wise changed the law or affected its enforcement. Adam\ndeliberately ate of the fruit and he was also in the transgression.\n--1 Timothy 2:14.\n\n[46]After they had violated Jehovah's law, Adam and Eve hid amongst the\ntrees in Eden. Jehovah spoke to Adam and asked: \"Hast thou eaten of the\ntree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?\" Adam\nresponded that Eve had given him the fruit to eat; and Eve said that the\nserpent had deceived her. They both stood before Jehovah and confessed\ntheir guilt. The majesty of the law of Jehovah must be upheld. His law\nbeing unchangeable (Hebrews 6:18), there remained nothing to do but to\nenforce that law. Then Jehovah pronounced his judgment against them, the\nrecord of which reads: \"Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply\nthy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth\nchildren; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over\nthee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice\nof thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee,\nsaying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in\nsorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and\nthistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of\nthe field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou\nreturn unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou\nart, and unto dust shalt thou return,\"--Genesis 3:16-19.\n\n[47]Thus the perfect man forfeited his life. He had been endowed with\nperfection of home, liberty, peace, happiness, and life everlasting on\nearth. Now he must die and return to the dust from whence he was taken.\nGod did not put him to death immediately, but permitted him to have 930\nyears of experience that he might learn the baneful effects of sin. Eden\ncontained perfect food that would have sustained the perfect man and he\nwould not have died had he remained in Eden, unless Jehovah had put him\nto death in some direct manner. But God drove him out of Eden, took him\naway from the perfect food, caused him to gather his food from among the\nthorns and thistles and from other imperfect elements of the earth that\nwere found outside of Eden; and in this condition he continued to sicken\nand to die until at the end of the period of 930 years he was dead.\n\n[48]A kind and loving parent sometimes inflicts punishment upon a child\nbecause the child has violated a rule. The parent punishes the child not\nbecause he loves to see the child suffer, but for the good of the child,\nin order that it might be disciplined and might learn the proper\nlessons. If the child always did good and never did evil it would not\nmerit nor receive any punishment from a loving parent. One of the chief\npurposes of Jehovah in dealing with mankind in the manner he does deal\nwith them is that humankind might be disciplined and learn the lessons\nof good and the effect of doing wrong, and thus learn to appreciate the\nlove of the heavenly Father.\n\n[49]When God sentenced our first parents to death and drove them out of\nEden, he had in mind and had already planned for their future blessing,\nas we will see upon a further examination of his plan. Hence it was love\nthat prompted his action in sentencing Adam to die. Every act of Jehovah\nis prompted by love; for God is love. He always acts that good may\nresult. The manifestation of his strict justice was essential that the\ndignity and greatness of Jehovah might be maintained. At the same time,\nin so doing, love was the motive that prompted his action. It must have\nbrought sorrow to the heart of Jehovah to be compelled thus to punish\nhis creatures, because God takes no pleasure in evil things; yet having\nin mind the ultimate blessing and restoration of them, there would be\npleasure in thus manifesting justice that ultimate good might result.\n\n[50]We therefore might with propriety speak of the manifestation of\njustice as the minor chord in the music of the harp of God. The minor\nchord seems necessary in music to produce exact harmony.\n\n[51]Job in his suffering seems to picture the world of mankind under\ncondemnation; and when suffering he said: \"My harp also is turned to\nmourning\". (Job 30: 31) The perfect man and his helpmate, deprived now\nof their perfect home, toiling as they sought to gather their food from\nthe unfinished earth, suffering in body and in mind because of their\nseparation from God, truly would have said, and doubtless did say: 'Our\nharp is turned into mourning'. Since that time the whole world has been\nin a state of mourning; and mankind still suffers and groans in pain.\nThe world of mankind in general has not appreciated the manifestation of\nthe justice of Jehovah. The Christian, however, who has come to a\nknowledge of Jehovah's plan, and sees and appreciates his purposes for\nthe blessing of mankind, can rejoice and does rejoice at the\nmanifestation of divine justice.\n\n[52]During the gospel age God has been developing a church, the members\nof which are designated as the body of Christ. (Philippians 1:29;\nColossians 1:18) These are also designated members of the royal\npriesthood. (1 Peter 2:9,10) During their earthly career they are\ncounted as members of the sacrificing priesthood, of which Aaron was a\ntype. Aaron and his sons were required to serve before the Lord in the\nceremonies in connection with the tabernacle in the wilderness. Two of\nAaron's sons were stricken dead because they offered strange fire before\nthe Lord. Aaron and his two remaining sons were forbidden by the Lord to\nmourn the death of their kinsmen. Evidently this is a picture which\nshows that those who have come to a knowledge of the divine plan do not\nmourn because God sentenced our first parents to death, but rather that\nthey will rejoice at this manifestation of justice when they understand\nthat it was necessary in order that the great plan of redemption should\nbe carried out as outlined by Jehovah from the beginning. And when we\nsee and appreciate this divine plan we can truly exclaim: \"Great and\nmarvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways,\nthou King of saints\".--Revelation 15:3.\n\n\nMEN'S SOULS\n\n[53]Against what did God manifest his justice? Did he sentence the body\nor the soul of man to death? Is it true that the soul of man is\nimmortal; and if so, how could God put it to death?\n\n[54]It is profitable to define terms before attempting to discuss them.\nThe definition given should be supported by proof from the Bible. This\nwe will attempt to do before answering the question here asked.\n\n[55]Immortal means that which cannot die; something that cannot be\ndestroyed in death. Soul means a moving, breathing, sentient creature,\nor being; a creature or being that possesses faculties and uses them. To\nunderstand whether or not a soul is immortal it is first essential that\nwe determine from the Bible what constitutes a soul. \"The Lord God\nformed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the\nbreath of lives; and man became a living soul.\" (Genesis 2:7) The word\nsoul is synonymous with the words being, creature, and man. The dust out\nof which Jehovah formed the body was not conscious. It had no life in\nit. After God had used these elements to form the man, he breathed into\nhis nostrils the breath of lives, which animated the body, caused the\nlungs to begin to work, sent the blood tingling through the arteries and\nreturning through the veins; therefore there resulted a moving,\nbreathing, sentient being, a man, which is a soul. The body aside from\nthe breath does not constitute the soul; but it requires the uniting of\nthe breath with the body to constitute the soul. And when we separate\nthe breath from the body the soul no longer exists. The Scriptures do\nnot say that God breathed into this body immortality, but merely that\nthe soul resulted by animating the body after it had been created; and\nthis resulted from the breath which he breathed into the nostrils.\n\n[56]A locomotive may be used as an illustration. It stands upon the\ntrack with no fire in the box, no water in the boiler, hence no steam.\nWe speak of it as a dead engine. Then the steam is produced by heating\nthe water; it is forced into the cylinders, the throttle being open and\nthe machine moves. Withdraw the steam and it stops.\n\n[57]Just so with man. When the body is formed it would be inanimate and\ninactive without breath. When the breath of life is breathed into the\nnostrils and his organs begin to functionate, it is said that man then\nis a breathing creature; hence a soul. When he ceases to breathe he is\ndead.\n\n[58]Man is a soul. He does not possess a soul. Every creature that\nbreathes is a soul. God applied the words living soul to the lower order\nof animals long before man's creation. (Genesis 1:20, _margin_) That\nall breathing creatures are designated as souls by Jehovah is proven by\nthese words: \"Levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went\nout to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the\nbeeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep\". (Numbers 31:28) All souls\ndie alike. \"For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts;\neven one thing befalleth them: as one dieth, so dieth the other; yea,\nthey have all one breath; so that a man hath no pre\u00ebminence above a\nbeast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust,\nand all turn to dust again,\"--Ecclesiastes 3:19,20.\n\n[59]In the manifestation of divine justice God said to Adam: \"Of the\ntree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat; ... for in\nthe day that thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die\". (Genesis 2:17,\n_margin_) This sentence was pronounced against man, the being, the soul.\nIf there could be any doubt about this, it is definitely settled by\nanother statement in the Bible which reads: \"The soul that sinneth it\nshall die\". (Ezekiel 18:4) \"What man is he that liveth, and shall not\nsee death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?\"--Psalm\n89:48.\n\n[60]The thought of immortal souls originated with Satan the devil. He\napproached mother Eve and said: 'If you eat of this tree, you shall not\nsurely die'. Jesus denounced this statement as the first lie ever told,\nand Satan as the father of lies. (John 8:44) Satan has been trying to\nblind the people to the truth concerning God's great plan in order to\nkeep them away from God and from the blessings they would receive by\nobeying him. The Apostle says of him that he is \"the god [mighty one] of\nthis world\", meaning the present evil social order; and that he has\nblinded the minds of men to the truth, lest the glorious gospel of the\nLord Jesus Christ should shine into their hearts. (2 Corinthians 4:4)\nFrom the day of Eden until now Satan has been blinding the minds of men\nto the truth by getting into their minds a false conception of Jehovah's\narrangement; and the basis for this blindness is chiefly the lie first\ntold: \"Ye shall not surely die\". All false doctrines are based upon this\nfirst lie.\n\n[61]If man possessed an immortal soul it could not be put to death.\nHence we see that God would be unable to enforce his judgment against a\nsinner, and justice would fail. The Scriptures, however, plainly tell us\nthat the quality of immortality belongs originally only to Jehovah, \"who\nonly hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach\nunto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see\". (1 Timothy 6:16) Immortality\nwill be given as a great reward to faithful Christians and to none other\nof the human race. Such Christians who live and continue faithful until\ndeath are promised the divine nature, immortality, the crown of life.\n(2 Peter 1:4; 1 Peter 1:3,4; Romans 2:7; Revelation 2:10) We may be sure\nthat a man does not seek that which he already possesses; and the apostle\nPaul plainly says: \"Seek for ... immortality\". And again he says to those\nwho will be faithful Christians: \"This mortal must put on immortality\".\n(1 Corinthians 15:53) If a soul, a man, were already immortal, he could\nnot subsequently _put on_ immortality. No one of the human race will\never be made immortal except the faithful Christians. God has a different\nreward for others who are obedient to him.\n\n\nDEAD UNCONSCIOUS\n\n[62]Another of Satan's deceptions by which he has blinded the people is\nthe teaching that the dead are still conscious after death. This is not\nsupported by the Bible, however. Those who die are never again conscious\nunless they are resurrected by the Lord. The resurrection of the dead we\nwill discuss later on. If the soul were immortal it would be conscious\nsomewhere. Let us observe the Scriptures which show that the dead are\nnot conscious.\n\n[63]\"In death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall\ngive thee thanks?\" (Psalm 6:5) Thus is shown that they have no memory\nwhile dead. \"The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into\nsilence.\" (Psalm 115:17) Hence they could not speak while dead.\n\n[64]The dead cannot breathe, think, or feel. \"Thou takest away their\nbreath, they die, and return to their dust.\" (Psalm 104:29) \"His breath\ngoeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts\nperish.\" (Psalm 146:4) A person when unconscious does not feel. This is\nillustrated by the fact that when a person is taken to a hospital for an\noperation the surgeon puts the patient under an anesthetic, puts him to\nsleep so that he cannot feel during the operation.\n\n[65]Again the Scriptures read: \"The living know that they shall die, but\nthe dead know not anything. Also their love, and their hatred, and their\nenvy, is now perished.\" (Ecclesiastes 9:5,6) Being unconscious, they\nknow not anything when dead. \"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it\nwith thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor\nwisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.\"--Ecclesiastes 9:10.\n\n[66]Again speaking of man, God says of him: \"Nevertheless man being in\nhonor abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish\". (Psalm 49:12)\nAnything that perishes cannot be conscious, cannot be in existence and\nof course cannot be immortal.\n\n[67]It was Jesus who said: \"God so loved the world, that he gave his\nonly begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,\nbut have everlasting life\". (John 3:16) Here the proof is conclusive\nthat death means the perishing of all unless redemption is received\nthrough Jesus Christ. This would absolutely disprove consciousness of\nthe dead and would disprove also the immortality of the soul.\n\n[68]Death is spoken of in the Bible as a sleep, for the reason that God\nintends in his due time to awaken all of the dead and give them an\nopportunity of life. The Bible abounds in the expressions referring to\nthe dead as asleep. A few of these expressions are: \"David slept with\nhis fathers, and was buried in the city of David\". (1 Kings 2:10) \"The\nfathers fell asleep.\" (2 Peter 3:4) '\"The greater part remain until this\nday, but some are fallen asleep.\" (1 Corinthians 15:6) \"I would not have\nyou to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep; ... them\nalso which sleep will God bring [forth] by Jesus [in the resurrection].\"\n--1 Thessalonians 4:13,14.\n\n[69]We must conclude from these Scriptures that the dead are wholly\nunconscious from the moment of death until such future time as the Lord\nmay be pleased to awaken them out of death and give them an opportunity\nof life, which he purposes to do, as set forth in his great plan. (John\n5:28,29) Man was made of the dust. He was sentenced to return to the\ndust; that is, the condition of the dead. And the Lord said: 'They that\nsleep in the dust of the earth shall arise'.--Daniel 12:2.\n\n\nDOES GOD TORMENT ANY ONE?\n\n[70]For a long time men have been taught that the punishment for the\nwicked, those who disobey God, is everlasting torment or torture in a\nhell burning with unquenchable fire and brimstone. Many have been\nfrightened away from studying the Bible because of this terrible\ndoctrine. Many have refused to believe in God and the Lord Jesus because\nof it. It is another doctrine of Satan, used to blind the people. The\ndoctrine of eternal torment cannot be true for at least four separate\nand distinct reasons: (1) because it is unreasonable; (2) because it is\nrepugnant to justice; (3) because it is contrary to the principle of\nlove; and (4) because it is entirely unscriptural.\n\n[71]It seems strange that men with reasoning faculties should ever reach\nthe conclusion that the all-wise Creator would eternally torment any of\nhis creatures. What could be the purpose of such torment? Could it\naccomplish any good? Would it result to the glory of God?\n\n[72]There could be no eternal torment of any of God's creatures except\nby God's will. A reasonable, loving God could not torment any of his\ncreatures. A Creator that would put in operation a system of endless\ntorment would be a fiend and not a reasonable God. Man is not perfect,\nyet he has some love. God is perfect. He is love. A man or a child would\nnot torture his horse, his dog, or his cat.\n\n[73]Suppose we have a dog that becomes mad and tries to bite every one\nin the neighborhood. He must be killed; but we would not torment the\npoor brute by putting it into a slow fire. We would kill it in the\neasiest way, so that it would not suffer much pain. Why would a person\ndo this? Because his sense of justice and love would deter him from\ndoing anything else. Man has not as much love as God. Every thing that\nGod does for man he does for man's good.\n\n[74]The doctrine is unreasonable because no one could be eternally\ntormented unless that one were eternally conscious; and the Scriptures\nabove cited show that the dead are not conscious. Furthermore, there\ncould be no eternal torment of the soul unless that soul were immortal,\nindestructible; and the Scriptures above cited and all other Scriptures\nbearing upon the subject show that man is not immortal, that none are\ngranted immortality except those who receive it as a reward for\nright-doing and who are made joint-heirs with Christ Jesus in his\nglorious kingdom. Then it is easy to be seen that this is a doctrine of\nSatan; and the two doctrines or teachings of inherent immortality and\neternal torture must stand or fall together. And since they are both\nfalse, they must both fall.\n\n[75]The doctrine of eternal torture is _un_just, because God is _just_.\nJustice is the foundation of his throne. God plainly told man that if he\nsinned he would die. If thereafter he put him into eternal torment, then\nhe increased the penalty after man had violated the law, and this is\ncontrary to every principle of justice. All of Adam's children were born\nimperfect. \"There is none that doeth good, no, not one,\" (Psalm 14:3)\nEvery child is born imperfect. It would be very unjust for Jehovah to\npermit such a one to be born under conditions over which he had no\ncontrol and then, because he could not obey perfectly, to put him into\neternal torture. Man's sense of justice is shocked at the thought of\ntorture of any creature. The justice that man possesses is a God-given\nquality. The more Godlike a man is the more just he is. We must know,\nthen, that God deals justly with all of his creatures.\n\n[76]The doctrine of eternal torment is devoid of the attribute of love.\nEvery good father loves his children and children love their father. The\nmother loves the children and the children love the mother. When the\nchildren are disobedient, it becomes necessary for the father or the\nmother to discipline them; and sometimes by using the rod. But no loving\nparent would for a moment think of torturing his or her child. Just\npunishment is always for the purpose of doing ultimate good, and where\nthe parents are compelled to punish or discipline their children they do\nit because they love them. The apostle Paul, discussing the discipline\nby earthly parents and by God said: \"We have had fathers of our flesh\nwhich corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather\nbe in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily\nfor a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our\nprofit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.\"--Hebrews 12:9,10.\n\n[77]Only a wicked fiend would want to torment anybody, such a one as\nloves dark and wicked things.\n\n[78]Our great God is love. (1 John 4:16) \"God is light and in him is no\ndarkness at all,\" (1 John 1:5) Everything that Jehovah does is good. God\ncreated the first man Adam and gave him the power to transmit life to\nhis offspring. All the human race are the children of Adam. Only by\nGod's permission could these children have come into existence. Adam was\nGod's son and all the human race descend from Adam; and thus they bear\nrelationship to Jehovah.\n\n[79]None of Adam's children were born perfect. Some were born under\nvery depraved conditions. God's love, then, for the human race is so\ngreat that he made provision for the redemption and ultimate blessing\nof all, and it would be wholly inconsistent with his attribute of love\nto arrange to torture any of them at any time. The doctrine of eternal\ntorment is a libel upon the great and loving name of God, and Satan is\nresponsible for it. But in God's due time he will make it clear to all\nthat he is love; and that all of his dealings with the human race are\nfor their good.\n\n[80]The eternal torment teaching is not supported by any Scripture text\nin the Bible. There are some texts that are written in symbolic phrase,\nparables and dark sayings, which were written to illustrate another\ngreat truth, but with no reference to the eternal punishment of the\nhuman race. These Scriptures must be considered elsewhere. Our space\ndoes not permit us to consider them here. What we will examine are the\ndirect Scriptural statements.\n\n[81]All the Scriptures show that the wicked will be punished, but\npunishment does not mean torment. There is a wide distinction between\neverlasting punishment and everlasting torment. Everlasting punishment\nis a punishment that lasts. Everlasting torment would be a torment that\nnever ends, but one would be consciously suffering all the time. The\nlaws of the land punish the wicked who violate the law, and the duration\nof punishment is short or long in proportion to the enormity of the\ncrime committed. One who steals a loaf of bread violates the law and he\nmay be punished by confinement for a day or a month in prison. One who\ndestroys his neighbor's house by fire is punished, and his punishment\nmay be a number of years in prison. Another takes the life of his\nneighbor, and his punishment is death. No law of any nation on earth\npermits the violator of the law to be tormented. The stealer of bread is\npunished for a short period; the one who destroys the home is punished\nfor a longer period; and the one who takes his neighbor's life\ndeliberately is punished by the full penalty of the law, and his\npunishment is lasting. Death is the highest penalty inflicted by the\nlaw. It is also the greatest punishment inflicted by Jehovah. Life is\nthe dearest thing to any creature, and to be deprived of life would be\nthe greatest punishment that could be inflicted. Therefore eternal or\neverlasting death, with no hope of a resurrection, would be an\neverlasting punishment. But it would not be an everlasting conscious\ntorture. God plainly declared: \"The wages of sin is death\" (Romans\n6:23), and not eternal torture.\n\n[82]Having fixed this penalty, God could not change it afterward,\nbecause God could not be inconsistent; he cannot deny himself.\n(2 Timothy 2:13) It was by the disobedience of one man that sin came\ninto the world and death as the result of sin; so death has been the\npenalty upon all mankind. (Romans 5:12) And this will continue until\nGod's due time to awaken them out of death and give all an opportunity\nfor life; and this we will discuss later. \"The Lord preserveth them\nthat love him, but all the wicked will he destroy.\" (Psalm 145:20) The\nApostle plainly says that all the wicked shall be punished with an\neverlasting destruction.--2 Thessalonians 1:9.\n\n[83]But do not the wicked go to hell?\n\n[84]It is true that all who have died from Adam until now have gone to\nhell. But hell does not mean a place of conscious torture. Wherever the\nword hell occurs in the Bible it means the condition of death. Hell is\nnot a place, but a condition. Those who go into the grave are not\nconscious there; but they have gone into the death condition. Their\nbodies decay and return to the dust. The word hell is translated from\nthe Hebrew word _sheol_, as used in the Old Testament. This same word\nis a number of times translated grave and sometimes pit. In the New\nTestament the same word hell is translated from the Greek word _hades_\nand likewise means grave, the condition of death, the tomb.\n\n[85]Some Scriptural illustrations of this prove that hell means a\ncondition of death. Job was a good and godly man, who tried to obey\nJehovah. He had suffered the loss of all his earthly possessions and\nthen his neighbors taunted him because of his suffering; and while he\nwas thus suffering, he prayed that God would permit him to go to hell,\nsaying: \"O that thou wouldest hide me in hell [_sheol_, the grave] until\nthy wrath be past\". (Job 14:13) He desired to be hid in the grave until\nthe time of the resurrection, hoping in God's promise that some day the\ndead would come again. Then Job says: \"If I wait the grave is mine\nhouse: I have made my bed in the darkness\". \"Our rest together is in the\ndust.\" (Job 17:13,16) Thus he pictures the grave as a condition of\ndarkness, where there is no knowledge, no wisdom or device. Again he\nsaid: \"A man's sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are\nbrought low, but he perceiveth it not of them\". (Job 14:21) Why? Because\nthose who are in hell, in the tomb, in the grave, in the condition of\ndeath, have no knowledge of anything. They are out of existence, waiting\nfor the resurrection.\n\n[86]Jacob's beloved son Joseph was sold into Egypt by his brethren.\nJoseph's coat was dipped in the blood of an animal and brought to Jacob,\nand it was told Jacob the father that his son Joseph was dead. In his\ngrief he exclaimed: \"I will go down into hell [_sheol_, the grave] unto\nmy son mourning\". (Genesis 37:35) Jacob was a good man and approved of\nthe Lord; for the Apostle says he was. (Hebrews 11:9,39) Jacob meant\nthat he was going to the grave, to the death condition, mourning for\nhis beloved son.\n\n[87]Benjamin was Jacob's youngest son. After he lost Joseph his\naffections were centered upon Benjamin. His elder sons came to him and\nrequested that their younger brother be permitted to go down with them\nto Egypt. Their father Jacob objected to their taking him, saying, \"My\nson shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left\nalone: if mischief befall him by the way in which ye go, then shall ye\nbring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell [_sheol_, the grave]\".\n(Genesis 42:38) We know, then, that the hell here described could not be\na place of fire and brimstone, for the gray hairs of Jacob would not\nlast long in the fire. What he really meant was that as an old,\ngray-headed man he would go down to the grave in sorrow if anything\nbefell his beloved son.\n\n[88]Jesus came to earth and lived and died and was buried; and it was\nwritten of him that he went to hell. \"Thou wilt not leave my soul in\nhell.\" (Psalm 16:10) If hell is a place of endless torment and Jesus\nwent there he could not have been released. The fact that he did not\nremain in hell is proof conclusive that hell is not a place of eternal\ntorment.\n\n[89]Jehovah established the true religion in the earth, which was and is\nto worship him and glorify his name. Satan established a false religion\nin his attempt to be like the Most High. God established his covenant\nwith the nation of Israel and commanded that they should keep themselves\nseparate and distinct from the heathen nations round about. Satan\nestablished a false religion amongst the heathen nations and caused them\nto worship images and other things aside from Jehovah. These heathen\nidolaters built an altar in the valley of Hinnom for the purpose of\noffering sacrifices to their gods. The Jews forsook their covenant with\nJehovah and became worshipers of Baal, one of Satan's deified ones. In\npractising Baal worship they offered their children as sacrifices, and\nupon this has been based the doctrine of torture by fire, concerning\nwhich Jehovah says: \"They have built also the high places of Baal, to\nburn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I\ncommanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind\". (Jeremiah\n19:5) Again said the Lord: \"They built the high places of Baal, which\nare in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their\ndaughters to pass through the fire unto Molech, which I commanded them\nnot, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination,\nto cause Judah to sin\". (Jeremiah 32:35) The things which the heathen\nsacrificed they sacrificed to devils and not to God. (1 Corinthians\n10:20) This false or devil religion established amongst the deluded\npeople of the world was another means employed by Satan to blind the\nminds of men to the true teachings of the divine plan.\n\n[90]In exercising divine justice, Jehovah at no time employs torture;\nbut he denounces such doctrine as an abomination in his sight. Divine\njustice exercised destroys the evil doers; therefore that which is\ndestroyed eternally is everlastingly punished. Some Scriptures proving\nthis are: \"Evil doers shall be cut off; but those that wait upon the\nLord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the\nwicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and\nit shall not be.... But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the\nLord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall\nthey consume away.... For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the\nearth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.... For the Lord\nloveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved\nforever; but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.... Wait on the\nLord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land:\nwhen the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.... The transgressors\nshall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut\noff.\"--Psalm 37:9,10,20,22,28,34,38.\n\n[91]The doctrine of eternal torment is a defamation of Jehovah's\ncharacter. It is a foul stain upon his lovable name. The chief purpose\nof man is to glorify God. It is therefore his privilege and duty to\nremove from the minds of others this misconception of Jehovah and enable\nothers to understand that God is indeed love. An understanding of his\nplan shows that everything he does is prompted by love. No sooner had he\nsentenced man to death than he began to reveal his plan for his\nredemption and ultimate deliverance. The more clearly we see and\nunderstand these great truths, the more do we rejoice in the divine\nattribute of justice and the divine arrangement in making it manifest.\n\n\n\n\nWhat divine attribute is mentioned as the habitation of God's throne?\n\u00b6 39.\n\nWhat divine attribute devised the plan of God? \u00b6 39.\n\nIs it necessary for the divine attributes to operate harmoniously? \u00b6 39.\n\nIs God's law unchangeable? \u00b6 39.\n\nWhat mental effect is produced upon God's creatures by the\nunchangeableness of his law? \u00b6 39.\n\nWhat must follow violation of the divine law? \u00b6 39.\n\nWhat is the prerogative of divine Justice? \u00b6 39.\n\nHow does the manifestation of divine justice affect the name and dignity\nof Jehovah? \u00b6 39.\n\nWas it necessary for divine justice to be manifested in order for\ndivine love to be fully exercised? and if so, why? \u00b6 39.\n\nWhat is essential to a proper appreciation of divine loving kindness?\n\u00b6 39.\n\nWhy is Jehovah never unjust nor unkind? \u00b6 39.\n\nDoes Jehovah make mistakes? \u00b6 39.\n\nTo what end does he use his power? \u00b6 39.\n\nWhat is symbolized by the second string upon the harp of God? \u00b6 40.\n\nDefine good and evil. \u00b6 41.\n\nWhen did evil become active? \u00b6 41.\n\nDid God compel Adam to do or not to do certain things? \u00b6 41.\n\nWhat punishment did God prescribe for a violation of his law? \u00b6 41.\n\nWhy and by whom was Eve induced to violate the law? \u00b6 41.\n\nWhy did Adam violate the law of God? \u00b6 41.\n\nTo whom does all dominion rightfully belong? \u00b6 42.\n\nWhat dominion did God give to man? \u00b6 42.\n\nWhy did Lucifer induce Eve to sin? \u00b6 42.\n\nWhat did Lucifer meditate in his heart? \u00b6 42.\n\nWhat was the cause of Lucifer's fall? \u00b6 43.\n\nHow was divine justice manifested against Lucifer? \u00b6 43.\n\nBy what names is Lucifer known since his fall? Give the meaning of each\nof the names. \u00b6 43.\n\nDescribe how the devil induced Eve to violate God's law. \u00b6 44.\n\nWhat reply did Eve make to the devil's suggestion that she violate God's\nlaw? \u00b6 44.\n\nWho told the truth, God or Satan, relative to the result of Eve's act?\n\u00b6 44.\n\nThe fact that Eve was deceived by Satan, could that in any wise change\nthe penalty of the law? \u00b6 45.\n\nWhat did Adam and Eve do after they had violated the divine law? \u00b6 46.\n\nWhat action did Jehovah take toward them, and why? \u00b6 46.\n\nGive the details of the judgment or sentence pronounced by Jehovah\nagainst Adam and Eve. \u00b6 46.\n\nWhat was the result of the judgment pronounced against man? \u00b6 47.\n\nHow long did Adam live after he was sentenced to die? \u00b6 47.\n\nHow did God enforce the sentence against man? \u00b6 47.\n\nWould Adam have died if he had remained in Eden? \u00b6 47.\n\nWhy does a parent punish his child? \u00b6 48.\n\nIf the child always obeyed, would punishment he necessary? \u00b6 48.\n\nWhat is one of the chief reasons for God permitting man to suffer the\neffects of wrongdoing? \u00b6 48.\n\nWhy did God enforce his judgment against man? What was his purpose?\n\u00b6 49.\n\nWhat motive prompts all the acts of Jehovah? \u00b6 49.\n\nThe manifestation of divine justice may be likened to what chord in\nmusic? and why? \u00b6 50.\n\nWhat did the suffering of Job picture relative to the harp? \u00b6 51.\n\nHow could Adam and Eve apply the sayings of Job to themselves? \u00b6 51.\n\nHas the world of mankind ever appreciated the manifestation of divine\njustice? and why not? \u00b6 51.\n\nWhy can a Christian appreciate the manifestation of divine justice as\none of the strings of God's harp? \u00b6 51.\n\nAs a sacrificing priest, what did Aaron typify? \u00b6 52.\n\nHow did the experiences of Aaron and his sons teach Christians not to\nmourn because of the exercise of divine justice? \u00b6 52.\n\nWhen a Christian appreciates the divine plan, what does he say? \u00b6 52.\n\nWhat did God sentence to death, the soul or the body? \u00b6 53.\n\nIf the soul of man were immortal, how could it be put to death? \u00b6 53.\n\nIs it important for us to define terms before freely using them in the\nstudy of the Bible? \u00b6 54.\n\nDefine immortality. \u00b6 55.\n\nDefine the soul. \u00b6 55.\n\nState fully the Scriptural account of how the soul was created. \u00b6 55.\n\nGive some illustration of the soul. \u00b6 56.\n\nDoes man possess a soul? \u00b6 58.\n\nWhat creatures beside man are souls? \u00b6 58.\n\nIs there a difference in the manner of the death of souls? \u00b6 58.\n\nGive some Scriptures to show that the soul is not immortal. \u00b6 59.\n\nWith whom did the term \"immortal soul\" originate? \u00b6 60.\n\nWhen and by whom was the first lie told? \u00b6 60.\n\nHow has Satan blinded the people? and what has been his purpose in so\ndoing? \u00b6 60.\n\nWhat is the basis for all false doctrines? \u00b6 60.\n\nIf all souls were immortal, could God destroy a willful sinner? \u00b6 61.\n\nWho possesses the quality of immortality? \u00b6 61.\n\nTo whom has immortality been promised as a reward? \u00b6 61.\n\nGive some Scriptural reason why men are not inherently immortal. \u00b6 61.\n\nWhat other false doctrine has Satan employed in deceiving mankind? \u00b6 62.\n\nAre the dead conscious at any time after death? \u00b6 62.\n\nDo the dead remember anything? Do they praise the Lord? \u00b6 63.\n\nCan the dead breathe, think, or feel? \u00b6 64.\n\nGive an illustration showing that the dead do not feel. \u00b6 64.\n\nDo the dead have knowledge or wisdom? Can they love or hate? \u00b6 65.\n\nGive some Scriptural proof that death means to perish, and define\nperish. \u00b6\u00b6 66, 67.\n\nWhy is death sometimes spoken of as sleep? Give Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6\u00b6 68, 69.\n\nHow has the doctrine of eternal torment affected many? \u00b6 70.\n\nWho is responsible for the doctrine of eternal torment? \u00b6 70.\n\nGive four reasons why eternal torment cannot be true. \u00b6 70.\n\nWould eternal torment accomplish any good? Would it result to the glory\nof God? \u00b6 71.\n\nCould any creature be eternally tormented contrary to the will of God?\n\u00b6 72.\n\nCould a reasonable God torture any creature? \u00b6 72.\n\nWhy would not a sane person torture his child or his dog? \u00b6 73.\n\nSince the Scriptures declare that God is love, could he torment a\ncreature? \u00b6 73.\n\nWhy is the doctrine of eternal torture unreasonable? \u00b6 74.\n\nWhy is the doctrine of eternal torture unjust? \u00b6 75.\n\nWhy is the doctrine of eternal torment devoid of love? \u00b6\u00b6 76-79.\n\nWhat is the difference between everlasting torment and everlasting\npunishment? \u00b6 81.\n\nWhat is the severest punishment inflicted for the violation of human\nlaws? \u00b6 81.\n\nWhat is the severest punishment God inflicts for the violation of his\nlaws? \u00b6 81.\n\nCould God change the penalty for the violation of his law after the\npenalty has been once fixed and the law violated? and if not, why not?\n\u00b6 82.\n\nDo not the wicked go to hell? \u00b6 84.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the English word hell? and from what words has it\nbeen translated? \u00b6 84.\n\nWhat did Job say about going to hell? \u00b6 85.\n\nIs anyone conscious while in hell? \u00b6 85.\n\nWhat did Jacob say about going to hell? and whom did he expect to meet\nthere? \u00b6 86.\n\nIf hell means a place of fiery torment, how could Jacob preserve his\ngray hairs there? \u00b6 87.\n\nJesus went to hell, as the Scriptures declare. If hell is a place of\neternal torment, how could Jesus get out? \u00b6 88.\n\nWhat religion did God establish on earth? \u00b6 89.\n\nWhat religion did Satan establish on earth? \u00b6 89.\n\nWhat does Jehovah's Word say about burning children in fires as\nofferings to Baal? \u00b6 89.\n\nTo whom did the heathen sacrifice their children? \u00b6 89.\n\nWhat has been Satan's purpose in teaching the false religion? \u00b6 89.\n\nWhat punishment has God fixed for the willfully wicked? Give Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6 90.\n\nWhat is man's duty toward God and toward his fellow men in regard to\nteaching the doctrine of eternal torment? \u00b6 91.\n\nHow are we affected by a proper understanding of the manifestation of\ndivine justice? \u00b6 91.\n\n\n\n\nWITHOUT THE GATES\n\nAlas! how changed from bowers of Paradise\n  That desolate region, overgrown with thorn\n  And thistle rank--a trackless waste forlorn,\nUnblessed by God, o'erarched by sullen skies,\nThere stand that guilty pair, now sadly wise,\n  Their hearts with grief, their feet with briers torn,\n  Vainly their faded innocence they mourn,\nAnd toward the gates of Eden turn their eyes.\nNo more to see the beauty and the bloom\n  Of that blest garden was to sinners given;\nTo weep and labor wearily their doom,\n  Out of God's holy, blissful presence driven,\nTill through life's sorrows, and death's dust and gloom,\n  By woman's promised seed they're blest of heaven.\n\n--_Pollok_.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV\n\nString 3: _The Abrahamic Promise_\n\n\nSome time after Adam and Eve were driven from Eden children were born to\nthem, who grew to the estate of manhood and womanhood and they in turn\nhad children. Cain obtained his wife by marrying his sister. Thus the\npeoples of earth gradually increased. They all wandered about in the\nearth, earning their bread in the sweat of their face. Some of these\nchildren were bad and some were good. God showed his favor to the good,\nas he always favors those who are good. Satan exercised his wicked\ninfluence amongst the people and most of them turned to evil.\n\n[93]Noah was a good man and he and the members of his family served the\nLord Jehovah. Sixteen hundred years and more passed from the time of the\njudgment in Eden (during which time the people became very wicked) and\nthere was great violence in the earth. God purposed to destroy all the\nwicked of earth; so he directed Noah to build an ark and to take into\nthe ark the members of his family; and this done, a great flood of\nwaters came upon the earth and all living creatures were destroyed\nexcept those in the ark. There were only eight persons left on the earth\nafter the flood. (Genesis 7:21-23; 1 Peter 3:20) Noah and his sons begat\nchildren and the peoples of earth again increased. Amongst them were\nsome good and some bad. Amongst those who tried to do the will of God\nwas a man named Abram, which name was later changed to Abraham. He is\nspoken of in the Scriptures as the friend of God. Abraham's wife was\nnamed Sarah.\n\n[94]When Abraham was 75 years of age, Jehovah said to him: \"Get thee out\nof thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto\na land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation,\nand I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a\nblessing; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed\".\n(Genesis 12:1-3) Abraham with his wife and others left Haran for the\nland of Canaan. When they had reached a point in that land known as\nSichem, the Lord appeared unto him and said: \"Unto thy seed will I give\nthis land\". Abraham builded an altar there, and the place has since been\nknown as Bethel, which means the house of God. Afterward Abraham dwelt\nin the plains of Mamre, which is just above the present site of Hebron\nin the southern part of Palestine. While there, God made a covenant with\nhim, saying: \"Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of\nEgypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates\".--Genesis 15:18.\n\n[95]Thereafter, when Abraham was 99 years old, the Lord appeared unto\nhim and said: \"I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will\nmultiply thee exceedingly, ... and thou shalt be a father of many\nnations. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land\nwherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting\npossession; and I will be their God.\" (Genesis 17:2,4,8) Some time\nlater, when Abraham was sitting at the door of his tent, which was\npitched in the plains of Mamre, there stood before him three men,\nmessengers from Jehovah. In the plains of Mamre, a short distance above\nthe town of Hebron, still stands a very ancient oak tree. It is about\nthirty feet in circumference. It is claimed that this is Abraham's oak,\nwhere he pitched his tent at the time these holy messengers appeared to\nhim. Of course we cannot believe this is true, because an oak would not\nlive that length of time. It is interesting, however, to note this\nancient tree standing approximately at the point where Abraham is\nsupposed to have resided in his tent. Here it was that Abraham prepared\nrefreshments for his distinguished visitors; and \"he stood by them under\nthe tree, and they did eat\". Here it was that the messenger of Jehovah\ntold Abraham that he and his wife Sarah would be given a son.--Genesis\n18:1-14.\n\n[96]In due time a son was born unto Abraham and Sarah and his name was\ncalled Isaac. (Genesis 21:1-3) Afterward, when the son Isaac had grown\nup, Jehovah put Abraham to a great test, and in doing so he made a\npicture which foreshadowed the redemption of the human race. This record\nappears in the twenty-second chapter of Genesis. God said unto Abraham:\n\"Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee\ninto the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon\none of the mountains which I will tell thee of\". (Genesis 22:2) It is\ninteresting here to note that Mount Moriah is inside of the walls of the\npresent city of Jerusalem. It was the site of the temple of Solomon, and\nsupposed to be the very spot where Abraham was met by Melchizedek. It is\nthe place where Abraham was directed to offer and did offer up his son\nIsaac.\n\n[97]Providing himself with wood to be used for the fire, Abraham and his\nson and servants journeyed for three days from the plains of Mamre to\nMoriah; and arriving there, he at once prepared for the burnt-offering.\nIsaac was not aware of the purpose of his father to offer him; so he\nsaid to his father: \"Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the\nlamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide\nhimself a lamb for a burnt-offering.\" Abraham then informed his son that\nhe was to be the offering. Then he bound Isaac and laid him upon the\naltar and stretched forth his hand and took the knife with which to slay\nhis son. This was a great test to Abraham's faith. Isaac was his only\nson and he loved him dearly; but Jehovah had commanded him to offer him\nup as a sacrifice, and because of his love for Jehovah he proceeded to\nobey God's command. As he raised his hand to strike dead his only\nbeloved son, \"the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and\nsaid, Abraham, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any\nthing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast\nnot withheld thy son, thine only son, from me\". When Abraham looked he\nsaw a ram caught in a thicket nearby and he took the ram and offered it\nfor a burnt-offering.\n\n[98]Then \"the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham the second time, and\nsaid, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done\nthis thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in\nblessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed\nas the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore;\nand thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed\nshall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed\nmy voice.\"--Genesis 22:15-18.\n\n[99]In this wonderful picture Abraham was a type of Jehovah, while Isaac\nwas a type of Jesus, the beloved Son of Jehovah. Abraham's offering his\nbeloved son on the altar, pictured how God in due time would offer his\nonly beloved Son as a great sacrifice that mankind might be redeemed\nfrom death and have an opportunity to live. Abraham did not, as indeed\nhe could not, understand God's purposes, for the reason that Jehovah did\nnot reveal them to him; but he knew that God had here made a covenant\nwith him and bound it with his oath; and that by these two certain and\nunchangeable things, his word and his oath, God would carry out his\ncovenant in due time, and that covenant would result in the blessing of\nall the families and nations of earth.\n\n[100]The word covenant means contract; and it is the solemn form for\nexpressing a compact, agreement, or contract between parties, or\nparticularly on the part of one whereby he promises to do a certain\nthing. With Jehovah a covenant or a contract is sacred and inviolate,\nbecause Jehovah changes not. (Malachi 3:6) Having promised it, he will\nfulfill it. (Hebrews 6:18) It is always necessary that there be two\nparties to a contract. There may be more. Where one party only is bound\nto do a certain thing that contract is called unilateral, or one-sided;\nand where both parties are bound to perform certain things, the contract\nis called bilateral, or two-sided.\n\n[101]It will be observed that this oathbound covenant that Jehovah made\nwith Abraham contained no conditions or limitations, but was merely a\npromise of Jehovah bound by his oath, and is therefore properly called a\nunilateral or one-sided covenant; for the reason that God's purpose was\nand is to carry out his plan to bless the human race, regardless of what\nany one may or may not do. There was no need for him to make any\nconditions to the covenant. He merely announced his benevolent purpose\ntoward mankind. The covenant does not even say that the blessing of the\npeople will follow upon the condition that Abraham should do a certain\nthing, or that the people should seek him. The covenant does not say\nthat every person will be blessed with life everlasting; but it does\nsay that all the families of the earth shall be blessed, which means\nthat every one must in God's due time have a full, fair opportunity for\nlife everlasting. It means, furthermore, that in God's due time\nknowledge will be brought to all in order that every one may avail\nhimself of the opportunity thus provided for life. It means,\nfurthermore, that assistance will be given to every one, that he may\nprofit by this blessed opportunity; and all who prove their loyalty\nunder the test that will come by reason of the opportunity will be\ngranted life everlasting.\n\n\n\n\nHow was the earth originally peopled? \u00b6 92.\n\nWhere did Cain get his wife? \u00b6 92.\n\nTo whom does Jehovah show his favor? \u00b6 92.\n\nWhat effect does Satan's influence have on the people? \u00b6 92.\n\nWhat kind of man was Noah? and whom did he serve? \u00b6 93.\n\nWhy did Jehovah direct Noah to build the ark? \u00b6 93.\n\nHow many persons escaped destruction at the time of the flood? and who\nwere they? \u00b6 93.\n\nHow was the earth peopled after the flood? \u00b6 93.\n\nWhat man is mentioned in the Scriptures as the friend of God? and what\nwas the name of his wife? \u00b6 94.\n\nWhat was the age of Abraham when God spoke to him? and what did Jehovah\nsay? \u00b6 94.\n\nWhat was Abraham's native land? and to what land did he go in obedience\nto God's command? \u00b6 94.\n\nAt what places did Abraham stop in Canaan that are specially mentioned\nin the Bible? \u00b6 94.\n\nWhat promise did God make to Abraham at Bethel? and what promise did he\nmake while Abraham dwelt in the plains of Mamre? \u00b6 94.\n\nDescribe the place of Abraham's residence at the time Jehovah promised\nhim a son. Quote the Scriptural account. \u00b6 95.\n\nHow many sons did Abraham have by his wife Sarah? Give Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6 96.\n\nTo what special test did God put Abraham with reference to his son\nIsaac? \u00b6 96.\n\nDescribe in detail the offering of Isaac. \u00b6 97.\n\nRepeat God's promise to Abraham at the time of his offering of Isaac.\n\u00b6 98.\n\nWhom did Abraham typify in this offering? and of whom was Isaac a type?\n\u00b6 99.\n\nWhat did the offering of Isaac picture? \u00b6 99.\n\nDid Abraham understand the full meaning of God's promise? \u00b6 99.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the word \"covenant\"? \u00b6 100.\n\nHow does God regard his covenants? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 100.\n\nHow many parties are required to make a covenant? \u00b6 100.\n\nWhere only one party is bound, what kind of covenant is it? \u00b6 100.\n\nWhere both parties are bound to perform certain things, then what do we\ncall the covenant? \u00b6 100.\n\nWhy was God's covenant with Abraham a one-sided covenant? \u00b6 101.\n\nWhat is the important statement of the Abrahamic covenant or promise?\n\u00b6 101.\n\nWhom will the Abrahamic covenant ultimately affect? \u00b6 101.\n\n\n\n\"IS IT COME?\"\n\n  Poet and seer that question caught,\n   Above the din of life's fears and frets;\n  It marched with letters, it toiled with thought,\n   Through schools and creeds which the earth forgets.\n  And statesmen trifle, and priests deceive,\n   And traders barter our world away;\n  Yet hearts to that golden promise cleave,\n   And still, at times, \"Is it come?\" they say.\n\n  The days of the nations bear no trace\n   Of all the sunshine so far foretold;\n  The cannon speaks in the teacher's place;\n   The age is weary with work and gold;\n  And high hopes wither, and memories wane;\n   On hearths and altars the fires are dead;\n  But that brave faith hath not lived in vain;\n   And this is all that our watcher said.\n\n--_Brown_.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V\n\nString 4: _The Birth of Jesus_\n\n\nIt has pleased Jehovah to use men and women to picture or foreshadow\nvarious parts of his plan. For instance, Abraham at times pictures or\nrepresents God; while Sarah his wife was used to picture or typify God's\ncovenant with Abraham through which he promised to bring forth the seed\nfor the blessing of all the families of the earth. Sarah was the mother\nof Isaac, her only son. Isaac was used to typify or foreshadow Jesus,\nthe son of God, the Redeemer of the world. Hagar had a son by Abraham,\nand Hagar typified or foreshadowed the law covenant, which was made by\nJehovah with Moses as a mediator for the children of Israel at Mount\nSinai. As Hagar was a bondwoman, the servant of Sarah, so was the law\ncovenant one of bondage that brought forth no real blessings to the\nJews; but it was made for the purpose of teaching the Jews their\ninability to lift themselves up to life and to show them the absolute\nnecessity for a redeemer. After the death of his wife Sarah, Abraham\nmarried Keturah and by her had many children; and Keturah is used as a\ntype foreshadowing the new covenant that is to be made by Jehovah with\nChrist as the Mediator for the world of mankind, through which all will\nhave an opportunity to gain life everlasting.\n\n[103]The apostle Paul speaks of these figures or pictures relating to\nthe covenants, as follows: \"For it is written, that Abraham had two\nsons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was\nof the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was\nby promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two\ncovenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage,\nwhich is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to\nJerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But\nJerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it\nis written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry,\nthou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than\nshe which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the\nchildren of promise.\" (Galatians 4:22-28) Isaac pictures the entire\nChrist, head and body--Jesus the Head, the church the body members.\n\n[104]It is noted that God's covenant with Abraham stated that there\nwould be an offspring or seed which would bless all the families of the\nearth. This seed is the Redeemer, Christ Jesus, the Savior of the world;\nand by adoption into the family of God the true Christians, the church,\nthe members of Christ's body, become a part of that seed. \"And the\nscripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,\npreached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all\nnations be blessed. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.\nHe saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed,\nwhich is Christ.\"--Galatians 3:8,16.\n\n[105]Before the blessing promised could come to the peoples of earth,\nthe seed which was promised must first come. The Israelites, otherwise\ncalled Jews, therefore expected that one of the natural descendants of\nAbraham would become their king and that through that king and his\nkingdom all the nations of the earth would be blessed by receiving the\nbenefits first given to them. For this reason the faithful Jews looked\nforward with great expectancy to the birth of the one who was to be\ntheir king. They based their hopes upon the repeated promise made by\nJehovah. Without doubt it was thought by some that Isaac, the son of\nAbraham, would be the one through whom the blessing would come. \"After\nthe death of Abraham, God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the\nwell Lahai-roi.\" (Genesis 25:11) When Isaac was about sixty years old\nthere were born to him and his wife Rebekah two sons, twins, who were\nnamed by them Esau and Jacob.--Genesis 25:26.\n\n[106]Isaac then went to live in the land of the Philistines, and while\nthere, God said to him: \"Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee,\nand will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all\nthese countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham\nthy father; and I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven,\nand will give unto thy seed these countries; and in thy seed shall all\nthe nations of the earth be blessed\". (Genesis 26:3,4) Thus the\nAbrahamic promise was renewed to Isaac. Before the death of Isaac, he\npronounced his blessing upon his son Jacob, and Jacob thereby became the\nsuccessor of his father to the Abrahamic promise.\n\n[107]Under the rule of descent, the firstborn or eldest son was the heir\nof the father's estate and any other rights or privileges that went with\nthat estate, unless for some cause there should be an exception to the\nrule. Esau having been born a few moments before his brother Jacob,\nunder the operation of this rule would be the successor to the Abrahamic\npromise and heir to his father. His birthright, therefore, would include\nthe promise made to Abraham. But the Lord clearly indicated that there\nshould be an exception to the rule in this case and that Jacob should\nbe the heir and not Esau. When it was known that the mother would bear\ntwo sons, and just before the time of their birth, Rebekah the mother\ninquired of the Lord concerning the expected children and the Lord said\nunto her that two sons would be born to her and that the elder should\nserve the younger. (Genesis 25:22,23) This definitely shows that it was\nGod's purpose that Jacob, who was born last, should be the heir and\nsuccessor to the Abrahamic promise.\n\n[108]These two sons grew to manhood's estate. Esau became a great\nhunter and loved the outdoor sports; while Jacob was a plain man,\nremaining quietly at home. Esau showed that he did not appreciate the\nbirthright, viz., the Abrahamic promise, even if it were his, which in\nfact it was not, since God had foreordained that it should belong to\nJacob. Esau thought more of his own selfish, immediate comfort than\nanything that might come to him by reason of this promise. On one\noccasion he was in the field hunting. He returned hungry and faint. He\nfound that Jacob had prepared a pot of lentils. When Esau smelled this\nappetizing food he said to Jacob: \"Feed me, I pray thee, with that same\nred pottage, for I am faint\". And Jacob said: \"Sell me this day thy\nbirthright\". \"And Esau said, Behold I am at the point to die: and what\nprofit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this\nday; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then\nJacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink,\nand rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.\"\n--Genesis 25:27-34.\n\n[109]Genuine, real right and title to the birthright was now Jacob's\nfor two good and sufficient reasons: (1) because it was so ordered by\nthe Lord before his birth, as above stated; and (2) because he had\nbought it in an open and fair transaction with his brother Esau. These\ntwo brothers were not mere children at this time. They were past forty\nyears of age (Genesis 26:34), both capable of entering into a contract;\nand they made a contract which was binding upon both.\n\n[110]Notwithstanding these two good reasons why Jacob was justly\nentitled to the birthright, Esau attempted to deprive him of it. The\nbirthright carried with it the privilege of the special blessing from\ntheir father. Isaac was old and his eyes were dim, so that he could not\nsee; and he knew that the day of his death might be near. (Genesis\n27:1,2) He directed his son Esau to go into the field and take some\nvenison and bring it to him that he might eat; and give Esau his\nblessing.\n\n[111]The Bible does not clearly show that Isaac knew God had\nforeordained that this birthright should belong to Jacob, nor that he\nknew Esau had sold it to Jacob; therefore we can excuse the old father\nfor thinking it was his duty to bestow his blessing upon his son Esau.\nRebekah the mother, however, knowing of both these reasons why Jacob was\nentitled to the birthright, knowing that Esau did not appreciate it, and\nknowing of his wrongful intent to deprive his brother Jacob of the\nprivileges and blessings incident to the birthright, advised Jacob what\nto do in order to protect his own rightful and proper interests. The\nmother therefore was carrying out God's will in this respect. She was\ndoing what all honest persons should do--try to protect the rights and\nprivileges of those that are near and dear to them. She therefore\ndirected Jacob to slay two kids of the goats and bring them to her and\nshe prepared some savory meat; and then, in order that the blind father\nmight not obstinately refuse to aid them in carrying out the divine\npurposes, and in order that he might think he was blessing Esau, the\nmother Rebekah fastened upon the arms of her son Jacob the skins of the\nkids and also put the skins about his neck that he would appear as a\nhairy man like unto his brother Esau.\n\n[112]Jacob then came in before his father and presented the savory meat.\nHis father kissed him and laid his hand upon him and gave to Jacob his\nblessing. The old father then spoke in prophetic phrase, evidently under\nthe direction of the Lord, saying unto his son Jacob: \"Let people serve\nthee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let\nthy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth\nthee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee\".--Genesis 27:29.\n\n[113]Almost immediately Esau returned from the field and found that\nJacob had received his father's blessing and that he (Esau) had been\nunsuccessful in carrying out his purpose of defeating the open and fair\ntransaction which he had made with Jacob when he had sold his\nbirthright. He hated his brother Jacob and determined to kill him as\nsoon as his father Isaac was dead.\n\n[114]It seems rather strange that many Christian people have severely\ncriticized Jacob and his mother Rebekah in this transaction. It has\nevidently been due to the fact that they were ignorant of the record. No\npart of Jacob's action in connection with the birthright is\nreprehensible. Everything with reference to Esau is reprehensible. God\nsubsequently showed that Esau pictured the peoples of earth who are\nChristians in name only, but not in truth and in fact, who are\nhypocritical, and who persecute the true Christians; while Jacob\npictured or foreshadowed the true followers of Christ who have been\nmisrepresented and persecuted by the merely nominal Christians. God\nshowed his approval of the conduct of Jacob and his mother Rebekah, and\nshowed that it was his purpose and intention that Jacob should receive\nthe blessing going with the birthright. Jacob had shown his great desire\nfor the birthright, which was merely a promise; while Esau had despised\nit. Acting upon the advice of his mother, Jacob now fled from the wrath\nof Esau; and as he went away, he lay down and slept at a place situated\nnorth of the present site of Jerusalem and which afterward he named\nBethel, which means the house of God. There he had a dream, in which God\nsignified his approval of Jacob and pronounced a blessing upon him.\n\n[115]\"And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night,\nbecause the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and\nput them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he\ndreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it\nreached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending\non it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God\nof Abraham, thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou\nliest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as\nthe dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to\nthe east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy\nseed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am\nwith thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will\nbring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have\ndone that which I have spoken to thee of.\"--Genesis 28:11-15.\n\n[116]Whom God approves and blesses all others should approve. We may be\nassured, then, that Jacob was blameless before Jehovah in this\ntransaction. It shows how carefully Jehovah was guarding his promise and\nthe seed which would spring from it ultimately and through which the\nfamilies of the earth should be blessed.\n\n[117]Some years later God showed his further favor to Jacob by changing\nhis name from Jacob to Israel. The name Israel means, _He will rule as\nGod_. \"And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be\ncalled any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his\nname Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and\nmultiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings\nshall come out of thy loins; and the land which I gave Abraham and\nIsaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give\nthe land.\" (Genesis 35:10-12) According to the promise given to Jacob at\nthis time, a nation should spring forth of him.\n\n[118]Jacob had twelve sons. There were born to him by his wife Leah the\nsons Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; and by his wife\nRachel, Joseph and Benjamin. His other sons were Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and\nAsher. Jacob's wife Rachel was the most beloved by him, and she was the\nmother of his beloved son Joseph. After Jacob had been deprived of\nJoseph's presence and fellowship, he devoted his affections to Benjamin,\nthe other son by his beloved wife Rachel. The Scriptures show that these\ntwo sons typified those who will be born on the spirit plane, Joseph\nbeing a type of the royal family of heaven; while Benjamin typified the\ngreat company or tribulation class born on a spirit plane lower than\nthose possessing the divine nature.\n\n[119]Jacob spent his last days with his family in Egypt. Just before\nhis death he called before him his sons, that he might bestow upon them\nhis last blessings. From this time forward dates the history of the\nnation of Israel. While pronouncing the blessing upon his various sons,\nhe said concerning his son Judah: \"Judah is a lion's whelp: from the\nprey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion,\nand as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart\nfrom Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and\nunto him shall the gathering of the people be.\" (Genesis 49:9,10) This\nprophetic promise definitely shows that the mighty one to come through\nwhom the blessings of the people would flow must spring from the tribe\nof Judah, the word Shiloh being one of the titles applied to the great\nPrince of Peace, the Deliverer, the Savior of mankind.\n\n[120]After the death of Jacob his offspring were known as the children\nof Israel, or Israelites. Joseph when a lad had been sold into Egypt,\nhad grown to manhood, had become a mighty man and ruler in Egypt under\nthe king, and was dwelling there in power and glory when his father\nJacob and the other members of his family moved into Egypt to live.\nDuring the lifetime of Joseph the Israelites were well treated. After\nhis death, however, a new king came to the throne of Egypt, who began to\noppress and persecute the Israelites. God raised up Moses and used him\nto deliver the Israelites from the land of Egypt and the oppressive hand\nof Egypt's king.\n\n[121]We incidentally remark that here are some other pictures\nforeshadowing portions of the divine plan. Egypt under the rule of a\nwicked king pictures or represents the world of mankind in darkness\nunder the rule of the unrighteous one, Satan, who is the god of this\nworld. The Israelites in Egypt picture the people of God and those who\nshall ultimately come into harmony with him; while Moses was a type\nforeshadowing the great Messiah, who is to deliver all mankind from the\nbondage of sin and death.\n\n[122]Moses was a prophet of God and God spoke through Moses, using him\nas a mouthpiece or messenger. After the Lord had delivered the children\nof Israel from Egypt by the hand of Moses, he spoke through Moses, who\nprophesied unto Israel, saying: \"The Lord thy God will raise up unto\nthee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me;\nunto him ye shall hearken\". (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22) From that\ntime forward the Israelites watched and waited for the coming of the\ngreat prophet, priest, and king who should be like unto Moses and of\nwhom Moses was a picture or a type. They knew that such a one must come\nfrom the house of Judah, because God had promised as much. David was a\ndirect descendant of Judah.--Luke 3:31-34.\n\n[123]From time to time God's prophets gave utterance to words that kept\nalive in the minds of the Israelites the hope that God would send them a\nmighty one, through whom the promise made to Abraham would be fulfilled.\nIn time this promise was specifically limited to the house of David, the\nLord causing his prophet to write thus: \"The Lord hath sworn in truth\nunto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I\nset upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant and my\ntestimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon\nthy throne for evermore.\"--Psalm 132:11,12.\n\n[124]David himself was a prophet of Jehovah, and the Lord spoke through\nhim with reference to the heir of the Abrahamic promise who should be\nking over Israel. \"Then David the king stood upon his feet, and said,\nHear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to\nbuild an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for\nthe footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: but God\nsaid unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou\nhast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. Howbeit the Lord God of\nIsrael chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel\nfor ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of\nJudah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked\nme to make me king over all Israel: and of all my sons (for the Lord\nhath given me many sons) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the\nthrone of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. And he said unto me,\nSolomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have\nchosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. Moreover I will\nestablish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments\nand my judgments, as at this day,\"--1 Chronicles 28:2-7.\n\n[125]Thus far the divine record definitely establishes the fact that\nthe great heir or king of Israel, the seed through which the blessings\nof God would be bestowed, must come through David's line; and that also\nit should come through Solomon, provided, of course, the conditions laid\nupon Solomon were fulfilled. In any event, it must come through David's\nline, and through his son Solomon provided Solomon met the requirements.\nWe repeat the words for emphasis: \"Moreover I will establish his kingdom\nfor ever, _if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments_,\nas at this day\". And then David said: \"And thou, Solomon, my son, know\nthou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with\na willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all\nthe imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of\nthee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever\".\n--1 Chronicles 28:9.\n\n[126]The question is, Did Solomon receive the approval of the Lord? If\nso, the great Messiah must come through his line. If not, then he could\nnot come through Solomon. This question is answered by the Scriptures,\nas follows: \"For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives\nturned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect\nwith the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.... And the\nLord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord\nGod of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, and had commanded him\nconcerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept\nnot that which the Lord commanded. Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon,\nForasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and\nmy statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom\nfrom thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days\nI will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of\nthe hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but\nwill give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for\nJerusalem's sake which I have chosen,\"--1 Kings 11:4,9-13.\n\n[127]After Solomon's death the nation of Israel was divided. The last\nthree kings of Solomon's line to rule over Israel were Jehoiakim,\nJehoiachin (also called Coniah) and Zedekiah. Zedekiah became a wicked\nruler and of him it is recorded: \"And thou, profane and wicked prince of\nIsrael, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith\nthe Lord God: Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not\nbe the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will\noverturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until he come\nwhose right it is; and I will give it [to] him.\" (Ezekiel 21:25-27) This\nshows a complete overthrowing of the line of Solomon and definitely\nsettles the proposition that Messiah could not be counted through the\nline of Solomon, but must be some other way. Seemingly God's promise to\nbring the mighty deliverer through the line of David had failed, because\nof Solomon's failure. But not so. David had another son, whom the Lord\nused. Solomon's line had been exalted. Now this line must be abased, and\nthe lower line must be exalted.\n\n[128]The obscure line of David was his son Nathan. Mary the mother of\nJesus was a direct descendant of Nathan of the house of David.\n\n[129]Jeremiah prophesied concerning the coming of Messiah, as follows:\n\"Behold the day is coming, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David\na righteous branch and a king shall reign and prosper.... In his day\nJudah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is the\nname that Jehovah proclaimeth him, Our Righteousness.\"--Jeremiah 23:5,6,\n_Young_.\n\n[130]Mary, the mother-to-be of Jesus, was approached by the angel of the\nLord, who said to her: \"Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favor with\nGod. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son\nand shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called\nthe Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne\nof his father David: and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said\nMary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the\nangel answered and said unto her: The holy spirit shall come upon thee,\nand the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that\nholy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of\nGod.\"--Luke 1:30-35.\n\n[131]Then Mary, seemingly directed by the power of Jehovah, said: \"My\nsoul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.\nFor he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden; for behold, from\nhenceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty\nhath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on\nthem that fear him from generation to generation. He hath showed\nstrength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of\ntheir hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted\nthem of low degree.\" (Luke 1:46-52) Her words draw the contrast between\nthe once favored family of Solomon and the humbler family of Nathan,\nSolomon's family being abased and Nathan's now exalted. Thus the proof\nis brought forth that the Lord did raise up unto David a righteous\nbranch.\n\n\nIN EXPECTATION\n\n[132]The promise made to Abraham, which was subsequently repeated to\nothers, thoroughly impressed the minds of the devout Israelites with the\nthought that at some future time there would be born of a woman of the\nJewish people a holy child, and that in some way to them not understood\nthis child would be the means of blessing all the families and nations\nof the earth. They expected the Jewish nation to become the greatest\nnation of earth, and looked for all other nations to flow unto it, be\nsubservient to it and receive their blessings through it. These\nconclusions they based upon the words of the prophets, even though they\ndid not fully understand the meaning of those prophecies. To them the\nprophet Isaiah had said: \"And it shall come to pass in the last days,\nthat the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of\nthe mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations\nshall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let\nus go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob;\nand he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out\nof Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from\nJerusalem.\" (Isaiah 2:2,3) And again: \"For unto us a child is born, unto\nus a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and\nhis name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The\neverlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his\ngovernment and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David,\nand upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and\nwith justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of\nhosts will perform this.\"--Isaiah 9:6,7.\n\n[133]The prophet Zechariah said: \"And it shall come to pass that every\none that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall\neven go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and\nto keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not\ncome up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the\nKing, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.\"--Zechariah\n14:16,17.\n\n[134]These prophecies, while relating in a measure to the birth of\nJesus, had only a partial fulfillment at that time. Their far greater\nfulfillment is yet future, as we shall see.\n\n[135]The birth of Jesus, the greatest event in the world's history, was\nabout to be enacted. Two thousand years had passed since God had made\nthe promise to Abraham of the coming of the mighty One through whom all\nthe families of the earth should be blessed. During that time Jehovah\nwas executing his preconceived plan, renewing his promise to keep it\nfresh in the minds of the faithful, and shaping the course of those who\nshould participate in this great transaction. And now, as the day drew\nnear, the stage was being set.\n\n[136]The place selected was Bethlehem, situated on an elevation south\nof Jerusalem. It was once the home of Boaz, whose fields the beautiful\nMoabitish woman Ruth had gleaned whom Boaz redeemed and afterward took\nas his wife. Here Jehovah had used Boaz as a type of Christ Jesus and\nRuth as a type of the church, his bride, foreshadowing things yet to\ncome.\n\n[137]Later Bethlehem was the home of Jesse and of David his son. The\nname David implies 'beloved one'; and it was here that he was anointed\nto be king over Israel, from which time he typified Jesus, the mighty\nSon of God. Jehovah had selected this as the birthplace of Jesus; hence\nhere the birth must take place.--Matthew 2:5,6; Micah 5:2.\n\n[138]Away to the north in Galilee stood the humble and despised city of\nNazareth. It was the home of Joseph the carpenter, a meek, little-known,\nyet honest, man. He was espoused to Mary. We should expect that Jehovah\nwould time everything exactly; and so he did. The scepter had departed\nfrom Judah; the Romans were in control of Palestine, and the time for\nthe birth of the mighty One was due. Exercising his perfect wisdom and\npower, Jehovah was overruling all things to the accomplishment of his\npurpose. Augustus Caesar, then the emperor and ruler over all Palestine,\nissued a decree that all the people should be taxed. Every one must go\nto the city of his nativity, there to be numbered and taxed. Joseph the\ncarpenter, although a resident of Nazareth, was of the house of David,\nand hence must go to the city of David to be numbered and taxed.\nNaturally his espoused virgin would accompany him to that city. She\nlikewise was of the house of David through another line--another reason\nwhy she should go there. But above all, the Lord directed them there\nbecause it was a part of his arrangement.\n\n[139]At that time there were no means of easy and rapid transit. It was\na long journey, a tedious and tiresome one. Joseph, with his espoused\nseated upon an ass, journeyed through the hills along the Jordan\nprobably for three days, and late in the evening reached the city of\nBethlehem. The city was crowded; the private homes were full; all the\nhotels, inns, and other places were crowded out. Tired, worn, and weary\nfrom their long journey, they were jostled by the crowd in the narrow\nstreets of the city. Applying to various places for lodging, at each\nplace they were turned away; until finally they found a location where\nthey could sleep in a stall with the cattle. And they retired for the\nnight's repose.\n\n[140]Over the brow of the hill, in the field once owned by Boaz and\ngleaned by the beautiful Ruth, the faithful shepherds were watching\ntheir sheep. According to custom, they had four watches during the\nnight. Some would watch while the others slept.\n\n[141]The earthly stage is now set. But behold that there was no great\nearthly splendor or show! In truth the condition of poverty of Joseph\nand his espoused, and the like poor condition of the shepherds who were\nnow shortly to be used of the Lord, was the only fitting way that we\nshould expect the Lord would have it. All the pomp and glory of earthly\npreparation would have been but tawdry tinsel, detracting from the\nglorious things that were shortly to follow. Each one of the earthly\nplayers whom Jehovah had assigned to perform a part upon this stage was\nhumble, meek, and possessed of faith in the promises of God. In heaven\nthere was a host of angels that should participate in the great drama;\nand all the hosts of heaven were witnesses to this unparalleled and\nnever-again-to-be-performed event.\n\n[142]On earth it was night, picturing the fact that the whole world was\nlying in darkness and a great light was coming into the earth. The time\nhad now arrived for the birth of the mighty One, and all the heavenly\nhosts were awake to the importance of the hour. Doubtless while others\nslept, Mary was pondering in her heart the great events that had taken\nplace during the few months past; and while she thus meditated there in\nthe silence of that night, without pain and without suffering there was\nborn to her Jesus, the Savior of the world. And the shepherds watching\ntheir sheep in the field were attracted by the angel of the Lord, who\ncame upon them, \"and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and\nthey were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for,\nbehold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all\npeople. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,\nWhich is Christ the Lord.\"--Luke 2:8-11.\n\n[143]When this heavenly messenger had finished his wonderful speech to\nthe astonished shepherds, then it was, as if waiting a given signal, the\nmultitudinous heavenly host stood forth and sang the good tidings of\ngreat joy which ultimately shall be to all people. Their song was but\nthe reflex of what had been announced. There sweet singers told in words\nof praise of God's beneficent purpose ultimately to bless all the\nfamilies of the earth. It was a song of glory from heaven, and the hills\nof Judea echoed the message of peace and good will toward men. And\nthroughout the gospel age this sweet anthem has filled with joy the\nheart of many a sad wanderer; and seemingly again and again these have\nheard the song from heaven: \"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth\npeace, good will toward men\".\n\n[144]The world is now entering its darkest period, and when mankind\nreaches the point of extremity, then will be God's opportunity to reveal\nto all sad hearts that the birth of Jesus was the greatest event in\nhistory to that time; and that shortly this same great Jesus, now in\nglory, will extend the blessings of life, liberty and happiness to the\nwhole groaning creation.\n\n[145]The place of Jesus' birth was truly according to and in fulfillment\nof prophecy, thus showing that God had foreordained and prepared the\nconditions for his birth. (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:4-6) Jesus was not born\non December 25, as is generally supposed; but his birth occurred about\nthe first of October. Midwinter would have been a very inopportune time\nfor the shepherds to be watching their sheep in the fields and sleeping\nin the open. In addition to this circumstantial evidence, all the facts\nshow that the birth of Jesus was in October, and that December 25, nine\nmonths previous, was probably the date of the annunciation. (Luke 1:30,31)\nFor a full discussion of this subject see STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES,\nVolume 2, page 54.\n\n[146]Much has been said and written concerning the three wise men who\njourneyed from the East to pay their homage to the babe Jesus, born in\nBethlehem. Particularly at Christmas time is our attention called to\nthis by pictures on cards, etc., of the wise men journeying to the West,\nsupposedly being guided by the star sent by Jehovah. It has been\npresumed that Jehovah by the star led these wise men to the place of\nJesus' birth. The Bible proof shows, however, that these three wise men\nwere not sent by the Lord God, but that they were directed by the great\nadversary, the devil, in his attempt to destroy the babe. Whether they\nknew it or not, these three wise men were parties to a great conspiracy,\noriginated and carried out by the master mind, Satan, the devil, in his\nattempt to destroy the seed of promise, the great Savior of the world.\n\n[147]When Jehovah drove Adam and Eve from Eden he likewise pronounced a\ncondemnation upon Satan. He said concerning Satan and the woman: \"I will\nput enmity between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and\nthou shalt bruise his heel\". (Genesis 3:15) From that time forward,\nSatan the great adversary has attempted to destroy every one whom God\nhas favored and who he thought might constitute the seed of promise.\n\n[148]Jehovah has given to Satan four separate and distinct names, all of\nwhich have a deep significance. Besides the name _Satan_ he is\ndesignated as the _dragon_, that old _serpent_ and the _devil_. Dragon\nmeans devourer or destroyer; and Satan has at all times been seeking to\ndestroy or devour Jesus and his true followers, who constitute the seed\nof promise. His name Satan indicates adversary; and he has opposed in\nevery way the development of the new creation, consisting of Jesus and\nhis bride. His name serpent means deceiver; and he has applied all of\nhis wily methods to deceive, and as Jesus has declared, he would\ndeceive, if possible, the very elect, but God will not permit him thus\nto do. His title devil means slanderer; and he has constantly carried on\na campaign of slanderous propaganda against the people of God even unto\nthis day, and has never lost an opportunity to try in his various ways\nto destroy them.\n\n[149]When it was announced to Mary by the angel that she should bring\nforth a child whose name should be called Jesus and that he would be the\nSavior of his people, Satan recognized this promised and unborn babe as\nthe one who would ultimately bruise his head. The apostle Paul plainly\nstates to us that God sent Jesus into the world, one of his missions\nbeing ultimately to destroy the devil. (Hebrews 2:14) The enmity of\nSatan toward the seed of promise has never abated. Learning of the\npromised birth of the child, Satan at once began to lay his plans for\nits destruction. He attempted to induce Mary's espoused husband Joseph\nto put her away and cause her to be put to death under the terms of the\nMosaic law; but God prevented this by advising Joseph through his\nmessenger in a dream to fear not, but to take Mary for his wife.\n--Matthew 1:18-24.\n\n[150]Stars do not move above the canopy of heaven in such a manner as to\nlead men. It seems unreasonable that Jehovah would have made a star move\nfrom the East and stand over Bethlehem. Satan and his emissaries, the\ndemons associated with him, have power to produce lights; and many\ninstances are cited in history of these lights appearing near the earth.\nThe \"star\" or light that guided the wise men was without doubt such a\nlight and not a star moved by the power of Jehovah.\n\n[151]The wise men residing in the East were sorcerers and magicians.\nThey were star-gazers. They were followers of the false religion. They\nsacrificed to and worshiped the devil. (1 Corinthians 10:20) Pharaoh the\nking of Egypt was a type of Satan the devil; and Pharaoh used wise men\nlike unto these sorcerers and magicians to oppose the Lord and his\nmessengers in the day that they were in Egyptian bondage. (Exodus 7:11)\nThese were devotees of astrology and demon worship. Doubtless many of\nthem were sincere, but they were the dupes of a false religion\ninaugurated by Satan. The Biblical record definitely fixes the fact that\nHerod, then ruler in Jerusalem, was a wicked man, under the influence of\nSatan.\n\n[152]\"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod\nthe king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,\nsaying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his\nstar in the east, and are come to worship him.\" (Matthew 2:1,2) Be it\nnoted that these wise men went directly to Herod, a representative of\nSatan. If the star guiding them was sent by the Lord Jehovah, why would\nhe guide them to Herod, a representative of Satan, and a mortal enemy of\nthe babe Jesus? If the sole purpose of the star was to guide these men\nto the place of Jesus' birth there was no need for them to go to Herod\nat all. The reasonable answer, then, is that Satan had prepared a great\nconspiracy with the object of destroying the babe. A conspiracy is a\ndesign to commit a wrongful act in which two or more join in committing\nthe act or some part of it. Sometimes persons are involved in a\nconspiracy and participate without knowing the real purpose of the one\nwho forms the conspiracy. Such may have been the case with these wise\nmen; but without doubt Satan had formed and directed it.\n\n[153]When these wise men came into the presence of Herod, he was\ntroubled, because he feared the new king would interfere with his reign;\nand he \"gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people [the\nseed of Satan and also his representatives--John 8:44] together and\ndemanded of them where Christ should be born\"--in other words he\ndemanded to know where the babe Jesus could be found. Then Herod, in\nfurtherance of the conspiracy, privately consulted with these wise men.\nWe now see Herod manifesting one of the characteristics of Satan, viz.,\ndeception, in this, that he pretended to desire himself to find the babe\nJesus, that he might go and worship him; whereas all the facts and\ncircumstances show that his real purpose was that he might find the babe\nin order to destroy him. \"Then Herod, when he had privily called the\nwise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And\nhe sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the\nyoung child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may\ncome and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed;\nand, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it\ncame and stood over where the young child was.\"\n\n[154]We cannot for a moment believe that the heavenly Father would use a\nwicked one like Herod and aid him in carrying out his wicked purpose by\nhaving a star to direct these three wise men to the place of Jesus'\nbirth, in view of the fact that the king had demanded that they should\nreturn and report to him, and when it was King Herod's purpose to\ndestroy the babe. The fact is that the devil and his instruments, Herod\nand others, would have succeeded in this wicked conspiracy and have\ncaused the death of the babe Jesus had not God intervened to save the\nchild.\n\n[155]The wise men reaching Bethlehem found the babe and brought their\npresents and worshiped. Without a doubt it was their intention to return\nand report to Herod. And the result of such a return would have been the\ndeath of the child. But God here intervened and warned them in a dream.\nThese wise magicians relied upon dreams. \"Being warned of God in a dream\nthat they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own\ncountry another way.\" Satan again was thwarted in his wicked purpose.\n\n[156]The real intent of Herod in sending these wise men is disclosed by\nwhat subsequently happened. \"Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked\nof the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the\nchildren that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two\nyears old and under, according to the time which he had diligently\ninquired of the wise men.\" (Matthew 2:16) Determined not to be thwarted\nin his purpose, Satan and his instrument Herod were willing to destroy\nall the babes in and about Bethlehem, with the hope of destroying the\none that was to be the King and Savior of the world. Jehovah saved the\nbabe Jesus from this slaughter by directing his mother and Joseph to\ntake the young child and flee into Egypt, which they did.--Matthew 2:13.\n\n[157]We would not be justified, then, in presuming that God was using\nthese devil worshipers, the \"wise men\"--\"Magians,\" Magicians--for the\npurpose of being his witnesses to the birth of his beloved Son. But on\nthe contrary, the facts show that it pleased him to reveal this great\ntruth to the shepherds and to use them as his witnesses.--Luke 2:8-18.\n\n[158]There is nothing whatsoever in the account of this experience of\nthe wise men to indicate that their mission was in any wise beneficial\nto mankind; but the most charitable view we can take of it is that they\nwere dupes of a deep-laid plot by Satan, the arch conspirator, to\ndestroy the seed of promise; and that Jehovah let the conspiracy proceed\nto the point where it would fully demonstrate the wickedness on the part\nof Satan and his instrument, and then demonstrated his great protecting\npower. Without a doubt Satan has attempted to deceive and has deceived\nmultitudes of honest people into believing that these wise men were the\nwitnesses of the Lord, and hid from their minds the fact that they in\ntruth and in fact represented Satan.\n\n[159]All the wicked persecution that came upon the Lord Jesus afterward,\nand upon his followers to this day, has been because of the influence of\nSatan the devil. And yet at all times the Lord has protected his own at\nthe very critical moment, just as promised: \"The angel of the Lord\nencampeth round about them that fear [reverence] him, and delivereth\nthem\".--Psalm 34:7.\n\n\nHOW UNDEFILED?\n\n[160]St. Paul says: \"As by one man sin entered into the world, and death\nby sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned\".\n(Romans 5:12) \"There is none that doeth good, no, not one.\" (Psalm 14:3)\nThese Scriptures being true, and since Jesus was born of a woman, was he\nnot born like other children? And if so, was he not a sinner like others?\n\n[161]Jesus was not a sinner. He was born pure, holy, sinless, without\nspot or blemish. He was not begotten and born like other children. While\nhe was born of the woman Mary, Joseph was not his father. Joseph was\nespoused to Mary, Jesus' mother, and before they were married she was\nfound to be with child. (Matthew 1:18) Mary was a virgin, yet she was\nabout to give birth and did give birth to the babe Jesus. (Matthew\n1:20,23) The holy child that was born of the virgin Mary was and is the\nSon of God.--Luke 1:35.\n\n[162]The words translated in our Bibles _Holy Ghost_ should be properly\ntranslated _holy spirit_. The holy spirit is the invisible power, energy\nand influence of Jehovah. God is holy; therefore his power, energy, and\ninfluence are holy. Father means life-giver. Jehovah is the Father of\nJesus because he gave life to Jesus; hence Jesus is called the Son of\nGod. The spirit, energy, or influence of Jehovah operating upon earthly\nsubstance produced earthly creatures. (Genesis 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:47)\nThe same holy power, energy, and influence begat the child Jesus, who\nwas born of his mother Mary. Therefore the life of Jesus was without sin\nor imperfection. The germ of life of him who was born Jesus was\ntransferred from the spirit plane or nature to the human plane or\nnature.\n\n[163]Jesus was our Lord's human name. It implied his humiliation and\nlowly estate, in comparison with the glory which he had with the Father\nbefore the world was. (John 17:5) He existed long before he became a\nhuman being. His prehuman name was the _Logos_, which is translated in\nour common version Bible \"the Word\". The word _Logos_ is therefore one\nof the titles of Jesus and should not be translated at all. It means the\nspokesman, active agent, or messenger, of Jehovah. St. John, writing\nconcerning the Logos, who later became Jesus, says: \"In the beginning\n[which means the beginning of God's creative activity] was the Logos,\nand the Logos was with God [the God, Jehovah], and the Logos was a God\n[a mighty one]. The same was in the beginning with God [the God,\nJehovah]. All things were made by him [the Logos]; and without him [the\nLogos] was not anything made that was made\"--he was the active agent of\nJehovah in making all things,--John 1:1-3.\n\n[164]The beginning here referred to could not mean the beginning of God\nthe Father, because he is from everlasting to everlasting and never had\na beginning. (Psalm 41:13; 90:2) The _work_ of Jehovah, however, had a\nbeginning, and his creative work is clearly what is here meant. The\nLogos was the first and only direct creation of Jehovah; and thereafter\nGod's creation was performed through his Logos. This is the thought\nexpressed by the apostle Paul, who says of Jesus: \"He is the image of\nthe invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; for by him were all\nthings created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and\ninvisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or\npowers; all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all\nthings and by him all things consist.\"--Colossians 1:15-17.\n\n[165]As further evidence of Jesus' prehuman existence, we have his own\nwords: \"I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will\nof him that sent me\". (John 6:38) \"I proceeded forth and came from God;\nneither came I of myself, but he sent me.\" (John 8:42) Again: \"Before\nAbraham was, I am\". (John 8:58) Again: \"I came forth from the Father,\nand am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the\nFather\". (John 16:28) \"And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own\nself with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.\" (John\n17:5) Again Jesus said: \"I am the beginning of the creation of God\".\n(Revelation 3:14) Furthermore, the apostle Paul under inspiration\nstates: \"God ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom\nhe hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds\".\n(Hebrews 1:1,2) And again he states: \"For ye know the grace of our Lord\nJesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became\npoor, that ye through his poverty might be rich\". (2 Corinthians 8:9) He\nwas in the form of God before he became a man. \"Who, though being in\nGod's form, yet did not meditate a usurpation to be like God, but\ndivested himself, taking a bondman's form, having been made in the\nlikeness of men.\"--Philippians 2:6,7, _Diaglott_.\n\n[166]Some have earnestly believed that Jesus was God himself. But such a\nconclusion is not warranted by the Scriptures. John said: \"The Father\nloveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand\". (John 3:35)\nAgain Jesus said: \"The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all\njudgment unto the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as they\nhonor the Father. He that honoreth the Son honoreth the Father which\nhath sent him.... For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he\ngiven to the Son to have life in himself.\" (John 5:22, 23, 26) Again\nJesus said: \"It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two\nmen is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that\nsent me beareth witness of me.\" (John 8: 17, 18) Thus Jesus definitely\nfixes the fact that he and the Father are separate and distinct beings.\n\n[167]Again Jesus said: \"My Father, which gave them me, is greater than\nall; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my\nFather are one.\" (John 10:29,30) It may be asked, Does this not prove\nthat they were one being? Our answer is that it does not; but that it\ndoes show, in connection with the other Scriptures quoted, that Jesus\nand the Father, Jehovah, are one in spirit, one in purpose, one in\nharmonious action; just as Jesus subsequently prayed to the Father that\nthe church, his followers, might be made one with him, when he said:\n\"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe\non me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art\nin me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world\nmay believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I\nhave given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.\" (John\n17:20-22) Thus Jesus definitely shows what is meant by being one with\nthe Father.\n\n[168]Again Jesus prayed to the Father, saying: \"Father, save me from\nthis hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy\nname. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified\nit, and will glorify it again.\" (John 12:27,28) Jesus could not have\nbeen praying to himself here, but he was praying to Jehovah God, from\nwhom he came.\n\n[169]That the Father is greater than the Son, Christ Jesus, he shows\nwhen he says: \"I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye\nwould rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is\ngreater than I.\"--John 14:28.\n\n[170]Many others have believed that Jesus, while on the earth, was still\na spirit being and that his flesh was merely a covering or house in\nwhich that spirit being resided. Otherwise stated, that he was merely an\nincarnated creature and not wholly a man. The incarnation theory is that\na spirit being inhabits for a time the human body, or a human body is\ncreated for the express purpose of that spirit being's occupying it for\na time. The incarnation of Jesus is Scripturally erroneous. Indeed, if\nhe had been merely an incarnated being, he could never have redeemed\nmankind. It is not disputed that he could have appeared as a human\nbeing; and such is attested to in the instances given in Genesis 18:1,2\nand 19:1.\n\n[171]Some insist that Jesus when on earth was both God and man in\ncompleteness. This theory is wrong, however. We should never formulate a\ntheory concerning God's plan in direct contradiction to his plain Word.\nWe should have faith in God and in his Word. Faith means to have a\nknowledge of his Word and then to rely upon that Word confidently. The\nBible is the revealed Word of God, given to man for his instruction; and\nwhere plain statements of the Bible are given, we should take them at\ntheir face value. Following this course, we find that the plan of God\neverywhere appears harmonious and beautiful.\n\n[172]The adversary takes advantage of an honest desire on the part of\nsome and leads them into error. Every conscientious and reverential mind\ndesires to honor God. For fear they might dishonor him, they are easily\nled into failure to give proper consideration to plain statements of the\nBible. Some have been induced to believe that should they say that Jesus\nwhen on earth was a man and not God, such would be a dishonor to God.\nWe should not permit ourselves to be beguiled or misled by sophistry or\ntheories, but should follow the plain teachings of the Bible and then\nreach a conclusion in the light of that revealed Word after a full\nexamination.\n\n[173]The record concerning Jesus' prehuman existence, his being\nbegotten and his birth, entirely disproves the theory that he was\nincarnated. The Scriptures above cited plainly show that he was begotten\nin the womb of a woman, Mary, by the holy spirit, the power, energy or\ninfluence of Jehovah; that thereafter he was born in the same general\nmanner that other children are born of a woman (Luke 2:9-11); that he\ngrew to manhood's estate and increased in wisdom and stature and in\nfavor with God and man. (Luke 2:40,52) None of these things would have\nbeen necessary were he merely an incarnated being, a spirit being\ninhabiting a body of flesh. He worked at the carpenter's trade until he\nwas thirty years of age, at which time he began his ministry. At that\ntime he went to John to be baptized in the Jordan. (Luke 3:21-23)\nImmediately following that he spent forty days and nights in the\nwilderness, fasting and studying Jehovah's plan. (Luke 4:1-14) If he\nwere God incarnate, this experience in the wilderness would seem wholly\nunnecessary.\n\n[174]Jesus was not an angel or spirit being, because we have the\npositive statement of the Apostle to the effect that, \"We see Jesus,\nwho was made a little lower than the angels\". (Hebrews 2:9) And again:\n\"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also\nhimself likewise partook of the same\". (Hebrews 2:14) Furthermore, he was\nat one time rich in heavenly power and glory and became poor for the sake\nof mankind by taking upon himself the nature of man. (2 Corinthians 8:9)\nHe was made in the nature and likeness of man. (Philippians 2:8) The\nApostle, writing under inspiration, speaks of Jesus as the man: \"For\nsince by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the\ndead.... The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the\nLord from heaven.\"--1 Corinthians 15:21,47; see also 1 Timothy 2:5,6.\n\n[175]Had Jesus been merely an incarnated being it would not have been\nnecessary for him to be born as a babe and grow to manhood's estate.\nWhile he was born of a woman, yet he was without sin, because from his\nFather, Jehovah; for he was \"holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from\nsinners\" (Hebrews 7:26); \"and he was manifested to take away our sins,\nand in him is no sin\", (1 John 3:5) He was without spot or blemish;\ntherefore perfect and holy.--1 Peter 1:19; Hebrews 9:14.\n\n[176]God says to us: \"Come now, and let us reason together, ... though\nyour sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be\nred like crimson, they shall be as wool\". (Isaiah 1:18) We should reason\nupon God's plan as revealed in the Bible, because he thus invites us to\ndo. When we see the reason why Jesus was made a man, why it was necessary\nfor him to be a perfect man while on earth, then we are glad and give\npraise to God. Had he not become a man, there would have been no hope for\nany of the human race to get life through Christ Jesus; and the Apostle\ndeclares that there is no other name given under heaven whereby mankind\ncan live.--Acts 4:12.\n\n\n\n\nIn what peculiar manner has Jehovah used men and women in the Bible?\nGive some examples. \u00b6 102.\n\nWhat was typified by Hagar? \u00b6 102.\n\nWhat was the purpose of the law covenant God made with Israel? \u00b6 102.\n\nGive the name of Abraham's third wife; and what did she typify? \u00b6 102.\n\nGive the apostle Paul's statement as to what the wives of Abraham\ntypified. \u00b6 103.\n\nWhat did Isaac typify or picture? \u00b6 103.\n\nWhat constitutes the seed of Abraham, according to the promise? \u00b6 103.\n\nQuote the words of St. Paul concerning the seed of Abraham. \u00b6 103.\n\nWhat is first necessary relative to the seed before the people can be\nblessed? \u00b6 104.\n\nWhat was the expectation of the Jews concerning this seed? \u00b6 105.\n\nGive the names of Isaac's two sons; and what was Isaac's age when they\nwere born? \u00b6 105.\n\nAfter the birth of his sons, where did Isaac go to reside? and while\nthere, what did God say to him? \u00b6 106.\n\nWhich of Isaac's sons became successor to the promise? and why? \u00b6 106.\n\nWhat really determined who would be the successor to the father's\nestate? \u00b6 107.\n\nDid the Lord indicate that there should be any exception to this rule\nrelative to Jacob and Esau? \u00b6 107.\n\nHow did the Lord indicate this to Rebekah the mother? \u00b6 107.\n\nHow did Esau occupy his time generally? \u00b6 108.\n\nWhat different disposition did Jacob possess? \u00b6 108.\n\nDid Esau show an appreciation of the birthright, particularly the\nAbrahamic promise? \u00b6 108.\n\nRelate the circumstances of Esau's selling of his birthright. \u00b6 108.\n\nWhy did the birthright properly belong to Jacob? \u00b6 109.\n\nAbout what was the age of Jacob and Esau at the time of this\ntransaction? \u00b6 109.\n\nWas their contract binding on both? \u00b6 109.\n\nWhat privileges did the birthright carry with it? \u00b6 110.\n\nState the circumstances under which Esau attempted to deprive Jacob of\nthe birthright after he had sold it to him. \u00b6 111.\n\nWas the mother of these men justified in her action in this matter? and\nif so, why? \u00b6 111.\n\nRelate the conditions under which Jacob obtained the blessing from his\nfather. \u00b6 112.\n\nWhat blessing, as shown by the Scriptures, did Isaac bestow upon Jacob?\n\u00b6 112.\n\nAfter Esau failed in his attempt to defeat his own contract with Jacob,\nwhat did he do toward obtaining the blessing from his father? \u00b6 113.\n\nWhy have Christian people severely criticized Jacob and Rebekah because\nof this transaction? \u00b6 114.\n\nWho was the more reprehensible, Jacob or Esau? and why? \u00b6 114.\n\nWhom did Esau picture or typify? \u00b6 114.\n\nWhom did Jacob picture or foreshadow? \u00b6 114.\n\nDid God approve or disapprove Rebekah's action? \u00b6 114.\n\nWhy did Jacob flee the country? and upon whose advice? \u00b6 114.\n\nAt what important Biblical place did Jacob spend the night? and what\noccurred there? Give the Scriptural account. \u00b6\u00b6 114, 115.\n\nWhy should we disapprove any one whom God approves? \u00b6 116.\n\nHow did God later show his favor to Jacob? \u00b6 117.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the name Israel? \u00b6 117.\n\nWhat promise did God make to Jacob after his name was changed to Israel?\n\u00b6 117.\n\nHow many sons did Jacob have? \u00b6 118.\n\nGive the names of his wives, and the sons by these wives, respectively,\n\u00b6 118.\n\nWhich one of his wives did he love most? \u00b6 118.\n\nWhich was Jacob's beloved son? \u00b6 118.\n\nUnder what circumstances was Joseph taken away? and upon whom did Jacob\nbestow his affection thereafter? \u00b6 118.\n\nWhom did Joseph typify? and of whom was Benjamin a type? \u00b6 118.\n\nWhere did Jacob spend his last days? \u00b6 119.\n\nWhat marks the beginning of the nation of Israel? \u00b6 119.\n\nIn pronouncing the blessings upon his sons, what special prophecy was\nmade by Jacob concerning Judah? \u00b6 119.\n\nWho is foreshadowed by this prophecy? \u00b6 119.\n\nAfter Jacob's death, by what name were his offspring known? \u00b6 120.\n\nWhat position did Joseph now hold in Egypt? \u00b6 120.\n\nHow were the Israelites treated during Joseph's lifetime? \u00b6 120.\n\nHow were they after Joseph's death? \u00b6 120.\n\nWhom did God raise up as a deliverer of the Israelites from Egypt? \u00b6 120.\n\nWhat did Egypt typify or picture? and what was typified or pictured by\nEgypt's ruler Pharaoh? \u00b6 121.\n\nWhom did the Israelites in Egypt picture? and of whom was Moses a type?\n\u00b6 121. Who was Moses? \u00b6 122.\n\nWhat prophecy did Moses speak relative to a mighty one to follow him?\n\u00b6 122.\n\nAfter hearing this prophecy, for whom were the Israelites looking? \u00b6 122.\n\nFrom what tribe did David descend? \u00b6 122.\n\nThrough whom did God repeat the promises to Israel? \u00b6 123.\n\nTo what particular house or line was the promise finally limited? \u00b6 123.\n\nWhat promise did the Lord make to David relative to the throne of\nIsrael? Quote the prophecy. \u00b6 123.\n\nWhen David was king, what prophetic utterance did he make concerning the\nbuilding of a house unto Jehovah? \u00b6 124.\n\nWhy did God not permit David to build the temple? \u00b6 124.\n\nWhich one of David's sons was permitted to build the temple? \u00b6 124.\n\nUpon what condition was Solomon's to be the line from which the great\nDeliverer would descend? Give the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 125.\n\nDid Solomon receive Jehovah's approval? \u00b6 126.\n\nWhy was the kingdom taken away from Solomon? \u00b6 126.\n\nAfter Solomon's death, what happened to the nation of Israel? \u00b6 127.\n\nName the last three kings of Solomon's line to rule over Israel. \u00b6 127.\n\nWhat did Jehovah pronounce through the Prophet concerning Zedekiah? Give\nthe Scriptural statement. \u00b6 127.\n\nIn view of this, was it possible for the Messiah to be counted through\nthe line of Solomon? \u00b6 127.\n\nWhat other son did David have who was subsequently exalted? \u00b6 128.\n\nFrom whom did Mary the mother of Jesus descend? \u00b6 128.\n\nWhat did the prophet Jeremiah prophesy concerning the coming of Messiah\nthrough David's lineage? \u00b6 129.\n\nWhat message did the angel of the Lord bring to Mary relative to the\nMessiah? \u00b6 130.\n\nWhat did Mary say in response to the messenger? \u00b6 130.\n\nWhy did Mary say: \"From henceforth all generations shall call me\nblessed\"? \u00b6 131.\n\nWhat was meant by her prophetic statement: \"He hath put down the mighty\nfrom their seats and exalted them of low degree\"? \u00b6 131.\n\nWhy were the Jews looking for some child to be born who would be a great\nruler? \u00b6 132.\n\nWhy did they expect their nation to become great? \u00b6 132.\n\nWhat prophetic utterances led the Jews to believe that there should be\nraised up amongst them a great king? Quote the prophecies. \u00b6\u00b6 132, 133.\n\nDid the prophecies of Isaiah and Zechariah relating to the coming king\nhave a complete fulfillment at the birth of Jesus? \u00b6 134.\n\nOf what relative importance was the birth of Jesus? \u00b6 135.\n\nHow much time elapsed from the original promise made to Abraham until\nthe birth of Jesus? \u00b6 135.\n\nDuring that time, what was Jehovah doing relative to the promise? \u00b6 135.\n\nWhere was Jesus born? \u00b6 136.\n\nHow was Bethlehem foreshadowed by the Prophet? \u00b6 136.\n\nGive a brief statement of the important things which occurred in and\nabout Bethlehem. \u00b6 137.\n\nWhere was Nazareth situated? \u00b6 138.\n\nState the relative importance of the city of Nazareth. \u00b6 138.\n\nWho were in control of Palestine at the time of the birth of Jesus? \u00b6 138.\n\nWhat important decree was issued by the ruler of Palestine that led\nJoseph and Mary to Bethlehem? \u00b6 138.\n\nWhy must they go to Bethlehem and not to some other city? \u00b6 138.\n\nHow did Joseph and Mary journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem? and at what\ntime did they reach the latter city? \u00b6 139.\n\nWhere did they find lodging? \u00b6 139.\n\nWhat important field lies near Bethlehem? and who were watching their\nflocks there? \u00b6 140.\n\nHow many watches were kept in a night? \u00b6 140.\n\nWas there great earthly splendor and show at the birth of Jesus? and if\nnot, why not? \u00b6 141.\n\nWhat kind of people had God chosen to participate in the events of that\nnight? \u00b6 141.\n\nWho in heaven were participating in this great event? \u00b6 141.\n\nWhat did the night on the earth picture? \u00b6 142.\n\nAt what particular place was Jesus born? \u00b6 142.\n\nWhat attracted the attention of the shepherds? and what message was\ndelivered to them? Repeat the message. \u00b6 142.\n\nRepeat all the text of Luke 2:8-11. \u00b6 142.\n\nWhat song did the shepherds hear from the heavenly hosts on this\noccasion? \u00b6 143.\n\nWhat effect has this heavenly message had upon the hearts of men for\ncenturies past? \u00b6 143.\n\nUnder what conditions will the peoples of earth learn of the importance\nof the birth of Jesus? \u00b6 144.\n\nWhat was the date of Jesus' birth? \u00b6 145.\n\nTell what you can concerning the three \"wise men\" that journeyed from\nthe East to Bethlehem at the birth of Jesus. \u00b6 146.\n\nWho sent the \"wise men\" to Herod? \u00b6 146.\n\nWhy should we expect Satan to try to form a conspiracy to destroy the\nbabe Jesus? \u00b6 147.\n\nExplain the significance of the names given Satan; and how do these\napply to his operations against Jesus and his followers? \u00b6 148.\n\nWhen the promise was made to Mary that she should be the mother of\nJesus, how did Satan regard this promise? \u00b6 149.\n\nWhat was one of the purposes of Jesus' coming to earth relative to\nSatan? \u00b6 149.\n\nWhat attempt did Satan make to destroy Mary and her babe before the\nbirth of Jesus? \u00b6 149.\n\nWhat was the \"star\" or light that guided the \"wise men\" to Bethlehem?\n\u00b6 150.\n\nWho were these \"wise men\" and whom did they worship? \u00b6 151.\n\nHad Pharaoh the king of Egypt employed similar men? and for what\npurpose? \u00b6 151.\n\nWhat kind of man was Herod? and under whose influence was he? \u00b6 151.\n\nGive the Scriptural account of the \"wise men\" going to Herod. \u00b6 152.\n\nWhy would they go to Herod, the enemy of Jesus? \u00b6 152.\n\nDefine a conspiracy. \u00b6 152.\n\nIs it possible for one to be involved in a conspiracy without knowing\nthe real purpose? \u00b6 152.\n\nWhat did Herod do when the \"wise men\" approached him? \u00b6 153.\n\nWhat characteristics did Herod manifest in his consultation with the\n\"wise men\"? \u00b6 153.\n\nWould we expect God to help a wicked man like Herod carry out his\npurpose to destroy God's beloved Son? \u00b6 154.\n\nWhere did the \"wise men\" find the babe? \u00b6 155.\n\nWhy did they not return to Herod? \u00b6 155.\n\nHow did God thwart Satan's purpose here to destroy the babe? \u00b6 155.\n\nWhat wicked thing did Herod do when he found that the \"wise men\" had not\nreturned to him? \u00b6 156.\n\nWho prompted Herod to do this wicked act of slaying children? \u00b6 156.\n\nHow was Jesus saved from this slaughter? and where did his parents take\nhim? \u00b6 156.\n\nCould we presume under these circumstances that God would use the \"wise\nmen\" for his witnesses to the birth of Jesus? \u00b6 157.\n\nWhat humble, honest creatures did he use as such witnesses? \u00b6 157.\n\nWas there anything in the mission of the \"wise men\" that is beneficial\nto mankind? \u00b6 158.\n\nWhy would God permit this conspiracy? \u00b6 158.\n\nDoes Satan deceive honest people? \u00b6 158.\n\nWho has been responsible for all the persecution of Jesus and his\nfollowers? \u00b6 159.\n\nWho has protected them, and how? \u00b6 159.\n\nWhy are all the descendants of Adam sinners? Quote the Scripture. \u00b6 160.\n\nJesus being born of a woman, was he a sinner? and if not, why not? \u00b6 161.\n\nWhat is meant by the words \"holy ghost\"? \u00b6 162.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the word father? \u00b6 162.\n\nWhy is Jesus called the Son of God? \u00b6 162.\n\nWhy was our Lord named Jesus? and what does the name imply? \u00b6 163.\n\nDid he exist before he became Jesus? and what was his prehuman name?\n\u00b6 163.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the word Logos? and what relation has the Logos\nto all of Jehovah's creation? \u00b6 163.\n\nDid Jehovah have a beginning? \u00b6 164.\n\nWhat is meant by the term \"in the beginning\" as used in John 1:1,2? \u00b6 164.\n\nGive further Scriptural evidence of the prehuman existence of Jesus.\n\u00b6\u00b6 164, 165.\n\nAre Jesus and Jehovah one and the same being? Give the Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6 166.\n\nIn what sense are the Father and the Son one? Give Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6 167.\n\nWhen Jesus prayed to the Father, did he pray to himself or to another?\n\u00b6 168.\n\nWho is the greater, Jehovah or Jesus? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 169.\n\nWhen Jesus was on earth, was he a spirit or a human being? \u00b6 170.\n\nWhat is meant by the incarnation theory? \u00b6 170.\n\nDo the Scriptures warrant the conclusion that Jesus was an incarnated\nbeing? If not, why not? \u00b6 170.\n\nWhen Jesus was on earth, was he both God and man? If not, why not? \u00b6 171.\n\nBy what must we determine these questions? \u00b6 171.\n\nWhat is the meaning of faith? \u00b6 171.\n\nHow does Satan sometimes lead persons of honest heart into error? \u00b6 172.\n\nShould we follow sophistry or the Bible in reaching a conclusion on\nthese questions? \u00b6 172.\n\nBriefly review the argument of the begetting and birth of Jesus which\ndisproves that he was an incarnated being. \u00b6 173.\n\nIf Jesus was God incarnate, why should he have had the experience in the\nwilderness? \u00b6 173.\n\nAngels are spirit beings. What Scriptural proof have we that Jesus was\nnot an angel? Cite the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 174.\n\nGive further Scriptures to show that he _was_ a man, made in the\nlikeness of men, and that he _is_ the Lord from heaven. \u00b6 174.\n\nHad Jesus been an incarnate being, would it have been necessary for him\nto be born as a child? \u00b6 175.\n\nWhy should we reason upon God's plan? \u00b6 176.\n\nCould there have been any hope for the redemption of the human race except\nby Jesus becoming a man and by his death providing the ransom-price? \u00b6 176.\n\n\n\n\nTHE ANGELS' SONG\n\n  It came upon the midnight clear,\n     That glorious song of old,\n  From angels bending near the earth\n     To touch their harps of gold:\n  \"Peace to the earth, good-will to men\n     From heaven's all-gracious King!\"\n  The world in solemn stillness lay\n     To hear the angels sing.\n\n         *       *       *       *       *\n\n  Yet with the woes of sin and strife\n     The world has suffered long;\n  Beneath the angel-strain have rolled\n    Two thousand years of wrong;\n  And men, at war with men, hear not\n     The love-song which they bring:\n  Oh! hush the noise, ye men of strife,\n     And hear the angels sing!\n\n  And ye, beneath life's crushing load\n     Whose forms are bending low;\n  Who toil along the climbing way\n     With painful steps and slow,--\n  Look now! for glad and golden hours\n     Come swiftly on the wing;\n  Oh! rest beside the weary road,\n     And hear the angels sing.\n\n  For lo! the days are hastening on,\n     By prophet-bards foretold,\n  When with the ever-circling years\n     Comes round the age of gold;\n  When Peace shall over all the earth\n     Its ancient splendors fling,\n  And the whole world send back the song\n     Which now the angels sing.\n\n  --_Sears_\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI\n\nString 5: _The Ransom_\n\n\nThe great ransom sacrifice is the most vital to man of the strings upon\nthe harp of God, because without it no real lasting joy could be had by\nmankind. In due time its benefits shall result to the entire human race;\nand all who appreciate it will sing aloud and rejoice with exceeding\njoy. They will have melody in their hearts and upon their lips because\nof this wonderful provision made by Jehovah for man's benefit. For\nthousands of years divine wisdom has been working out his plan concerning\nman; and the ransom sacrifice is the very pivotal part of that plan. Its\nimportance cannot be overstated. It is the gateway that leads to life\nand happiness. It is the means of bringing back man into harmony with\nGod. To appreciate this great doctrine we must understand it. Therefore\nlet us reason together in the light of the divine Word, that we may\nunderstand.\n\n[178]The most precious thing possessed by any creature is life, because\nwithout life everything else would be useless and could not be enjoyed.\nEven now we observe that a man with but a small spark of life clings to\nthat with desperation. It is only when a creature is perfect and\nenjoying complete life and the right to it that he can properly glorify\nJehovah, his great Creator. God's great arrangement must ultimately\nbring glory to his name.\n\n[179]Jehovah created Adam the first man in his own image and likeness.\nHe created him perfect; for all the works of Jehovah are perfect.\n(Deuteronomy 32:4) He gave to man life and the right to life. Life means\nany conscious existence. Right to life means the full authority to\nmaintain existence. Adam and Eve in Eden were perfect in their bodies,\nwithout pain, without sorrow; and were beautiful creatures. They had not\na scar nor a mark upon them anywhere. They enjoyed life and all the\nblessings incident to that life. Their home was perfect; and even all\nthe animals and birds of Eden were subject to them, and they had\nabsolute dominion and control. God gave them all these privileges to\nenjoy eternally, upon one expressed condition, namely, that they be\nobedient to his law and thereby honor him. He informed man that a\nviolation of this law would bring upon him loss of life, loss of the\nright to life, loss of all the blessings incident to it.\n\n[180]Satan induced mother Eve to believe that God was keeping back\nsomething from them and, therefore deceiving Eve, induced her to violate\nthe law. There was no real wrong in the fruit which Eve ate. The wrong\nwas in disobeying the Lord. When Adam found that she had violated God's\nlaw, knowing that she must die he preferred to be with her in death\nrather than to be separated from her; so he became a party to the\ntransgression also by voluntarily and willingly violating the law of\nGod. Jehovah in the exercise of his perfect justice, sentenced man to\ndeath. This sentence deprived Adam and Eve of the right to life. They\nwere driven out of Eden and in due time they lost life itself. For 930\nyears they were compelled to go about in the earth and earn their bread\nby digging in the soil and partaking of such food as they produced,\nwhich was imperfect and poisonous. In this manner they were put to\ndeath.\n\n[181]This sentence of death passed upon Adam had an indirect effect\nupon his offspring. Before he was driven from Eden he and Eve had not\nexercised the authority given to them by Jehovah to beget and bring\nforth children on the earth. This they did exercise after being driven\nfrom Eden. Being now under the sentence of death and undergoing that\ndeath penalty, it was impossible for their children, born under such\nconditions, to come into existence perfect. It would follow, then, that\nwhen the children were born, while they would have a measure of life and\nthe rights incident to that measure of life (and these we call \"life\nrights\" as distinguished from right to live), they would have no right\nto life, because Adam having no right to life could not bring children\ninto the world who would have greater right than he had.\n\n[182]Any human being that is living possesses the right to food, air,\nlight and certain privileges in society; and these are called life\nrights; that is to say, they are incident to animation, privileges\nbelonging to creatures that live in any measure. The right to live,\nthen, means a just right of existence which cannot be properly taken\naway.\n\n[183]Because the parents possessed no right to life, every child born\ninto the world from then until now has been born imperfect, unrighteous,\na sinner, disapproved in God's sight, under condemnation, and therefore\nwith no right to life. The life that any of us has lived has been merely\nby permission; and all who have died have died justly; for nothing but a\nperfect creature is entitled to life. For this reason the Prophet wrote:\n\"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me\".\n(Psalm 51:5) St. Paul writing under inspiration, expressed the same thing,\nsaying: \"Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by\nsin; and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned\".--Romans 5:12.\n\n[184]All the human race, then, from Adam until now having been born\nimperfect, it follows that if any ever get full life and the right to\nlife he must get it through the loving Jehovah God. Unless God had made\nsome provision for the redemption of man from death and the lifting up\nof him again to the condition of life, the time would come when there\nwould be no people on the earth. We remember that Adam lived 930 years;\nand now a man scarcely lives to be half a century old. The race has been\ndegenerating for centuries, growing weaker and weaker, and ultimately\nall would come to that condition in which they would be unable to\ntransmit even the spark of life, and the earth would be depopulated.\nHence we see our utter dependence upon God; and if we find the great\nJehovah has made a provision for us to live, that ought to fill our\nhearts with gratitude; and as we further examine his great plan it\nshould fill our hearts with boundless love for him. And surely that\nprovision would bring joy to the heart and enable one to see that such\nprovision constitutes one of the strings upon the great harp of God.\n\n\nREDEMPTION FORESHADOWED\n\n[185]At the time that Jehovah entered the judgment or sentence against\nman he vaguely hinted at a time coming when man should be released from\nthat judgment. Satan, one of whose names is the old serpent, was the\nfirst inducing cause of sin. And God at that time said to him: \"I will\nput enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her\nseed; it shall bruise thy head\". (Genesis 3:15) This foreshadowed the\nfact that ultimately Satan should be destroyed and that the same would\nresult as a blessing to man.\n\n[186]But we must remember that the judgment of God entered against man\nmust stand forever. It could not be reversed or set aside or annulled,\nfor the reason that Jehovah cannot deny himself. Nor could any of his\ncreatures have faith in him if he changed his mind. While it is true\nthat this judgment must stand forever, it is equally true that God could\nmake a consistent provision for having the terms of the judgment met by\nanother, equal to Adam; and this is exactly what we find the Scriptures\nto disclose that he did.\n\n[187]Jehovah desired that man should understand the necessity and\nreason for providing redemption, that when man does understand it he\nwill rejoice in the loving-kindness manifested by God toward him. For\nthis reason God caused certain pictures or types to be made by his\npeople.\n\n[188]On the night that Jehovah led the children of Israel out of the\nland of Egypt he caused a lamb to be slain and its blood sprinkled upon\nthe doorposts of the house and the people to eat that lamb, and arranged\nthat at midnight the death angel would pass through and smite the\nfirstborn of every house where the blood did not appear upon the\ndoorposts. The firstborn here pictured the church, about which we shall\nsee later, and which first must be saved before the blessing can come to\nthe world in general. The lamb pictured the one who should be the\nransomer or redeemer of mankind. The blood pictured the life poured out\nto provide a redemptive price.--Exodus 12:3-17.\n\n[189]When Jesus appeared at the age of thirty years, John the Baptist\npointing to him said: \"Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin\nof the world\". (John 1:29) And we read in the Bible concerning Jesus,\nthat he is \"the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world\".\n(Revelation 13:8) These Scriptures and others show that the sacrifice of\nthe lamb foreshadowed the sacrifice of the great One who should become\nthe redeemer of mankind and take away the sin of the world.\n\n[190]A few days after this passover in Egypt, the Israelites were all\ndelivered when God commanded Moses to smite the waters of the Red Sea\nand they passed over on dry land; and when the Egyptians attempted to\nfollow they were swallowed up in the sea and drowned. The deliverance of\nIsrael here pictured the deliverance from the great enemy, Satan and\ndeath, of all the human race that will ultimately be obedient to God's\nholy will.\n\n[191]After the children of Israel were on the other side of the Red\nSea, they marched on in the desert; and when they came to Mount Sinai\nGod made with them a covenant, which is known in the Bible as the law\ncovenant. In connection with this covenant animals were sacrificed. This\ncovenant was instituted at the hands of Moses as a mediator. Moses here\nwas a type of Christ Jesus, who in due time will make a covenant on\nbehalf of all mankind for their deliverance.\n\n[192]In connection with the law given to the Israelites at this time,\nGod instructed Moses to erect in the wilderness a tabernacle, which was\nto be used by the Israelites in connection with their ceremonies of\nsacrifice. One day of each year was known as the atonement day, and what\nwas done on that day particularly foreshadowed the great sin-offering to\nbe made on behalf of mankind.\n\n[193]The tabernacle was constructed of two parts. It was 45 feet long,\n15 feet wide, and 15 feet high, built of boards and then covered over\nwith a tent of three thicknesses of material. The first division of the\ntabernacle was called the Holy. It was 15 feet wide and 30 feet long.\nThe second or rear apartment was known as the Most Holy, it being 15\nfeet long, 15 feet wide, and 15 feet high--an exact cube. The tabernacle\nwas situated inside of a court or yard, which court was 75 feet wide\nand 150 feet in length. The fence enclosing this court was made of linen\ncurtains, suspended from hooks which were fastened on wooden posts, the\nposts being set in copper sockets at the base.\n\n[194]On the atonement day the high priest took a bullock, which must be\nwithout spot or blemish. Inside of the court he killed the bullock, took\nits blood in a vessel went from the court into the Holy and from there\ninto the Most Holy, and sprinkled the blood upon the mercy seat which\nwas in the Most Holy. Then he went back and slew a male goat, which\nlikewise must be without defect, and did the same thing with its blood.\nThis was known as the atonement sacrifice. (See Leviticus 16:1-34) It\nwas an offering for sin, made for the people of Israel, but in fact\nforeshadowing the great sin-offering that is to take away the sin of the\nworld.\n\n[195]St. Paul plainly tells us that the things here done foreshadowed\nbetter things to come. (Hebrews 10:1) God required in the law that the\nJews should keep this day of atonement and offer these sacrifices\nthrough the high priest once each year. We remember that God had\npromised to Abraham: \"In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be\nblessed\". So St. Paul says that the law \"was added because of\ntransgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made;\nand it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator\"; and that the\nlaw was a schoolmaster to bring the people unto Christ. (Galatians\n3:19,24) In other words, Jehovah was teaching the children of Israel\nconcerning the great sin-offering that must be made on behalf of mankind\nand he was using them to make living pictures; and the record of the\nevents concerning them has enabled all students of the Bible since to\nsee how Jehovah foreshadowed the redemption and deliverance of mankind\nfrom the bondage of sin and death. To foreshadow means to foretell\nsomething coming; and this shows how important the great ransom is to\nmankind, that God would take so much time and go into so much detail to\nteach the people by these pictures. Hence this should encourage us to\nstudy the subject earnestly that we might see, understand, and\nappreciate it.\n\n\nRANSOM PROMISED\n\n[196]Adam was sentenced to death, and when he actually went into death\nafter 930 years, justice was satisfied. The law demanded the life of a\nperfect human being. It had received it when Adam died. Between the time\nof Adam's sentence and the time of his death he begat many children that\nwere born into the earth. These being born imperfect had no right to\nlife; hence the living of the children was only by permission of\nJehovah, and every one who died, died because of imperfection resulting\nfrom the sin of father Adam.\n\n[197]The Scriptures clearly show that God planned long in advance for\nthe redemption and deliverance of the human race. Hence his wisdom led\nhim to embrace in the effects of this death sentence all of the human\nfamily, all of the offspring of Adam, so that in due time he might\nredeem them all through the sacrifice of one. (Galatians 3:22) The\nsentence against Adam and the resulting effects upon all of his\noffspring must stand. An earthly court may reverse its judgment because\nimperfect, but God cannot reverse his, because it is perfect; and he\ncannot deny himself. He could make provision, however, for another man\nexactly equivalent to Adam to go into death voluntarily; and by thus\ndying his life could be given as a corresponding price for Adam and his\noffspring, that Adam and his offspring might be released from death and\ngiven a trial for life. The Scriptures definitely show that it was\nGod's purpose and intention from the beginning to make just such a\nprovision. He made a specific promise to this effect when he said: \"I\nwill ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from\ndeath: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy\ndestruction\". (Hosea 13:14) This promise of Jehovah to ransom the human\nrace must be carried out, because God is unchangeable. Having made the\npromise, he will perform it.--Malachi 3:6; James 1:17.\n\n[198]It is very important, then, that we understand the meaning of\nransom; hence we here define it. _Ransom_ means something to loosen\nwith; that is, a redemptive price. It is the means or price or value\nwhich can be used in loosening or releasing something that is in bondage\nor in restraint or imprisoned. Necessarily the ransom price must be\nexactly equivalent to, or corresponding with, that which justice\nrequires of the thing or being that is in bondage or imprisonment. Hence\nwe say that ransom means an exact corresponding price. A perfect man\nsinned and was sentenced to death; hence an exact corresponding price\nwould be the death of another perfect man and the value of that life\npresented in place of the one who first sinned and was held in bondage.\n\n[199]_Sin-offering_ means the presentation and use of the ransom-price.\nOn the atonement day performed by the Jews in type, the blood of the\nbullock represented the poured-out life; and therefore it stood for the\nransom-price or value of the life. The carrying of the blood into the\nMost Holy and sprinkling it there pictured the sin-offering, that is, a\npresentation in the Most Holy (which represented heaven itself) of the\nvalue or merit of the perfect life. We will see, therefore, as we\nexamine this question that the ransom-price was provided on earth by the\ndeath of Jesus; that preparation for the sin-offering was begun on earth,\nbut must be finished in heaven, where the value of the ransom-price is\npresented.\n\n[200]Other Scriptures show that it was intended by Jehovah that the\ngreat Redeemer should pour out his life in death and that this should\nconstitute the ransom-price, which should be made an offering for sin.\nGod foretold this--which is equivalent to a promise--through his prophet\nwhen he wrote concerning the great coming Redeemer the following:\n\n[201]\"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord\nrevealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a\nroot out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we\nshall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is\ndespised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with\ngrief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we\nesteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our\nsorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.\nBut he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our\niniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his\nstripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have\nturned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the\niniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he\nopened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a\nsheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was\ntaken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his\ngeneration? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the\ntransgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with\nthe wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no\nviolence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord\nto bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul\nan offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days,\nand the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of\nthe travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall\nmy righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.\nTherefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall\ndivide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul\nunto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the\nsin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.\"--Isaiah 53.\n\n[202]Because of this death sentence standing against Adam, he was and\nis held in restraint or imprisonment of death. He and his offspring who\nhave died are in the great prison-house of death, and the grave is thus\nspoken of by the Prophet--Isaiah 42:6,7; 49:9\n\n\nQUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED\n\n[203]The dead could never again live, nor could those who are living\never hope to have eternal happiness unless the disability resting upon\nmankind because of sin be first removed; and the Scripture is quite\nclear, as above noticed, that this can be removed only by means of the\ngreat ransom sacrifice. Since ransom means an exact corresponding price,\nthe ransomer must be exactly like the perfect Adam in Eden.\n\n[204]A perfect man had sinned and lost everything; therefore none but a\nperfect man could provide a price sufficient to buy and release Adam and\nhis race from this sentence of death and its effects. Divine justice\ndemanded the life of a perfect human being and this was received when\nAdam went into death. It followed that divine justice would accept\nnothing more or less, as a price for releasing Adam and his offspring,\nthan a perfect human life. In order to meet these divine requirements,\nthe ransomer must be a perfect human being.\n\n[205]When God gave the law to Israel at Mount Sinai he indicated by the\npromise of that law that the only means by which the human race could be\nredeemed or ransomed would be by the giving of a perfect human life in\nthe place of Adam's perfect human life, which he had forfeited by his\ndisobedience. We remember that St. Paul said that this law was a shadow\nof better things to come. That law required an eye for an eye, a tooth\nfor a tooth, a foot for a foot, a life for a life; that is to say, a\nprice exactly corresponding to that which had been lost. As an\nillustration: Under the law if one man knocked out another's tooth, he\nmust lose one of his own teeth. If he struck out a man's eye, he must\ngive up his own eye. If he took the life of his fellow creature, he must\ngive up his own life. Thus the law pictured that the great ransomer\nwould correspond exactly with the perfect man Adam when Adam was in\nEden.--Exodus 21:23-25; Leviticus 24:17-21; Deuteronomy 19:21.\n\n\nMAN'S EXTREMITY\n\n[206]But who in all the world was able to bear this burden or meet the\nrequirements of the divine law? Adam could not redeem himself. All of\nhis offspring were imperfect and God could not accept an imperfect human\nbeing as a ransom. Was there nobody, then, on earth who could redeem the\nhuman race from death according to God's promise? The Prophet of the\nLord answers: \"None of them [no creature on earth] can by any means\nredeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him\". (Psalm 49:7) For\nthis reason, then, it seemed hopeless for man ever to expect to be\nreleased from the condition of death.\n\n[207]Furthermore, this judgment and sentence against Adam was entered\nin the divine court of heaven and it follows that the ransom-price,\nnamely, the value of a perfect human life, must not only be provided by\nthe death of a perfect human being, but the value of that life must be\npresented to divine justice in heaven itself; and no human being has\naccess to heaven.\n\n[208]Hence there were two reasons why it was utterly impossible for any\nof Adam's stock or offspring to redeem mankind: (1) Because all were\nimperfect and could not provide the price; and (2) if the price were\nprovided, it could not be presented in heaven by any such.\n\n[209]Thus is presented to the human race a condition of absolute\nhelplessness. Thus we see that mankind was wholly without power to\nrelease itself from the condition of death, and that there never could\nbe any hope of any one of the human family enjoying life everlasting in\na state of happiness unless God, in the exercise of his loving-kindness,\nshould make some provision. He had promised to make such provision. His\ngreat plan provided for such. It is first necessary, however, for us to\nsee man's absolute extremity in order that we might appreciate God's\nopportunity for blessing mankind, and the great debt which the human\nrace owes to Jehovah and his beloved Son for the provision made.\n\n[210]If a man found himself and his family in a dungeon and a million\ndollars were required to release him, and he had not one penny, but a\nfriend of his appeared and provided the money and released him and his\nfamily, that man would owe a great debt of gratitude to his deliverer.\nHe would feel much gratitude in his heart. He would surely love his\ndeliverer and would be anxious to do anything he could for him. Adam and\nall of his family are either in the prison-house of death or under the\neffects of death; and if we find that the great Jehovah God has made\nprovision for the release and deliverance of all such from the tomb,\nthe prison-house of death, with a view to granting them everlasting\nlife, liberty, and happiness, then such fact should bring joy to the\nheart of every one who learns of it.\n\n\nTHE GREAT RANSOMER\n\n[211]The apostle Paul, having in mind these things, wrote: \"We were\nchildren in bondage under the elements of the world: but when the\nfulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made\nunder the law\". (Galatians 4:3,4) How did God send his Son? Since a\nperfect man had sinned and the life of a perfect man must be given as a\nsin-offering, it is now important to see if the Son of God whom he sent\nwas qualified to meet the requirements of the law and be the ransomer or\nredeemer.\n\n[212]It is easy to be seen that Jesus when on earth could not have been\nmerely an incarnated spirit being, because that would constitute a\nfraud, and God would not sanction anything wrong. He must be a man,\nperfect in every respect, equal and corresponding to the perfect Adam\nwhile in Eden. It is also easy to be seen that Jesus could not be part\nGod and part man, because that would be more than the law required;\nhence divine justice could not accept such as a ransom. The divine law\ndefinitely shows that the ransomer must be exactly corresponding to\nAdam, a perfect human being. How, then, did God send his Son? And when\nhe sent him, was he part man and part God?\n\n[213]The Scriptures answer, as we have heretofore seen, that prior to\nhis coming to earth he was the Logos, a spirit being; that his life was\ntransferred to the human plane and he was born a human being. He was rich\nand for our sakes became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9); that is to say, he was\nrich in heavenly glory and power possessed by him as the great active\nagent of Jehovah in the creation of all things, and he became poor by\nbecoming a man. It was absolutely necessary for him to be a perfect man;\nhence he must be born holy, harmless, separate from sinners and without\nsin; and he met this requirement. (Hebrews 7:26) Furthermore, he met the\nrequirements because he was made flesh and dwelt amongst men. (John 1:14)\nHe partook of flesh and blood, became a human being for the very purpose\nof destroying him that has the power of death, that is the devil; and to\ndeliver mankind. (Hebrews 2:14,15) He took upon himself the form of a\nservant or bondsman and was made in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:7)\nHe was the only perfect man that has ever lived on earth, except Adam. He\nwas not part human and part spirit being, because \"he was made a little\nlower than the angels for the suffering of death\". Angels are spirit\nbeings, and thus creatures that are lower than angels are human beings.\nHe was human. Had he been part God and part man he would have been higher\nthan the angels instead of lower, for the reason that angels are the\nlowest order of spirit beings.\n\n[214]Being a perfect man, he had the power to produce a perfect race of\npeople and with these populate the earth; therefore in every respect\nexactly corresponding to the perfect man Adam in the condition he was in\nwhile in Eden. He was perfect in every respect, full of grace and truth.\n(John 1:14) When he stood before Pilate, silent as a sheep is dumb\nbefore its shearers, when the mob incited by the Jewish clergy of that\ntime were demanding his life blood, Pilate, in order that he might shame\nthe Jews for such action, cried out unto them: \"Behold _the_ man\". The\nemphasis here is on the word _the_. We might paraphrase Pilate's words\nthus: 'The man whom you are asking me to put to death is not only the\ngreatest man among you, but he is the man above all other men on earth'.\nThe people there had seen a perfect man. None of us have seen a perfect\nman. He was the only One who has ever lived on earth qualified to become\nthe redeemer of mankind. He was sent to earth by Jehovah for that v\nqualify as a priest.\n\n[215]We note that Jesus grew from boyhood's estate to manhood's estate\nand when he was thirty years of age he presented himself to John at\nJordan to be baptized. At the age of thirty, then, he was perfect in\nbody, perfect in mind, perfect under the law, in every respect an\nabsolutely perfect human being; hence qualified to be the ransomer or\nredeemer of Adam, the perfect man, and of all Adam's offspring.\n\n[216]Why did God send his beloved Son, this great Man, to earth? When a\ngreat man of the world comes into prominence he expects others to\nminister unto him, and they do minister unto him. But Jesus, the\ngreatest man who has ever lived on earth, and the only perfect One aside\nfrom Adam, came to earth and became the servant of others, that he might\nrender the greatest good to mankind. True greatness consists in doing\ngood unto others. True greatness is magnified in Jesus. He was the\ntruest friend of the human race. He said: \"The Son of man came not to be\nministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for\nmany\". (Matthew 20:28) And again he said: \"Whosoever will be great among\nyou shall be your minister [servant]; and whosoever will be the\nchiefest, shall be servant of all\".--Mark 10:43,44.\n\n[217]The perfect man Jesus became the servant of all. The importance of\nJesus and his work is magnified when we consider that he in heaven and\nin earth was the dearest treasure to Jehovah's heart. He was God's\ndearly beloved Son. He was the most precious thing possessed by the\ngreat Creator, Jehovah. It was the supreme sacrifice on behalf of\nJehovah to use him to redeem the human race. It was God's great love for\nfallen humanity that prompted him to do this; hence we read: \"God so\nloved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever\nbelieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God\nsent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world\nthrough him might be saved.\"--John 3:16,17.\n\n[218]It was this truly good and truly great Man who for three and a\nhalf years went about in the earth and taught and ministered unto the\npeople and did good unto every one and evil unto none. All the time he\nwas thus ministering and doing good, the scribes, Pharisees, doctors of\nthe law and other dupes engaged in misrepresenting and persecuting the\nLord, sought to kill him. Why did they do this? Because they were\ninstruments of Satan, the devil.--John 8:44.\n\n[219]Jesus, the devil knew, was and is the great Seed of promise which\nGod had promised to Abraham should be the redeemer and blesser of\nmankind. Jesus Christ is the Seed of the woman foreshadowed in God's\nstatement made to mother Eve and Satan. (Genesis 3:15) Satan sought,\ntherefore, in every way to destroy him. Jesus was teaching the Jews the\nmessage of God to lead them in the right way, and to open unto them the\nway of life. These scribes and Pharisees were opposing him and therefore\nwere the enemies of the people. Jesus said of them: \"The scribes and the\nPharisees sit in Moses' seat\" (Matthew 23:2); meaning that they had\nassumed the position of leaders of the people. Because of their blinding\nthe people he said to them: 'You are hypocrites, blind guides, fools;\nyou shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; you devour widows' houses\nand for a pretence make long prayers; you compass sea and land to make\none proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child\nof _gehenna_ than yourselves. You are guilty of fraud and deceit, and\nyou are like unto whited sepulchres, which are full of dead men's bones\nand all uncleanness; you are serpents, a generation of vipers. You do\nnot understand my speech because you cannot hear and understand my word.\nYou are of your father the devil.'--Matthew 23:13-33; John 8:43,44.\n\n[220]Jesus knew that he was to be crucified and he told his disciples\nof his coming death. The last night he was on earth with them he spent\nteaching them great lessons and truths which were not only a blessing to\nthem, but have been a great blessing to every one from then until now\nwho has loved the Lord and sought to know and do his will. While he was\nthus doing, the enemy was preparing to take his life. The Sanhedrin was\na high tribunal or court composed of seventy-three men, made up of\npriests, elders, and doctors of the law, Pharisaical hypocrites, the\nseed of the serpent, blinded to God's purposes. That body was the\nhighest court of Israel and it was the duty of this court to protect the\ninnocent as well as to punish the guilty. They beheld Jesus doing good\nand the people flocking to him.\n\n[221]\"Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council [a\ncourt], and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we\nlet him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall\ncome and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named\nCaiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know\nnothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man\nshould die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And\nthis spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he\nprophesied that Jesus should die for that nation.... Then from that day\nforth they took counsel together for to put him to death.\"--John\n11:47-51,53.\n\n[222]In other words, this supreme tribunal secretly met, indicted\nJesus, prejudged his case, and agreed to put him to death, only waiting\nfor an opportunity. They acted as grand jury, prosecutor, and trial\ncourt. They entered into a wicked conspiracy, which was formulated by\nSatan, their father, for the destruction of the Son of God. They\nconspired with Judas and hired him, for the paltry sum of thirty pieces\nof silver, to betray the Lord into their hands. Satan himself entered\ninto Judas as the latter executed the betrayal. Then they organized a\nmob, sent it out after the Master, arrested him, and brought him before\nthis supreme court for trial at night, which was contrary to their own\nlaws. \"They that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the\nhigh priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled,\" in\nfurtherance of the wicked conspiracy.--Matthew 26:57.\n\n[223]The meek and defenseless Lamb of God was led into a den of\nravenous wolves, who were thirsting for his blood. They did not dignify\nhis case by even filing a formal charge against him. They sought,\ncontrary to the law, to make him testify against himself. They knew\nnothing themselves against him; and notwithstanding they sat as the high\nand dignified court of the nation of Israel, they resorted to\nsubornation of perjury. \"Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the\ncouncil [the entire court], sought false witness against Jesus, to put\nhim to death; but found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, yet\nfound they none. At the last came two false witnesses.\" (Matthew 26:59,60)\nThis exalted tribunal, in violation of every law and every precedent\nknown to Jewish jurisprudence, demanded of Jesus that he testify against\nhimself. \"The high priest arose and said unto him, ... I adjure thee by\nthe living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of\nGod.\" (Matthew 26:62,63) And when he told the truth, saying, \"Ye say\nthat I am,\" they said, \"What need we any further witness? for we\nourselves have heard of his own mouth\". (Luke 22:66-71) They immediately\nvoted that he should die--also contrary to their law, which required\nthat each member of the court should consider the case and then vote\nindividually. Holding the session of court at night to convict him, they\nknew they were proceeding contrary to law; so they convened the court\nthe following morning to ratify the sentence, which was likewise\ncontrary to law.\n\n[224]They condemned Jesus to death, but knew they had no legal power to\nput him to death. Then they led him before the Roman governor, Pilate,\nand placed against him the charge of sedition, saying, \"We found this\nfellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar,\nsaying that he himself is Christ a King\". (Luke 23:1,2) They knew the\nRoman governor had power to put Jesus to death, and for this reason they\nsought his judgment.\n\n[225]Pilate was not convinced of Jesus' guilt and was not willing that\nhe should die, but sought to release him. \"Then said Pilate to the chief\npriests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were\nthe more fierce, saying, _He stirreth up the people_.\" (Luke 23:4,5)\nWhen Pilate sought to release him, his accusers \"cried out, saying, If\nthou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh\nhimself a king speaketh against Caesar\"--against the civil power, and\nsuch is therefore guilty of sedition. (John 19:12) \"And he [Pilate] said\nunto them the _third time_, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no\ncause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.\nAnd they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be\ncrucified. _And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed_.\nAnd Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.\" (Luke\n23:22-24) Thus the civil power yielded to the importunities of\necclesiasticism, and Jesus was led away and crucified on Calvary's hill.\nAnd Pilate, more righteous than the clerics, posted over his cross the\nsign: \"Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews\".\n\n[226]Thus died the Son of God, the great antitypical \"Lamb ... which\ntaketh away the sin of the world\". (John 1:29) In the eyes of those that\nstood by he died as a sinner, crucified between two thieves, under the\ncharge of disloyalty to the constituted powers, yet wholly innocent,\nharmless, and without sin.\n\n[227]Here he fulfilled that which the Prophet of God had foretold of\nhim long in advance, in that he \"poured out his soul unto death, and he\nwas numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many\".\n--Isaiah 53:12.\n\n\nWHY MUST HE DIE?\n\n[228]But why should the great, the good, the pure, the sinless Man die\nin such an ignominious manner as this? Was there no other means whereby\nman could live? The Scriptures answer that there is no other way whereby\nman could get life. Divine justice demanded the life of the perfect man\nAdam and took that life. Divine justice could receive nothing as a\nsubstitute for Adam except the life of a perfect human being. Adam was\nput to death because he was a sinner. The one who would redeem Adam\nmust die _as_ a sinner, yet without sin. And all this Jesus did.\n\n[229]It is important here for us to see why Jesus came to earth, grew\nto manhood's estate and died. The Prophet speaking the words of Jesus\nbeforehand said: \"Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of\nme, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my\nheart\". (Psalm 40:7,8; Hebrews 10:7-10) Thus we see that he had come to\ndo God's will. The apostle Paul expressed the will of God concerning\nmankind when he said: \"God ... will have all men to be saved [from\ndeath], and brought to an accurate knowledge of the truth\". (1 Timothy\n2:3,4) This is in harmony with God's promise that he would redeem\nmankind from death (Hosea 13:14); and since Jesus came to carry out the\nFather's will to ransom the human race, he must do this. This is the\nonly means whereby man could live. Therefore Jesus said: \"I am come that\nthey might have life and that they might have it more abundantly\".--John\n10:10.\n\n[230]Jesus likened his humanity to bread. He said: \"I am the bread of\nlife.... This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may\neat thereof, and not die.... For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood\nis drink indeed.... As the living Father sent me, and I live by the\nFather: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.\" (John\n6:48,50,55,57) By this we understand that Jesus gave up his human life\nin order that the value thereof might be presented to divine justice in\nheaven as the great ransom-price. To eat means to appropriate to\noneself. Then it follows that any one who accepts or appropriates to\nhimself the value of Jesus' sacrifice by believing on the Lord Jesus\nChrist and doing the Father's will, that one will have life everlasting\nthrough Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul makes it clear that the death of\nJesus was for the benefit of the entire human race when he says:\n'Jesus, ... by the grace of God, tasted death for every man'. \"There is\none God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who\ngave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.\"--Hebrews 2;9;\n1 Timothy 2:5,6.\n\n[231]\"Sin is the transgression of the law.\" (1 John 3:4) \"The wages of\nsin is death.\" (Romans 6:23) Adam transgressed the divine law and for\nthis reason suffered the penalty of death, and this penalty came upon\nall mankind by inheritance. Jesus the perfect man permitted his life to\nbe taken that it might be used for the purpose of releasing Adam and his\noffspring from the great enemy death, and that they might have a full\nopportunity for life. Hence his life was made an offering for sin, or a\nsin-offering.\n\n[232]For many centuries Jehovah foreshadowed this great event in his\nplan, and this adds to the importance of it; in fact, without the\nsacrifice of Jesus it would have been impossible for any of the human\nrace ever to live at all.\n\n[233]Looking back, then, at the picture that Jehovah made by the use of\nthe Jewish people and their ceremonies, we see that the bullock slain on\nthe atonement day pictured Jesus the perfect man at the age of thirty\nyears. The court surrounding the tabernacle was a picture of perfect\nhumanity. Therefore the bullock slain in the court foreshadowed or\npictured the fact that the perfect man Jesus died in that condition on\nearth as a perfect man. By his death he provided the ransom-price. He\ndid this to carry out the Father's plan.\n\n[234]In the picture, the slaying of the bullock was the beginning of the\nsin-offering. After the bullock was slain its blood was put into a\nvessel and the high priest carried it in this vessel, ultimately\nreaching the Most Holy, where it was sprinkled, as above mentioned. The\nhigh priest in the Holy pictured Jesus during the three and one-half\nyears of his sacrificial ministry; and the high priest's appearance in\nthe Most Holy pictures Jesus the high priest, resurrected to the divine\nnature, appearing in heaven itself in the presence of God, there to\npresent the merit of his sacrifice as the sin-offering on behalf of\nmankind.--Hebrews 9:24.\n\n[235]The Scriptures clearly show that Jesus was the antitypical bullock\nand was made an offering for sin on behalf of mankind; first on behalf\nof the church, subsequently on behalf of the whole world. \"Christ died\nfor our sins according to the Scriptures\" (1 Corinthians 15:3); \"who\ngave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present\nevil world, according to the will of God and our Father\" (Galatians\n1:4); \"for he hath made him to be sin [an offering for sin] for us, who\n[Jesus] knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in\nhim\".--2 Corinthians 5:21.\n\n[236]The law that God gave to the Israelites merely foreshadowed what\ngreat things Jesus would do. Because of the imperfections of\nmankind--Moses and others--that law could not accomplish the deliverance\nof mankind from death. \"For what the law could not do, in that it was\nweak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of\nsinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.\"--Romans 8:3.\n\n[237]In the type, the slaying of the bullock and the carrying of its\nblood into the Holy as a typical sin-offering foreshadowed the fact that\nthe redemption of man's sins could be accomplished only through the\nblood of the perfect sacrifice. And for this reason says the apostle\nPaul: \"Without the shedding of blood is no remission. It was therefore\nnecessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified\nwith these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices\nthan these.\" (Hebrews 9:22,23) The patterns here referred to are the\nHoly and Most Holy in the tabernacle picture, which foreshadowed or\npictured the heavenly condition; and the entrance of the high priest\ninto the Most Holy of the tabernacle with the blood foreshadowed Christ\nJesus entering heaven. \"For Christ is not entered into the holy places\nmade with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven\nitself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.\"--Hebrews 9:24.\n\n[238]When Jesus died upon the cross of Calvary he provided the\nransom-price, because his was the death of a perfect human being,\nexactly corresponding with the perfect man Adam. Adam's death, however,\nwas the result of a forfeited right to live. Jesus' death was a\nsacrifice. Adam was a sinner and died a sinner. Jesus was perfect, holy,\nand without sin; and while he died in the same manner, yet by his death\nhe did not forfeit the right to live as a human being. By dying he\nreduced his perfect human life to an asset that might thereafter be used\nto release Adam and his offspring from death.\n\n[239]We here give an illustration to aid in understanding this point.\nFor convenience we will call a man John. John is languishing in prison\nbecause he cannot pay a fine of one hundred dollars. He has a brother\nnamed Charles who is willing to pay the fine for his brother John, but\nwho has no money with which to pay. Charles is strong and vigorous, has\ntime to work, is willing to work, and can earn money by working; but his\nstrength and time and willingness will not pay the debt for John. Mr.\nSmith has some work to be done and is willing to pay money to have it\ndone. Charles engages himself to work for Mr. Smith and earns one\nhundred dollars and receives that amount of money in cash. By his labor\nCharles has here reduced his time and strength and vigor to a money\nvalue and has received that money value, which money has purchasing\npower and which can be used to pay John's obligation and thus release\nhim from prison.\n\n[240]Charles then appears before the court which has entered the\njudgment against his brother John, and offers to pay the one hundred\ndollars which the law demands of John. The money is accepted from\nCharles and John is released. By this means John is judicially relieved\nfrom the effects of the judgment and is set free, and his brother\nCharles has become his ransomer or deliverer.\n\n[241]In this illustration John represents Adam. Because Adam violated\nGod's law, Jehovah judicially determined that Adam should forfeit his\nlife by dying. He enforced this judgment during a period of 930 years,\nduring which time Adam begat all of his children. The effect of\nsentencing Adam to death was to render all of his children subject to\ndeath. Adam went into death, and since then great numbers of his\nchildren have likewise died. We can say, then, that Adam and all those\nwho have died and are in their graves are in the great prison-house of\ndeath, and that is what the Prophet of the Lord calls it.--Isaiah 42:7.\n\n[242]In this picture Charles represents Jesus. It was God's will that\nthe perfect man Jesus should redeem Adam and his offspring from the\nprison-house of death. Jesus was willing to pay Adam's debt and redeem\nhim, but the perfect, righteous, human being Jesus could not accomplish\nthat purpose while living in the flesh, for the same reason that Charles\ncould not use his strength, time, and energy to pay the debt of his\nbrother John, but must first reduce those things to a purchasing value.\nJesus must reduce his perfect humanity to a purchasing value, which we\nmay call merit, and which merit or purchasing value would be sufficient\nfor the payment of Adam's debt and release Adam and his offspring from\nthat judgment. In order to provide this price it was necessary for Jesus\nto die. In his death upon Calvary, then, he produced the price. But the\nvalue of that price must be presented before Jehovah in heaven itself\nbefore Jehovah could release Adam or his descendents from the effect of\ndeath. And this, we shall see from the Scriptures, is what was done.\n\n[243]The inspired writer in the divine Word tells us that it was the\nwill of God that all men should be saved from death by the ransom-price\nand then brought to an accurate knowledge of the truth, in order that\nthey might accept the benefits of the ransom and live. In due time the\nknowledge of these great truths will be given to every one of Adam's\nrace. (1 Timothy 2:3-6) The ransom-price was provided at the cross. The\ncross of Christ is the great pivotal truth of the divine arrangement,\nfrom which radiate the hopes of men. When all men come to a knowledge of\nthis fact and all the obedient ones have profited by the value of the\nransom sacrifice, there will be great rejoicing amongst the human race.\nWhen the grand finale is sung and all the harpers of heaven and earth\nunite in beautiful harmony, blending with the voices of all creatures\nperfected and happy, the great ransom-sacrifice will be recognized by\nall as one of the strings of the harp of God that will yield sweet music\nto every ear. Then all can truly sing;\n\n  \"In the cross of Christ I glory,\n    Tow'ring o'er the wrecks of time;\n  All the light of sacred story\n    Gathers round its head sublime.\"\n\n[244]In order for the human race to receive the benefit of the\nransom-sacrifice, it was essential for Jesus to be raised from the dead.\nHis resurrection is therefore of vital importance, and this constitutes\nanother string of the harp, which we will treat separately.\n\n\n\n\nWhy is the ransom the most vital string upon the harp of God? \u00b6 177.\n\nWhat effect will its appreciation have upon the human race? \u00b6 177.\n\nWhat is the most precious thing possessed by any creature, and why? \u00b6 178.\n\nWhen can a creature properly glorify his Creator? \u00b6 178.\n\nIn whose image was man created? \u00b6 179.\n\nWhat did God give to man at the time of his creation? \u00b6 179.\n\nWhat is the difference between life and the right to life? \u00b6 179.\n\nDescribe the condition and environment of Adam and Eve in Eden. \u00b6 179.\n\nWere Adam and Eve informed as to what would be the result of the\nviolation of God's law? \u00b6 179.\n\nWas there any real wrong in eating the fruit? and if not, wherein was\nthe wrong done by man? \u00b6 180.\n\nWhat was the effect of the sentence pronounced against man? \u00b6 180.\n\nWhat was the effect of the execution of that sentence? \u00b6 180.\n\nIn what manner was the sentence executed? \u00b6 180.\n\nWhen did Adam and Eve first exercise the power of producing their\noffspring? \u00b6 181.\n\nWas it possible for them to have perfect children? and if not, why not?\n\u00b6 181.\n\nTheir children were born and lived, but did they have a right to life?\nand if not, why not? \u00b6 181.\n\nWhat is the difference between right to life and life rights? \u00b6 182.\n\nWhat Scriptural proof is there that all were born imperfect? \u00b6 183.\n\nWithout divine provision for the redemption of man, would the earth\nbecome depopulated? and if so, why? \u00b6 184.\n\nIs mankind wholly dependent upon God's provision for life? \u00b6 184.\n\nIf God has made full and complete provision that man shall live in\nhappiness, what effect should that have upon men's minds and hearts?\n\u00b6 184.\n\nAt the time God sentenced man to death did he foreshadow a provision for\nhis release? and if so, how? Give the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 185.\n\nDid he here foreshadow the ultimate fate of Satan? and if so, what is\nthat fate? \u00b6 185.\n\nCould the judgment Jehovah entered against Adam be annulled or set\naside? and if not, why not? \u00b6 186.\n\nIf it could be changed, what effect would it have upon the faith of men?\n\u00b6 186.\n\nCould God consistently provide for a substitute to meet the terms of\nthat judgment? \u00b6 186.\n\nIs it Jehovah's desire that men should understand the necessity and\nreason for redemption? \u00b6 187.\n\nWhy did God cause certain types and pictures to be made by his people?\n\u00b6 187.\n\nExplain about the passover lamb slain by the Israelites on the night of\ntheir leaving Egypt. Give the Scriptural account. \u00b6 188.\n\nWhat was pictured there by the firstborn? \u00b6 188.\n\nWhat was pictured by the lamb, and also by the blood? \u00b6 188.\n\nWho was spoken of as the \"Lamb slain from the foundation of the world\"?\n\u00b6 188.\n\nWhat was pictured by the deliverance of Israel from the Egyptians? \u00b6 190.\n\nWhat arrangement did God make with Israel at Mount Sinai? \u00b6 191.\n\nWhat was typified by the making of this law covenant at Mount Sinai?\n\u00b6 191.\n\nWho erected the tabernacle in the wilderness? \u00b6 192.\n\nThe services performed by the priest on the atonement day in connection\nwith the tabernacle foreshadowed what? \u00b6 192.\n\nGive a description of the construction of the tabernacle. \u00b6 193.\n\nDescribe what the high priest did with the bullock on the day of\natonement. \u00b6 194.\n\nWhat did he do with its blood? \u00b6 194.\n\nWhat did these ceremonies foreshadow? \u00b6 194.\n\nHow often were these services performed? \u00b6 195.\n\nWhy, then, was the law covenant made? \u00b6 195.\n\nWhat was the purpose of having the Israelites to go through these\nceremonies once each year? \u00b6 195.\n\nWhat did the law demand relative to Adam? and how was justice satisfied?\n\u00b6 196.\n\nThe fact that Adam's children were born after he was sentenced to death,\nwhat effect did that have upon the children? \u00b6 196.\n\nWhy did God permit the sentence upon Adam to have a vital effect upon\nall of Adam's children? \u00b6 197.\n\nDid Jehovah promise to ransom man? and if so, give the Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6 197.\n\nMust this promise be carried out? \u00b6 197.\n\nDefine ransom. \u00b6 198.\n\nDefine sin-offering. \u00b6 199.\n\nWhere and how was the ransom-price provided? \u00b6 199.\n\nWhere was the sin-offering begun? and where is it finished? \u00b6 199.\n\nBy what prophecy did God show that it was his purpose to redeem man by\nhis beloved Son suffering death? \u00b6 201.\n\nIn what sense are Adam and his offspring held in restraint or\nimprisonment? Give the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 202.\n\nWhat was the first qualification of the one who would provide the\nransom-price? \u00b6 203.\n\nCould divine justice accept anything more or less than the value of a\nperfect human life as a ransom for Adam and his race? \u00b6 204.\n\nWas it necessary for the redeemer to be a perfect human being? and if\nso, why? \u00b6 204.\n\nIn what way did the law given to Israel indicate that a perfect human\nlife would be required as a ransom-price? \u00b6 205.\n\nGive an illustration under the law. \u00b6 205.\n\nDid the law picture what should constitute the qualification of the\nredeemer? and if so, where, and what, is it? \u00b6 205.\n\nHow is man's extremity and dependence upon Jehovah shown in connection\nwith the ransom provision? \u00b6 206.\n\nCould Adam redeem himself? or could any of Adam's children redeem him\nor their brethren? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 206.\n\nWhy was man's condition hopeless without a redeemer? \u00b6 206.\n\nThe ransom-price when provided, where must it be presented? \u00b6 207.\n\nCould any human being present the value of that ransom-sacrifice in\nheaven? \u00b6 207.\n\nWhat two potent reasons, then, are there which make it impossible for\nAdam's children to redeem their brethren? \u00b6 208.\n\nShow how man's future happiness wholly depends upon the divine provision\nfor redemption, \u00b6 209.\n\nDoes man's complete extremity enable us to appreciate more highly the\nvalue of the ransom-sacrifice? \u00b6 209.\n\nWhat does this show with reference to the debt of gratitude man owes to\nJehovah? \u00b6 209.\n\nGive an illustration of man's extremity; and what would cause him to\nfeel grateful to his benefactor? \u00b6 210.\n\nIf we find the proof to be conclusive that Jehovah has made provision\nfor the redemption and deliverance of all mankind, how should that\naffect the mind and heart of every honest person? \u00b6 210.\n\nWhom did God send into the earth to be the redeemer or ransomer of\nmankind? \u00b6 211.\n\nWhat did St. Paul say about this to the Galatians? Quote the Scripture.\n\u00b6 211.\n\nWas it important that Jesus should be qualified to meet the requirements\nof the divine law in order to ransom the race? \u00b6 211.\n\nSince ransom means _exact corresponding price_, had Jesus been an\nincarnated spirit being would he have been qualified to ransom mankind?\n\u00b6 212.\n\nIf Jesus had been part man and part God, would he have been qualified to\nmeet the requirements of the divine law? \u00b6 212.\n\nWhat does the divine law definitely require as to the qualification of\nthe redeemer or ransomer? \u00b6 212.\n\nHow did God send his Son? and when he came, was he a man or was he God?\nGive Scriptural proof. \u00b6 213.\n\nHad any perfect man lived on the earth from Adam to Jesus? \u00b6 213.\n\nSuppose Jesus had been greater than a man when he consecrated at the\nJordan, could he have met the divine requirements and become the\nredeemer of mankind? \u00b6 213.\n\nDid Jesus have power to produce a perfect race? and if so, did he in\nthis way correspond to the perfect Adam? \u00b6 214.\n\nState what occurred before Pilate. Paraphrase the substance of Pilate's\nstatement to Jesus. \u00b6 214.\n\nUnder the Jewish law, what must be the age of a man in order to be\nqualified as priest? \u00b6 214.\n\nWhat was the age of Jesus when he presented himself to John for baptism?\n\u00b6 215.\n\nWhy was it necessary for Jesus to wait until he was thirty years of age\nto begin his ministry? \u00b6 215.\n\nWhat was the difference between Jesus and prominent men of the earth\nwith reference to receiving attention from others? \u00b6 216.\n\nOf what does true greatness consist? \u00b6 216.\n\nWhy did Jesus say he came to the earth? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 216.\n\nHow did Jesus become the servant of all? \u00b6 217.\n\nWhy was it a sacrifice on the part of Jehovah to send Jesus to earth to\nredeem man? \u00b6 217.\n\nWhat prompted God to make this sacrifice for man? \u00b6 217.\n\nWhy did the Pharisees and doctors of the law misrepresent and persecute\nJesus? \u00b6 218.\n\nWhy was Satan so anxious to destroy Jesus? \u00b6 219.\n\nWhy did the scribes and Pharisees occupy a responsible position toward\nthe Jewish people? \u00b6 219.\n\nWhat were some of the crimes Jesus properly charged against the\nPharisees? and why did he so charge them? \u00b6 219.\n\nDid Jesus know that he was to be crucified? and how did he spend his\nlast night with the disciples? \u00b6 220.\n\nWhat were his enemies doing at the same hour? \u00b6 220.\n\nWhat is meant by the Sanhedrin? and who composed it? \u00b6 220.\n\nWhat was the duty of this high court toward the people, including Jesus?\n\u00b6 220.\n\nWhen this court secretly met, state what was said by it concerning\nJesus. \u00b6 221.\n\nWho were the parties to the conspiracy to destroy Jesus? and whose was\nthe master mind directing them? \u00b6 222.\n\nHow was Judas brought into the conspiracy? and under what consideration?\n\u00b6 222.\n\nWho was sent out to arrest the Master? \u00b6 222.\n\nDid the court have any right to try him at night? \u00b6 222.\n\nDid it have a right to cause him to testify against himself? \u00b6 223.\n\nWas there any evidence against him? \u00b6 223.\n\nWhat crime did the Sanhedrin commit in getting witnesses against Jesus?\n\u00b6 223.\n\nDid that court violate the Jewish law in voting for his conviction? \u00b6 223.\n\nWhy did the court reconvene the morning following to ratify the\nsentence? and was this proper? \u00b6 223.\n\nWhy did not the Jews put Jesus to death and not take him before Pilate?\n\u00b6 224.\n\nWhy did Pilate wish to release Jesus? \u00b6 225.\n\nWhen Pilate attempted to release Jesus, what did the accusers do? \u00b6 225.\n\nWho were the responsible men that incited the mob to cry against the\nMaster? \u00b6 225.\n\nTo what did the civil power yield in sentencing Jesus to death? \u00b6 225.\n\nWhich was more reprehensible, the civil or the ecclesiastical power, in\nthis case? \u00b6 225.\n\nWho were put to death with Jesus? \u00b6 226.\n\nIn the eyes of the world, did Jesus die as a righteous man? \u00b6 226.\n\nIn the death of Jesus upon the cross, what particular prophecy was\nfulfilled? \u00b6 227.\n\nWhy must Jesus die? \u00b6 228.\n\nWhat was God's will concerning Jesus with reference to his becoming a\nman and being put to death? \u00b6 229.\n\nWhat did Jesus mean by saying that he was the bread which came down from\nheaven, and those eating that bread should live? \u00b6 230.\n\nDid Jesus die only for those who become members of some church\ndenomination? or for whom did he die? \u00b6 230.\n\nDefine sin; and what is the penalty for sin? \u00b6 231.\n\nHow was the life of Jesus made an offering for sin, or a sin-offering?\n\u00b6 231.\n\nWould it have been possible for any of the human race to get life\neverlasting, except for the ransom-sacrifice? \u00b6 232.\n\nOf what value are the pictures made in the Old Testament to us in\nstudying the New? and what did the bullock slain on the atonement day\npicture relative to Jesus? \u00b6 233.\n\nWhat did the court surrounding the tabernacle picture or typify? \u00b6 233.\n\nWhat was foreshadowed by the slaying of the bullock in the court? \u00b6 233.\n\nHow was the ransom-price provided? \u00b6 233.\n\nWhat pictured the beginning of the sin-offering? \u00b6 234.\n\nWhat was done with the blood of the bullock after it was slain? \u00b6 234.\n\nWhat was pictured by the high priest in the Holy? and what by his\nentering the Most Holy? \u00b6 234.\n\nFor whom did Jesus give himself as a sin-offering? \u00b6 235.\n\nWhat was the purpose of the giving of the law covenant? and could it\noperate to deliver man from death? \u00b6 236.\n\nWas the shedding of Jesus' blood necessary for the remission of sin?\n\u00b6 237.\n\nHow was the entrance of Jesus into heaven foreshadowed in the tabernacle\nservice? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 237.\n\nWhat is the distinction between the death of Adam and the death of\nJesus? \u00b6 238.\n\nBy dying as a man, what did Jesus provide for man's benefit? \u00b6 238.\n\nGive an illustration showing how Jesus' death provided the price for the\nrelease of the human race from bondage. \u00b6\u00b6 239-241.\n\nCould the perfect man Jesus deliver the human race from death and remain\nalive as a man? \u00b6 242.\n\nWhat must Jesus do in order to redeem mankind? \u00b6 242.\n\nWhat did he produce upon Calvary? \u00b6 242.\n\nWhere must the value of that ransom-price be presented? \u00b6 242.\n\nWhy is it necessary for man to be brought to the knowledge of the truth\nafter the paying of the ransom-price? \u00b6 243.\n\nWho shall have the knowledge of this truth? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 243.\n\nWhat is the great pivotal truth of the divine plan? \u00b6 243.\n\nWhen the human race comes to a knowledge of the value of the\nransom-sacrifice, what effect will it have upon the ones who appreciate\nit? \u00b6 243.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VII\n\nString 6: _Resurrection_\n\n\nNisan was the beginning of months in the Jewish religious year; and the\nfourteenth day of Nisan, A.D. 33, found Jesus of Nazareth dead and in\nthe tomb. The hopes of his followers were dashed to the ground. Looking\nback to the promises made by Jehovah to faithful Abraham, his disciples\nand other associates had believed Jesus to be the promised Messiah and\ntrusted that he would be the deliverer of Israel from Roman bondage and\nwould also be the instrument for the blessing, through Israel, of all the\nnations of the earth. But now he who they had hoped would redeem Israel\n(Luke 24:21) was dead. They were perplexed and overwhelmed. Seemingly\nthey did not expect him to rise again from the dead, nor did they know\nat that time that Jehovah would not suffer the flesh of his Holy One to\ncorrupt. The conduct of the disciples at this time, as well as of those\nwho were in full sympathy with them, shows that they did not expect his\nresurrection. The body was carefully wrapped and placed in the tomb with\nmyrrh, aloes, and spices, evidently to prevent decomposition. The\nsubsequent great sorrow of the women at the tomb and their belief that\nthe body of Jesus had been wrongfully removed and hid elsewhere, also\nthe perplexity of the disciples, all tends to show that they did not\nhave any hope or expectation of the resurrection of Jesus. Then we have\nthe positive statement: \"For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he\nmust rise again from the dead\".--John 20:9.\n\n[246]The disciples were Jews and it might be supposed that they were\nsomewhat acquainted with the Scriptures. We remember, however, that they\nwere not learned men; and even if they had been acquainted with the text\nof the Scriptures they could not have had a very clear understanding of\nthem at that time; just as we now see there are many wonderful truths in\nthe Bible which have been there for centuries and which Christians never\nunderstood until recently. Now as we look at the inspired Word of God we\ncan see some texts in the Old Testament which clearly refer to the\nresurrection of Jesus, and which texts must have been familiar to many\nJews at the time Jesus was crucified. For information we note some of\nthese texts here.\n\n[247]The prophet Job pointed to the time of redemption and deliverance\nwhen he said: \"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall\nstand at the latter day upon the earth\". (Job 19:25) If the Redeemer was\nto stand at the latter day upon the earth, then he must arise from the\ndead after he had provided the redemptive price by his death; hence this\nScripture must foreshadow his resurrection. The psalmist David wrote\nprophetically concerning Jesus' resurrection when he said: \"For thou\nwilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One\nto see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence\nis fullness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.\"\n(Psalm 16:10,11) We have the inspired testimony of the Apostle that the\nProphet did there refer to the resurrection of Jesus.--Acts 2:27-31;\n13:35-37.\n\n[248]Again the prophet David wrote concerning Jesus, the Savior of the\nworld: \"As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be\nsatisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness\". (Psalm 17:15) The awakening\nclearly means the awakening out of death. Jesus was awakened out of\ndeath in the express image of the Father. (Hebrews 1:2) Again the\nPsalmist wrote: \"Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity\ncaptive: thou hast received gifts for men\". (Psalm 68:18) Clearly the\napostle Paul refers to this same Scripture in Ephesians 4:8, showing\nthat the Psalmist referred to the resurrection of Jesus.\n\n[249]The prophet Isaiah wrote: \"For unto us a child is born, unto us a\nson is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his\nname shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The\neverlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his\ngovernment and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David,\nand upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and\nwith justice from henceforth for ever.\" (Isaiah 9:6,7) Here it is\nclearly stated that the One who would hold this exalted position, the\nMessiah, is to be the everlasting Father. Father means life-giver, and\nit would be impossible for Jesus to be the great Life-giver to man\nunless he was raised from the dead.\n\n[250]Again the prophet Isaiah described the sufferings of Jesus and his\ndeath and subsequent resurrection when he wrote: \"The Lord hath laid on\nhim the iniquity of us all.... He is brought as a lamb to the\nslaughter.... He was taken from prison and from judgment: ... He was cut\noff out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people\nwas he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the\nrich in his death: ... when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,\nhe shall see his seed.... He shall see of the travail of his soul and\nshall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify\nmany.\" (Isaiah 53:6-11) He could not have poured out his soul unto\ndeath and afterward see the travail of his soul and be satisfied unless\nhe should be raised from the dead.\n\n[251]These Scriptures clearly foretell the resurrection of Jesus.\nBesides this, Jesus had told his disciples while in Galilee that he\nwould be put to death and rise from the dead. (Luke 24:6,7) \"And while\nthey abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be\nbetrayed into the hands of men: and they shall kill him, and the third\nday he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.\" (Matthew\n17:22,23) But it may not be expected of them that they should understand\nthe meaning of these Old Testament Scriptures as referring to the\nresurrection of the Lord. They were not men of great learning. They were\npoor and followed humble occupations. They had doubtless not had the\nadvantage of a great amount of education; but a stronger reason is that\nthe holy spirit had not then been given and their minds had not been\nilluminated, and it is not to be expected that they would understand\nthen the deep things of God's Word. (1 Corinthians 2:14) Nor is it at\nall surprising that they had forgotten some of the sayings of Jesus\nconcerning his betrayal, his death and resurrection. We must remember\nthat they loved Jesus very devotedly; and uppermost in their minds was\nthe hope that he would be the deliverer of Israel. Only five days before\nhis death they had joined him in his triumphal entry into Jerusalem,\nwhen the common people hailed him with gladness and joy. (Matthew\n21:1-11) His death was so very sudden, so cruel, the shock so terrible,\nthat the minds of these faithful disciples and others who loved him\ndearly were stunned. They were truly overwhelmed with sorrow and grief.\nHe had been rudely snatched from them; unjustly tried, brutally\ncondemned, and then subjected to the most ignominious death known to\nman, the death of the cross.\n\n[252]Clearly in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah above noted,\nJesus was put to death as an evil one, thereby making his grave with the\nwicked; and he was laid in the sepulchre of a rich man of Arimathea,\nnamed Joseph.--Matthew 27:57.\n\n[253]Little is said as to the doings of the disciples and their\nassociates immediately following the crucifixion of Jesus when he was\nlaid away in the tomb. The good women went and \"beheld where he was\nlaid\". No doubt little else was done. After 6 o'clock p.m. of that day\nwas the beginning of the sabbath day, and under the law the Jews must\nrest; hence we are not to expect that they did much of anything. Nor\ncould it have been a day of much rest to them. It was a day of great\nsorrow. They could do no work to divert their minds from the terrible\nshock caused by the crucifixion of the Lord. The rest must have been one\nmerely of cessation from labor. Surely they had little rest of body or\npeace of mind. It was a day of sorrowful waiting for them, because\ntomorrow they would go to the tomb. The sabbath ended at 6 o'clock p.m.,\nbut the night followed, which prevented them from visiting the tomb\nthen.\n\n[254]The morning following was the first day of the week; and early\nthat morning, before it became very light, Mary Magdalene and other good\nwomen who had followed Jesus from Galilee and ministered unto him,\nhastened to the Savior's tomb. When they reached there the angel of the\nLord appeared unto them, saying: \"Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek\nJesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.\nCome, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his\ndisciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold he goeth before\nyou into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they\ndeparted quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did\nrun to bring his disciples word.\" (Matthew 28:5-8) This news to these\nfaithful women sounded too good to be true. They were dazed and\nbewildered; yet with joy they hurried away to deliver the message to\nothers who loved the Lord.\n\n[255]Here we have the proof that the resurrection of Jesus is one of\nthe strings upon the harp of God, yielding great joy to those who hear\nits blessed sound. The first human being who heard of the resurrection\nrejoiced. How much more joy there must have been in heaven at that hour!\n\n[256]Angel means messenger; that is, one who is sent on a mission as\na representative or deputy, or messenger of God. These holy messengers\nor angels always have access to the Father, Jehovah. (Matthew 18:10) We\nshould expect, of course, that these holy ones of the heavenly host would\nsing praise and give utterance to joy before the Lord at every progressive\nstep of his plan. These angels inhabit the heavens, the high place. And so\nthe Psalmist writes of them: \"Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from\nthe heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels:\npraise ye him, all his hosts\". (Psalm 148:1,2) The Bible abounds with\nmany instances wherein God has used these holy angels as messengers. He\ncommunicated with Abraham by his angels (Genesis 22:15); also with Jacob.\n(Genesis 31:11) God appeared unto Moses by his angel. (Exodus 3:2) He also\ndelivered a message to Elijah by his angel. (1 Kings 19:5) These holy\nmessengers of God guarded the interests of Jesus at all times, from the\nmoment he left the heavenly courts to become the man Jesus for the purpose\nof redeeming the world of mankind. (Zechariah 3:1-7) The angel of the Lord\nannounced to Mary that she was to be the mother of the babe Jesus. (Luke\n1:31) When she gave birth to this wonderful child, the angel of the Lord\nbrought the message to the faithful shepherds, and the great multitude of\nthe heavenly hosts joined together with that angel in praising, God.--Luke\n2:9-11.\n\n[257]We may be sure that these faithful, holy angels, as God's\ninstruments, were carefully watching every step of Jesus from the time\nof his birth up to the moment of his resurrection. With eagerness they\nwould watch and wait to see if Jesus fully met all the requirements of\nGod's law. They evidently knew that his full compliance would meet with\nthe marvelous reward of a resurrection from the dead. It was one of\nthese faithful messengers that the Lord sent from heaven to roll back\nthe stone from the door of the tomb at the resurrection of the Master.\nWhat great joy must have filled the heavenly courts now when they beheld\nJesus, by the power of God, triumphant over death and the grave!\n\n[258]Lucifer, who became Satan, who had once been associated with the\nholy angels and who had seduced some of their fellow angels, had for\ncenturies opposed Jehovah and specially tried to destroy Jesus. Jesus\nhad been sent into the world that he might destroy the works of Satan;\nand now, having been raised from the dead, he would ultimately \"destroy\nhim that had the power of death, that is, the devil,\" which destruction\nwould guarantee the deliverance of the human race. (Hebrews 2:14) Now\nJesus had broken the bonds of death, being raised by Jehovah to power\nand glory, demonstrating the fact that he was fully approved by Jehovah.\nHe now proved that he was worthy to be praised; and without question he\nreceived the unlimited praise of all the heavenly host. The Revelator\nsays: \"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about\nthe throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten\nthousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a\nloud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and\nriches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor and glory, and blessing.\"\n--Revelation 5:11,12.\n\n\nSCRIPTURAL PROOF\n\n[259]It was not their previous knowledge of the Scriptures and their\nfaith in them that Christ Jesus would arise from the dead which induced\nthe disciples to believe that he was risen, but it was what they\nactually saw and experienced that led them to this conclusion. The\nknowledge gained by experience, coupled with the knowledge of the\nScriptures subsequently acquired by them, not only established beyond a\ndoubt in their own minds the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, but it\nemboldened them to declare the message on every opportune occasion to\nothers and to emphasize this great doctrine of truth in their epistles\nto the church.\n\n[260]It will profit us here to consider the Scriptural testimony given\nby the Evangelist in proof that Jesus did arise from the dead three days\nafter his crucifixion. There have always been some that denied the\nresurrection and hence it is always well to fortify ourselves against\nsuch denial, as well as to strengthen our own faith. It must be\nremembered that the writers of these gospels were not learned men; they\nwere not such men as would arrange a fraudulent scheme to deceive\nanybody. There would be no occasion for them to do this. The fact that\nthey did not expect a resurrection and gave evidence of that by their\nconduct and their speech at and just after the Lord's death is strong\ncircumstantial evidence that their testimony subsequently given is true.\nBesides this, the testimony itself bears all the earmarks of truth.\n\n[261]At the time Jesus died there was an earthquake. The Roman\ncenturion who stood by exclaimed \"Truly this was the son of God!\" \"When\nthe even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who\nalso himself was Jesus' disciple: he went to Pilate, and begged the body\nof Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when\nJoseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and\nlaid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he\nrolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed and\nthere was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the\nsepulchre.\"--Matthew 27:57-61.\n\n[262]The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead, basing\ntheir conclusion upon the words of the prophets. They feared that Jesus\nmight arise from the dead. They knew they were guilty of having him put\nto death and they hoped that would be the end of him. \"Now the next day,\nthat followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and\nPharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that\ndeceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise\nagain. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third\nday, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto\nthe people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse\nthan the first.\" (Matthew 27:62-64) When the Roman governor heard their\nrequest he granted them a Roman guard, saying to them: \"Ye have a watch:\ngo your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the\nsepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.\"--Matthew\n27;65,66.\n\n[263]The Lord Jehovah must have held these Pharisees in derision, who\npresumed by having the stone sealed and a Roman guard placed at the\nentrance that they could prevent his bringing Jesus out of the tomb.\nGod could have easily resurrected the Lord without removing the stone.\nHe chose, however, to do the latter. And in addition to raising up Jesus\nas a divine being, he also removed the body in his own good way and to\nhis own good place, that it might not see corruption, even as he had\npromised.--Psalm 16:10.\n\n[264]This Roman guard kept a close vigil over the tomb during Friday\nnight, Saturday and Saturday night; and early Sunday morning the angel\nof the Lord appeared and rolled back the stone. The keepers testified\nthat the countenance of the angel was like lightning and his raiment as\nwhite as snow, and these watchmen did shake because of fear.\n\n[265]The sabbath day now ended, the dawn of the first day of the week\nbeing here, the faithful women were the first ones to start for the\ntomb. \"In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first\nday of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the\nsepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of\nthe Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from\nthe door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his\nraiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and\nbecame as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear\nnot ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not\nhere: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord\nlay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the\ndead; and, behold he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see\nhim: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre\nwith fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as\nthey went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All\nhail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then\nsaid Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go\ninto Galilee, and there shall they see me.\"--Matthew 28:1-10.\n\n[266]There must have been great excitement about that time among some\nof the people of Jerusalem. These faithful women ran to tell the\ndisciples, while the Roman soldiers hurried into the city to notify\ntheir employers of what had happened. \"Now when they were going, behold,\nsome of the watch came into the city, and showed unto the chief priests\nall the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the\nelders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,\nsaying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we\nslept. And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him,\nand secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and\nthis saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this\nday.\"--Matthew 28:11-15.\n\n[267]The account given by St. Luke is almost identical with that given\nby St. Matthew. Likewise the testimony given by St. Mark. St. John also\ngives an accurate account of the resurrection of the Lord. We insert\nhere the testimony of each of these witnesses for the purpose of showing\nthat the four testified substantially to the same facts and fully\ncorroborated each other.\n\n[268]\"And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the\nmother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might\ncome and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the\nweek, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they\nsaid among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of\nthe sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled\naway: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw\na young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment;\nand they were affrighted. And he said unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye\nseek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not\nhere: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his\ndisciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall\nye see him, as he said unto you.\"--Mark 16:1-7.\n\n[269]\"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning,\nthey came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had\nprepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled\naway from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of\nthe Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed\nthereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: and as\nthey were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said\nunto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is\nrisen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,\nsaying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men,\nand be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his\nwords, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto\nthe eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and\nMary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which\ntold these things unto the apostles.\"--Luke 24:1-10.\n\n[270]\"The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was\nyet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the\nsepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other\ndisciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away\nthe Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.\nPeter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the\nsepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun\nPeter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and\nlooking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh\nSimon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the\nlinen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying\nwith the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then\nwent in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and\nhe saw, and believed.\"--John 20:1-8.\n\n[271]Added to the testimony of these four witnesses is that of St. Paul,\nwho had a miraculous vision of the Lord on his way to Damascus.\nConcerning the resurrection of the dead the Apostle later testified:\n\"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how\nthat Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he\nwas buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the\nscriptures; and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after\nthat, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the\ngreater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After\nthat he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he\nwas seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.\"--1 Corinthians\n15:3-8.\n\n[272]St. John, subsequently writing concerning the Lord, emphasizes the\nfact that they saw with their own eyes, saying: \"That which was from the\nbeginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which\nwe have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;\n(for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and\nshow unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was\nmanifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto\nyou, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship\nis with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things\nwrite we unto you, that your joy may be full.\"--1 John 1:1-4.\n\n[273]Thus we see there were more than five hundred witnesses who\ntestified to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This alone should\nestablish the fact beyond any question of a doubt; but when we see the\nreason for the Lord's resurrection, the whole matter not only becomes\nclear but brings great joy to the heart of one who does see it. We must\nfurthermore consider that these faithful witnesses of the Lord did not\ngo to some isolated place to give their testimony concerning his\nresurrection, but they gave it openly before the tribunals, before Jews\nand heathen philosophers, courtiers, lawyers, as well as the common\npeople. They did not wait until years afterward to begin to give their\ntestimony concerning his resurrection, but did so immediately after the\ngreat event took place. They were so bold in declaring it that had there\nbeen a possibility of refuting their testimony we may be sure that the\nPharisees would have attempted it. They did not give this testimony for\nthe purpose of gaining fame, glory, or riches. But, on the contrary,\nthey knew that they would bring upon themselves the indignation of the\nPharisees and rulers and would expose themselves to suffering and death.\n\n[274]At Pentecost, only fifty days after the resurrection of the Lord,\nthe apostle Peter stood forth before the multitude and proclaimed to the\nmen of Judea and all that dwelt in Jerusalem concerning the resurrection\nof the Lord. In his eloquence he exclaimed: \"Therefore let all the house\nof Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye\nhave crucified, both Lord and Christ\". (Acts 2:36) So persuasive and\nconvincing was the Apostle's argument that the Jews who had participated\nin having the Lord put to death \"were pricked in their heart, and said\nunto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall\nwe do?\" Some of them suffered death and martyrdom because they preached\nChrist and his resurrection. (Acts 7:59) The apostles and early\nChristians received much persecution because they testified boldly that\nJesus was raised from the dead. They would not have done this had they\nbeen trying to carry out some fraudulent imposition. Their motive in\npreaching these doctrines was to be witnesses for the Lord concerning\nthe fulfillment of his great plan for the redemption and deliverance of\nmankind.\n\n\nCHRIST THE LORD DIVINE\n\n[275]Jesus was put to death in the flesh and was resurrected a divine\nbeing. (1 Peter 3:18) God had promised to grant unto him the divine\nnature, giving him the power and authority to have inherent life. Only\ndivine beings have life within themselves and need nothing to sustain\nlife. Jesus said: \"For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he\ngiven to the Son to have life in himself\". (John 5:26) When on earth he\nwas a man. When he arose from the dead he was the express image of\nJehovah God. \"Who being the brightness of his [Jehovah's] glory, and the\nexpress image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his\npower, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right\nhand of the majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels,\nas he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.\"\n(Hebrews 1:3,4) He was begotten to the divine nature at the time of his\nbaptism in the Jordan. He was born on the divine plane to the divine\nnature at his resurrection. When he arose from the dead he was both Lord\nand Christ. (Acts 2:36) Lord means one who owns; one who has power and\nauthority, and one whom his followers acknowledge as Master and Lord.\nChrist means the anointed one; the one appointed by Jehovah to carry out\nhis great plan. So now being raised from the dead he is both owner of\nall things and endowed with power and authority to carry out Jehovah's\nplan. The name Jesus means Savior of the people. That was his earthly\nname. It is more particularly associated with him as the sin-bearer, or\none who made his soul an offering for sin, who suffered for us and who\nbore our sins--the one whom the Prophet describes as \"the man of\nsorrows\".\n\n[276]When he arose from the dead Jehovah highly exalted him and gave him\na name above all other names. He was once a man of sorrows, acquainted\nwith grief. Now, resurrected from the dead, he is the exalted one; hence\nthe Apostle declares: \"Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled\nhimself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.\nWherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which\nis above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of\nthings in heaven, and things in earth and things under the earth and\nthat every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory\nof God the Father.\"--Philippians 2:8-11.\n\n[277]God has decreed that since the earth was the scene of Jesus'\nsuffering it shall be the scene of his glory, and all creatures shall\nbow at the name of Jesus, and that every creature shall confess that\nJesus is Christ and is the Lord.\n\n[278]On the day Jesus arose from the dead and on several occasions\nthereafter he appeared unto his disciples and others who specially\nloved him. He did not appear to them in the same body which was\ncrucified; nor with the same clothing in which he was buried. The\nScriptural account is that the clothing and a napkin were folded up and\nlaid aside in the tomb. Had he appeared in the same body that was\ncrucified, those who were with him for three and a half years would have\nreadily recognized him. Surely Mary would have known him. He appeared to\nher as a gardener on one occasion, and only when he spoke her name in\nthe tone so familiar to her did she recognize him. The Scriptural\naccount of his appearing to the disciples and other witnesses is briefly\nnoted as follows:\n\n[279]He appeared on Sunday morning, early in the day of his\nresurrection, to Mary Magdalene near the sepulchre at Jerusalem.--John\n20:11-18.\n\n[280]On the same Sunday morning, to the women returning from the\nsepulchre.--Matthew 28:9, 10.\n\n[281]On the same Sunday morning to Simon Peter alone near Jerusalem.\n--Luke 24:34.\n\n[282]On the same day to two disciples going to Emmaus, between Jerusalem\nand Emmaus.--Luke 24:13-21.\n\n[283]On the same Sunday evening to the apostles (except Thomas) at\nJerusalem.--John 20:19-25.\n\n[284]Thereafter he appeared again one week later (Sunday evening) to the\napostles, Thomas this time being present, at Jerusalem.--John 20:26-29.\n\n[285]Some days thereafter he appeared on the shores of Galilee to seven\nof his disciples who had gone back to fishing.--John 21:1-13.\n\n[286]A little later he appeared to the eleven disciples on a mountain\nnear Galilee.--Matthew 28:16-20.\n\n[287]A short time thereafter he again appeared to a company of more than\nfive hundred of his followers, gathered by appointment, in Galilee.\n--1 Corinthians 15:6.\n\n[288]He again appeared to the apostle James only.--1 Corinthians 15:7.\n\n[289]Then he appeared for the last time on the side of the Mount of\nOlives to his disciples at the time of his ascension.--Luke 24:50,51;\nActs 1:6-9.\n\n[290]The question will arise in the minds of many, Did he appear in a\nspirit body or a human body, and how did he get the body if it was not\nthe one in which he was crucified? We may be sure that he did not arise\nfrom the dead with a human body, because on one of these occasions he\nappeared to the disciples when they were in a room with the doors\nfastened. (John 20:19-26) The only answer is that now, as a divine\nbeing, he had the power to create a body and clothing and appear at any\ntime and upon any occasion that he desired. Mary supposed him to be a\ngardener; two of the disciples who walked with him thought he was a\nstranger in the community. Again, none of the disciples recognized him\nby his body on the sea of Galilee; likewise on other occasions when he\nappeared unto them. On all these occasions he was recognized by his\nactions, his words, and the familiar tone of his voice. It was hard to\nconvince Thomas, who declared he must have some more proof; therefore\nthe Lord created a body having in it the marks of the nails in order\nthat Thomas might be convinced. And when he was convinced, Jesus said to\nhim: \"Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are\nthey that have not seen, and yet have believed\".--John 20:27-29.\n\n[291]The purpose of Jesus' appearing to the disciples was that the fact\nmight be fully established that he was resurrected and alive. He had the\npower to create a fleshly body and appear in it and dissolve it at any\ntime; and without doubt when he appeared to his disciples behind locked\ndoors he created the body immediately in their presence and dissolved\nit when he disappeared. To prove to them that he was a real body of flesh\nand bones he said to them: \"Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not\nflesh and bones, as ye see me have\". (Luke 24:39) This was not a spirit\nbody, but a body of flesh. The body with which he ascended on high and\nwhich he has in heaven is a glorious body which no man can look upon and\nlive except by the miraculous power of Jehovah. The apostle Paul states:\n\"Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God\". (1 Corinthians\n15:50,51) In addition to this, St. John says: \"It doth not yet appear\nwhat we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be\nlike him; for we shall see him as he is\".--1 John 3:2.\n\n[292]St. Paul was given a miraculous view of the Lord in glory. As he\nwas journeying to Damascus suddenly there shone about him a light from\nheaven. He did not see the body of Jesus but only the light from his\nglorious body. He heard a voice saying unto him: \"I am Jesus\". So\nbrilliant was this light that for three days he was blind; and the Lord\nperformed a miracle by removing his blindness. \"And immediately there\nfell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight\nforthwith and arose, and was baptized.\" (Acts 9:1-19) The apostle Paul\nafterward relating this incident said: \"And last of all he [Jesus] was\nseen of me also, as one born out of due time\". (1 Corinthians 15:8) Here\nwe have a little glimpse of what the glorious body of the Lord is. These\nfacts show that the bodies in which Jesus appeared after his resurrection\nwere not the body that was crucified nor his glorious spiritual body,\nbut bodies created expressly for the purpose of appearing unto his\ndisciples. Our Lord's human body, the one crucified, was removed from\nthe tomb by the power of God. Had it remained there it would have been\nan obstacle in the way of the faith of his disciples, who were not yet\ninstructed in spiritual things. They were not thus instructed until the\ngiving of the holy spirit at Pentecost. The Scriptures do not reveal\nwhat became of that body, except that it did not decay or corrupt. (Acts\n2:27,31) We can only surmise that the Lord may have preserved it\nsomewhere to exhibit to the people in the Millennial age. The Scriptures\ntell us that God miraculously hid the body of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:6;\nJude 9); and Jehovah could just as easily have preserved and hid away\nthe body of Jesus. Jesus being resurrected a divine being, the express\nimage of the Father, we are sure that no man could look upon him and\nlive. (Exodus 33:20) Christ Jesus the Lord in heaven is a glorious\nbeing, the fairest of ten thousand, and altogether lovely, and no human\neye has ever seen him since glorified, except the vision miraculously\ngiven to St. Paul.\n\n[293]The purpose of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus when understood\nis further proof that he was raised divine. As we have seen, the ransom\nmust be provided by a perfect human being going into death. This\nransom-price, namely, the value of a perfect human life, must be\npresented in heaven itself as a sin-offering on behalf of mankind.\nUnless this was done, the ransom would be of no avail and there would be\nno purchase of the human race from death and its results. The apostle\nPaul plainly states that Christ Jesus has entered into heaven itself,\nnow to appear in the presence of God for us. (Hebrews 9:24) He is now a\ngreat high priest who passed into the heavens, becoming the high priest\non behalf of those who come to God through him during the gospel age.\n(Hebrews 4:14-16) On the typical atonement day, as we have seen, God\ncaused Israel through the priesthood to make a picture of the\nsin-offering. The high priest appearing in the Most Holy and sprinkling\nthe blood upon the mercy seat was a type of Jesus appearing in heaven\nitself, presenting the merit of his sacrifice as a great sin-offering.\nThis would have been impossible had not Jesus been resurrected a divine\nbeing.\n\n[294]Afterward Jesus Christ gave unto St. John a revelation by his\nangel, which is recorded as the book of Revelation. In that he said: \"I\nam he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore,\nAmen; and have the keys of hell and of death\". (Revelation 1:18) Hell\nmeans the tomb, the grave, the condition of death into which the whole\nhuman race has been going for so many centuries. Death is the great\nenemy and in due time the Lord will abolish or destroy both death and\nthe grave, as we shall see later on.\n\n[295]As each person comes to a knowledge of the resurrection of Jesus\nChrist and understands and appreciates the purpose, his heart is made\nglad. Only those who are enlightened have yet appreciated the fact that\nthe resurrection of Jesus is one of the strings on God's wonderful harp.\nIn due time these benefits will be made known to all, and all shall\nrecognize this wonderful truth. After the Lord has finished the\nselection of the members of his body, which is called the church\n(Colossians 1:18), then his merit or ransom-sacrifice will be presented\non behalf of the world of mankind and all will reap the benefits of his\nresurrection. The foregoing Scriptures conclusively establish the\nresurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead.\n\n[296]In St. Paul's day there were some who denied the resurrection, even\nas it has been ever since. To meet their argument St. Paul wrote: \"Now if\nChrist be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that\nthere is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of\nthe dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is\nour preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found\nfalse witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised\nup Christ; whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For\nif the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not\nraised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which\nare fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have\nhope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen\nfrom the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since\nby man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as\nin Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in\nhis own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's\nat his coming. Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the\nkingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and\nauthority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under\nhis feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.\"--1 Corinthians\n15:12-26.\n\n[297]Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and his\nascension on high, all men are guaranteed one full, fair opportunity to\nobtain everlasting life. God has made this provision and given this\nguarantee, as St. Paul states. \"Because he [God] hath appointed a day,\nin the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom\nhe hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that\nhe hath raised him from the dead.\" (Acts 17:31) We are now just coming\ninto that \"appointed day\", in which the world is beginning to know and\nsoon will know much more about the wonderful benefits resulting from the\nresurrection of our Lord. In that great day the Lord shall reign in glory\nand then will be fulfilled his words: \"Marvel not at this: for the hour\nis coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,\nand shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of\nlife; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment\".\n(John 5:28,29, _R.V._) Of this we shall have more to say when we\ndiscuss the string of God's great harp, restoration.\n\n\n\n\nWhat is the first month of the Jewish religious year? \u00b6 245.\n\nOn the fourteenth day of that month, A.D. 33, where was Jesus? \u00b6 245.\n\nWhat had his disciples expected him to do? \u00b6 245.\n\nWhat was their condition of mind, and what their hopes, after his death?\n\u00b6 245.\n\nWhat was the expectation of the disciples with reference to his\nresurrection? \u00b6 245.\n\nHow had the body of Jesus been prepared for burial? and what was the\npurpose? \u00b6 245.\n\nGive further proof with reference to the expectation of the disciples\nconcerning Jesus' resurrection. \u00b6 245.\n\nDid the disciples understand the Scriptures at that time with reference\nto the resurrection of Jesus Christ? \u00b6 246.\n\nIs the student now able to understand Scriptures in the Old Testament\nrelative to the resurrection of the Lord that have been heretofore\nlittle understood? \u00b6 246.\n\nGive some Scriptural texts of the Old Testament bearing upon the\nresurrection of the Lord Jesus. \u00b6 247.\n\nDid the Psalmist speak of Jesus going to hell? and if so, what was\nmeant? \u00b6 247.\n\nGive the Apostle's interpretation of this statement. \u00b6 247.\n\nWhat was meant by the statement of the Psalmist in Psalm 17:15? \u00b6 248.\n\nIn whose likeness was Jesus awakened? Give the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 248.\n\nDid the Psalmist in Psalm 68:18 refer to Jesus' resurrection? and if so,\nwhy? \u00b6 248.\n\nQuote the words of the prophecy of Isaiah (9:6,7) concerning Jesus. \u00b6 249.\n\nDid the Prophet here foreshadow the resurrection of Jesus Christ? \u00b6 249.\n\nHow did Jehovah refer to Christ's resurrection in the words of the\nprophet Isaiah (53:6-11)? \u00b6 250.\n\nHad Jesus told his disciples that he expected to arise from the dead?\nand if so, where? \u00b6 251.\n\nWhy were the disciples sorry, as stated in Matthew 17:22,23? \u00b6 251.\n\nWhy could not the disciples of Jesus understand the prophecies\nconcerning his resurrection? Quote a Scripture from the New Testament in\nsupport of this answer. \u00b6 251.\n\nWhat was the hope uppermost in the minds of the disciples? \u00b6 251.\n\nWhat had happened just five days before Jesus' death that increased such\nhopes in the minds of the disciples? \u00b6 251.\n\nWhat would be the probable effect upon the disciples of the sudden death\nof the Master? \u00b6 251.\n\nIn being put to death as an evil one and buried in the sepulchre of a\nrich man, what prophecy did Jesus fulfill? \u00b6 252.\n\nOn what day was Jesus crucified? and what was the day following? \u00b6 253.\n\nWhat were Jews expected to do on that day of the sabbath? \u00b6 253.\n\nWhen did the sabbath day end? \u00b6 253.\n\nWhat was done by Mary and others on the morning of the first day of the\nweek after Jesus' crucifixion? \u00b6 254.\n\nWho appeared unto them at the tomb? and what did the messenger say? \u00b6 254.\n\nWhat effect did this message from the angel have upon these women? and\nwhat did they do? \u00b6 254.\n\nWhat proof have we here that the resurrection of Jesus is one of the\nstrings upon the harp of God? \u00b6 255.\n\nWhat effect was produced upon the first human being who heard of the\nresurrection of the Lord? \u00b6 255.\n\nHow must this news have been received in heaven? \u00b6 255.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the word angel? \u00b6 256.\n\nDo these angels have access to Jehovah? Give the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 256.\n\nIs there Scriptural proof that these holy messengers sing praises in\nheaven? \u00b6 256.\n\nWhat Scriptural proof have we that God uses angels for messengers? Give\nseveral instances. \u00b6 256.\n\nIs there any Scriptural evidence that these holy angels guarded the\ninterests of Jesus while here on earth? \u00b6 256.\n\nCite Scriptural proof as to what else the angels did with reference to\nJesus the babe. \u00b6 256.\n\nIs it reasonable to suppose that the angels watched the progressive\nsteps of Jesus' course from his birth to his resurrection? \u00b6 257.\n\nMight we expect them to be looking for the resurrection of Jesus Christ?\n\u00b6 257.\n\nWho was sent from heaven to roll back the stone from Jesus' tomb? \u00b6 257.\n\nWhen the triumph of Jesus over death and the grave was marked, what\neffect must that have produced in heaven? \u00b6 257.\n\nWould the resurrection of Jesus demonstrate his approval by Jehovah?\n\u00b6 258.\n\nWould his triumph over death and the grave be reason for his praise in\nheaven? \u00b6 258.\n\nGive Scriptural proof of the praise of Jesus Christ by the heavenly\nhosts after his resurrection. \u00b6 258.\n\nWhat was it that convinced the disciples of the resurrection of Jesus\nChrist? \u00b6 259.\n\nBeing convinced of his resurrection, how did that affect Jesus'\ndisciples in regard to proclaiming the truth? \u00b6 259.\n\nWhy should we have Scriptural proof of the resurrection of Christ Jesus?\n\u00b6 260.\n\nIs it reasonable to suppose that Jesus' disciples would concoct a scheme\nindicating his resurrection, contrary to the facts? \u00b6 260.\n\nWhat convulsion of nature occurred at the time of Jesus' death? \u00b6 261.\n\nGive the Scriptural proof of the burial of Jesus' body. \u00b6 261.\n\nWhy did the Pharisees believe in the resurrection of the dead? \u00b6 262.\n\nDid the Pharisees specially request of Pilate a special guard to be\nplaced over the tomb of Jesus? and if so, why? Give the Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6 262.\n\nWhat did Pilate reply to them? \u00b6 262.\n\nCould God have resurrected Jesus Christ without removing the stone? \u00b6 263.\n\nHow would this indicate the derision in which he held the Pharisees?\n\u00b6 263.\n\nWho rolled away the stone from the tomb? \u00b6 264.\n\nWhat did the Roman guard testify concerning the appearance of the one\nwho rolled away the stone? \u00b6 264.\n\nWho first appeared at the tomb on the morning of Christ's resurrection?\n\u00b6 265.\n\nRelate what took place there between Mary Magdalene and the messenger\nwho appeared to her; and what was the message delivered to her? \u00b6 265.\n\nWhat other wrongful thing did the priests do, when they heard of Jesus\nChrist's resurrection? \u00b6 266.\n\nCompare the testimony given by St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St.\nJohn; and state whether there is any real difference. \u00b6\u00b6 267-270.\n\nWhat other Apostle's testimony is added to that of the ones just quoted?\nand what did he say about the resurrection of Jesus? \u00b6 271.\n\nWhat further testimony did St. John subsequently give concerning Jesus\nChrist's resurrection? \u00b6 272.\n\nHow many witnesses testified to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus?\n\u00b6 273.\n\nWhere did these faithful witnesses give their testimony concerning the\nresurrection of the Lord? \u00b6 273.\n\nDid they endanger themselves by giving such testimony? \u00b6 273.\n\nThe fact that they gave it immediately and boldly, what weight does that\nadd to its truthfulness? \u00b6 274.\n\nWhat was their motive in testifying of the Lord's resurrection? \u00b6 274.\n\nDid anyone suffer martyrdom because of giving testimony to this effect?\nGive the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 274.\n\nTo what nature was Jesus Christ resurrected? \u00b6 275.\n\nWhat does it mean to have inherent life? \u00b6 275.\n\nWhat did Jesus say about the Father giving him this favor? \u00b6 275.\n\nWhen the Lord arose from the dead, was he made lower or higher than the\nangels? \u00b6 275.\n\nWhen was he begotten and when born to the divine nature? \u00b6 275.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the terms Lord and Christ? \u00b6 275.\n\nWhat power and authority has the Lord possessed since his resurrection?\n\u00b6 275.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the name Jesus? \u00b6 275.\n\nState what the Scriptures say of his exaltation at the resurrection.\n\u00b6 276.\n\nHas God decreed how the creatures of earth shall ultimately honor the\nLord Jesus? \u00b6 277.\n\nWhen was the first time Jesus appeared to his disciples after arising\nfrom the dead? \u00b6 278.\n\nWith what body did he appear? \u00b6 278.\n\nGive the reasons why he did not appear in the body that was crucified.\n\u00b6 278.\n\nHow did Mary recognize him? \u00b6 278.\n\nState how many times Jesus appeared prior to his ascension on high,\ngiving the Scriptural proof. \u00b6\u00b6 279-289.\n\nDid he appear in a spirit or a human body? and how did he get the body\nin which he appeared? \u00b6 290.\n\nHow could he appear in the room in the presence of the disciples when\nthe door was locked? \u00b6 290.\n\nHow did the disciples recognize him at the sea of Galilee and other\nplaces? \u00b6 290.\n\nWhat was Jesus' purpose in appearing to the disciples? \u00b6 291.\n\nDescribe the body in which Jesus appeared behind locked doors; and what\ndid he say to his disciples then? \u00b6 291.\n\nCould the body in which Jesus was crucified ascend into heaven? and if\nnot, why not? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 291.\n\nDescribe his appearance to Saul on the way to Damascus. \u00b6 292.\n\nDid Saul see the body of Jesus at that time? \u00b6 292.\n\nWhat effect did the appearance of the Lord to St. Paul have upon him?\n\u00b6 292.\n\nWhat did St. Paul later say about Jesus appearing unto him? \u00b6 292.\n\nWhat does the appearance of the Lord to St. Paul prove with reference to\nthe bodies in which Jesus appeared shortly after his resurrection? \u00b6 292.\n\nWhat became of the body of the Lord that was crucified? \u00b6 292.\n\nChrist Jesus in glory possesses what kind of body? \u00b6 292.\n\nWhat did the resurrection of the Lord and his appearance in heaven have\nto do with the ransom and sin-offering? \u00b6 293.\n\nWere his resurrection and ascension on high necessary to complete the\nsin-offering? \u00b6 293.\n\nOn the typical atonement day, through what ceremonies did the high\npriest pass in connection with the sin-offering? \u00b6 293.\n\nWhat did this typify? \u00b6 293.\n\nIn the Revelation of Jesus to St. John, what did he say about being the\none who was once dead? and what power does he now possess? \u00b6 294.\n\nWhat is meant by the terms hell and death as used in Revelation 1:18?\n\u00b6 294.\n\nUp to this time who have appreciated the value of Jesus' resurrection as\na part of the divine plan? \u00b6 295.\n\nDo the Scriptures herein cited prove the resurrection of Christ Jesus?\n\u00b6 295.\n\nWhat argument did St. Paul produce against the contention that Christ\nwas not raised from the dead? \u00b6 296.\n\nWhat does the resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantee to mankind? \u00b6 297.\n\nGive the Scriptural proof of such guarantee. \u00b6 297.\n\nWhere are we now with reference to the 'day appointed', as referred to\nin Acts 17:31? \u00b6 297.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VIII\n\nString 7: _Mystery Revealed_\n\n\nA mystery is that which is kept a profound secret. It is something\nunknown, except to certain ones, being kept carefully and continuously\nconcealed from all others. Jehovah being all powerful can hide or keep\nsecret from every creature, earthly or heavenly, any part or all of his\ngreat plan and reveal or make it known at such time as might please him.\nOne feature of his great plan he did keep secret for ages and it is\nstill a secret to all except a few.\n\n[299]When Jesus was on earth he taught the people in parables or dark\nsayings. His disciples came to him and asked: \"Why speakest thou unto\nthem in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given\nunto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it\nis not given.\" (Matthew 13:10,11) It will be observed that he did not\nsay, 'You now know the mysteries of God'; but that it was given them to\nknow those mysteries. Not even his disciples understood him in many\nthings when they were with him. On the last night before his crucifixion\nhe was instructing them in various things that would be helpful to them\nin the days to come. On that occasion he said: \"When he, the spirit of\ntruth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak\nof himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he\nwill show you things to come.\" (John 16:13) The spirit of truth here\nmentioned is the holy spirit, the spirit of God, the invisible power\noperating upon the minds of those who are in covenant relationship with\nGod. Jesus here used the masculine pronoun in speaking of the holy\nspirit.\n\n[300]The holy spirit was given to the disciples at Pentecost, that is to\nsay, fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus. \"And when the day of\nPentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.\nAnd suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,\nand it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared\nunto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.\nAnd they were all filled with the holy spirit, and began to speak with\nother tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance.\" (Acts 2:1-4) The King\nJames Version of our Bibles, translates the word here holy \"ghost\", but\nthere is no warrant for such a translation. It comes from the word which\nmeans spirit.\n\n[301]It was at Pentecost that for the first time God's great mystery\nbegan to be understood by the disciples. The mystery of God has been a\nstumbling block to both Jews and Christians so-called; but in God's due\ntime he will make known to all the secret of his mystery and then all\nrightly exercised by this will rejoice with exceeding joy.\n\n[302]The mystery is _the Christ_, the great one through whom redemption,\ndeliverance and blessing will ultimately come to all mankind who receive\nChrist and obey him. God foreshadowed his mystery for ages by the use of\nvarious men. Yet all of that time he kept it secret.\n\n[303]Death has been and is the great enemy of man. Death is the very\nopposite of life. The greatest desire of man is and always has been to\nhave life everlasting in happiness. From the time of his expulsion from\nEden man has been looking for something upon which to fasten a hope for\nlife and happiness. Satan was the cause of death, and when God\npronounced the sentence in Eden he said that the seed of the woman\nshould bruise the serpent's head. This statement was in the nature of a\npromise, but it could not then be understood. Since Pentecost some have\nunderstood the meaning of these words to be an assurance that in God's\ndue time the seed of promise, the seed of the woman, will destroy Satan,\nwho has the power of death. Nearly two thousand years rolled by after\nthis statement before anything further was promised.\n\n[304]Then unto Abraham Jehovah called and made him the promise: \"In thy\nseed shall all the families of the earth be blessed\". This was another\nreference to the mystery; but that promise was not understood in its\nproper light. Abraham believed God would bless the human race, but he\ndid not understand just the manner in which it would be done. At the\ntime of this promise Abraham had no children. Several years more passed\nand then Isaac, Abraham's first legitimate son, was born. Abraham\nbelieved that his natural seed, his son, would be the ruler through whom\nthe blessing would come to the people; but his son Isaac was merely a\ntype of the mystery, God using him to foreshadow the greater one. This\npromise was renewed to Isaac and to Jacob, and at the death of Jacob his\ndescendants, who of course were descendants of Abraham, were organized\ninto twelve tribes, forming the nation of Israel, and were thereafter\nrecognized as God's chosen nation. (Genesis 49:28; Deuteronomy 26:5)\nThen it was that the faithful believed that God's promised blessings\nwould come through this nation, his chosen people. But in time they\nbecame slaves to the Egyptians and their hopes were almost blasted. They\nwere sorely oppressed in Egypt when God sent Moses to be their\ndeliverer and to lead the people of Israel out of Egyptian bondage.\nMoses was also a type foreshadowing the great One. (Acts 3:22) Moses\ndied and the promised blessing had not yet come. The prophetic statement\nmade by Moses that God would raise up unto Israel one like unto himself\nled the prophets to understand that there would be a great one raised up\nfrom the nation of Israel who would be the deliverer and blesser of\nmankind.\n\n[305]Joshua followed next in line after Moses. His name signifies\nsavior or deliverer. But he also was only a type of the great Deliverer.\n\n[306]Then David became the king of Israel. His name means beloved one.\nThe Jews had hoped that he would be the great deliverer, but in his old\nage he abdicated the throne in favor of Solomon, and yet the blessing\ndid not come. Solomon became the most famous man in the world for riches\nand wisdom, and the hopes of Israel were centered in him, only to be\ndisappointed. David and Solomon were also but mere types foreshadowing\nthe coming of the great Deliverer.\n\n[307]The nation of Israel degenerated and under the reign of Zedekiah,\ntheir last king, they fell into captivity to the Babylonians and they\ncontinued subject to other nations until they were finally driven out of\nPalestine.\n\n[308]Moved by the holy spirit of God operating upon their minds, the\nholy prophets testified of the coming of this great Deliverer, both of\nhis sufferings and of his glory that would follow; but they did not\nunderstand. The matter was a mystery to them. (1 Peter 1:11) Even the\nangels of heaven sought to look into it, but they were not permitted.\nGod's purpose was to keep the matter secret until his own due time to\nreveal the great truth.\n\n[309]Then came Jesus, whose coming was announced by John the Baptist;\nand he was pointed out as the one who would take away the sin of the\nworld. He chose his disciples and they walked with him, and he taught\nthem for three and a half years; yet they did not understand the great\nmystery. They expected Jesus to be made an earthly king and hoped that\nthey might be with him in the kingdom, probably in his cabinet, because\nhe was asked if one might sit on his left and the other on his right\nhand in the kingdom. They expected him to make Israel a great nation and\nbelieved that through that nation other nations would be blessed. When\nhe was put to death they were greatly disappointed, mystified, and in\ngreat distress. (Luke 24:21) Even after his resurrection they did not\nunderstand his mission, and this is shown by their words to him on the\nday that he ascended into heaven. \"When they were therefore come\ntogether, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time\nrestore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not\nfor you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in\nhis own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the holy spirit is\ncome upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and\nin all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.\nAnd when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up;\nand a cloud received him out of their sight.\"--Acts 1:6-9.\n\n[310]In obedience to the command of Jesus, these faithful disciples went\nto Jerusalem to the place known as the upper room, and there waited. Ten\ndays passed and then it was that the holy spirit, the invisible power of\nGod, was visited upon them; and true to his promise, the disciples began\nto understand.\n\n[311]Jesus had now ascended on high and presented the merit of his\nsacrifice before Jehovah and the acceptance of this was manifested by\nthe giving of the holy spirit to his disciples who had been his\nconsecrated followers for three and a half years. Doubtless the angels\nof heaven now began to know something about the great mystery. What joy\nmust have been in heaven when Jesus Christ appeared before the Father\nand presented the merit of his sacrifice and was received by Jehovah!\nSurely the heavenly host must have sung his praises. They had beheld him\ntriumphing over death and the grave and now exalted to a position in\nheaven next to the Father. It must have been a great joy to the heavenly\nhost, even as contemplation of it was a great joy to Jesus himself. \"For\nthe joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross, despising the\nshame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.\" (Hebrews\n12:2) What joy must have filled the hearts of his disciples when they\nbegan to understand the mystery of God and to see how wonderfully he had\nled them and their fathers before them, preparing them now for the\nrevelation of this great truth!\n\n[312]In due time Saul of Tarsus, who afterward was named St. Paul, was\nilluminated and understood. And then he wrote: \"Who now rejoice in my\nsufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions\nof Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: whereof\nI am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is\ngiven to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; even the mystery which\nhath been hid for ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to\nhis saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory\nof this mystery among the gentiles; which [mystery] is Christ in you,\nthe hope of glory.\" (Colossians 1:24-27) The Apostle here emphasizes the\nfact that this mystery of God is now made known only to the saints.\nSaints means purified ones, which purification comes through receiving\nthe merit of Christ's sacrifice.\n\n[313]The word Christ signifies anointed. Anointing means designation to\nofficial position in God's arrangement. The Christ is the instrument or\nchannel for the blessing of mankind. The Christ is composed of Jesus,\nthe great and mighty head, and 144,000 members. (Revelation 7:4) Christ\nJesus is the head and the church his body. We ofttimes hear the\nexpression, a body of men with a general at their head. Of the Christ\nthe Apostle says: \"And he [Christ Jesus] is before all things, and by\nhim all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who\nis the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he\nmight have the pre\u00ebminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should\nall fullness dwell.\"--Colossians 1:17-19.\n\n[314]The apostle Paul uses a human body to illustrate the Christ, the\ngreat mystery class; the head representing Jesus, and the other members\nof the body those who are of his church. \"For as the body is one, and\nhath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are\none body: so also is Christ.... Now ye are the body of Christ, and\nmembers in particular.\"--1 Corinthians 12:12,27.\n\n[315]The Christ is also designated in the Scriptures as the seed of\nAbraham according to the promise. \"Now to Abraham and his seed were the\npromises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one,\nAnd to thy seed, which is Christ.\" (Galatians 3:16) Addressing himself\nto the church, the Christians, the followers of Jesus, the Apostle\nfurther said: \"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ\nJesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on\nChrist.... And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs\naccording to the promise.\" (Galatians 3:26,27,29) This is the seed,\nthen, through whom the blessings will come to all the families of the\nearth. Church means a gathered out class; and so the gospel age, that is\nto say, the period from Jesus' first coming until his second coming, is\nemployed by Jehovah for the selection of the church, the seed of\nAbraham, through which blessings will come to all the remainder of\nmankind in God's due time.\n\n[316]This same class is called the elect of God, according to his\nforeknowledge.--1 Peter 1:2.\n\n[317]Again the Apostle likens the whole of the Christ to a living stone,\nsaying: \"Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an\nholy priesthood, to offer up sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus\nChrist.... Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious:\nand he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore\nwhich believe he is precious.\" (1 Peter 2:5-7) In earthly buildings\nthere is no chief cornerstone; but in this building of God there is a\nchief cornerstone which is Christ Jesus. The topstone or chief\ncornerstone of a pyramid is itself a perfect pyramid. The other members\nof the body, then, must be built up into Christ to conform to that chief\ncornerstone, which is illustrated by the Great Pyramid in Egypt.--See\nIsaiah 19:19.\n\n[318]Again this anointed class, Jesus the head and the church his body,\nis spoken of as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people.\nThis was foreshadowed by the nation of Israel, particularly by the\npriesthood in connection with the house of Israel. The apostle Peter\nspeaking of this class says: \"Ye are a chosen generation, a royal\npriesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth\nthe praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his\nmarvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the\npeople of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained\nmercy.\"--1 Peter 2:9,10.\n\n[319]The members of the body of Christ, the church, are also designated\nas his footstep followers; and as such they are called to suffer with\nhim that they might also reign with him. \"For even hereunto were ye\ncalled: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that\nye should follow his footsteps.\" (1 Peter 2:21) These are also\ndesignated as Christians. It does not mean that because one is a member\nof some earthly organization called a church he is a Christian or a\nmember of the true church. The true church is the body of Christ; and\nany one to be of the true church must be a follower of Christ in the\ntruest sense of the word. To this class are given the exceeding great\nand precious promises recorded in the Bible, the promises of being\nassociated with Christ Jesus in his kingdom. (2 Peter 1:4) Not to the\nworld, but to his followers Jesus said: \"Be thou faithful unto death,\nand I will give thee a crown of life\".--Revelation 2:10.\n\n[320]No one has been able to understand these things and appreciate\nthem except those who have given their hearts to the Lord. The apostle\nPaul says: \"The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of\nGod: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,\nbecause they are spiritually discerned\". (1 Corinthians 2:14). Jehovah\nhas so arranged that only those who have their minds illuminated by the\nholy spirit, which follows their consecration, justification, and\nacceptance by the Lord, can understand and appreciate the mystery of\nGod. These are the ones designated by the prophet Joel as the servants\nand handmaidens of God; and in the gospel age God pours out his spirit\nupon them; which means to give them his spirit. But in God's due time he\nwill pour out his spirit upon all mankind, so that all can understand\nhis wonderful plan.--Joel 2:28,29.\n\n[321]The hiding of this mystery was illustrated by Jehovah in the\nconstruction of the tabernacle in the wilderness and its furnishings.\nThe inside walls of the tabernacle were covered with pure gold. Inside\nthe Holy were the golden candlestick, the table covered with gold for\nthe showbread, and the golden altar; and in the Most Holy, was the ark\nof the covenant. The tabernacle inside, therefore, was beautiful, but it\nwas hidden from the people on the outside because it was covered with\nthree heavy layers of cloth and skins. The priest ministered inside the\ntabernacle, and therefore was unseen by the people. As God thus hid\nthese things which were typical of greater things, so he has hidden the\nglories and beauties of spiritual things, seen only by those who have\ncome into relationship with him through Christ.\n\n[322]The gospel age is the antitypical day of atonement. With the Jews\nthere was one day each year called the day of atonement. In that day the\npriest alone was in the Holy and the Most Holy; and even so on the\nantitypical day of atonement no one is in the Holy condition except\nthose who are in relationship with Christ, the great high priest. The\nLord has been pleased to permit these during the gospel age to have some\nunderstanding of his Word, therefore receiving the sweet and refreshing\nmusic from his harp; and the light has grown in brilliancy and the music\nin harmony as the understanding has increased. To the world in general,\nChristians have been despised because not understood. The Lord of glory,\nwhen on earth, was despised because he was misunderstood. And so his\ntrue followers seem to be a mean and despised people. The poet has truly\nsaid:\n\n  \"Why do they, then, appear so mean?\n    And why so much despised?\n  Because, of their rich robes, unseen,\n    The world is not apprized.\"\n\n[323]Satan has tried to counterfeit every part of Jehovah's plan; so he\norganized a religious system in the earth which is iniquitous and is\nknown as \"the mystery of iniquity\". (2 Thessalonians 2:7; Revelation\n17:5) This mystery of iniquity God will destroy in his great day of\nvengeance which is now on, and then the mystery of God will be more\nclearly revealed to mankind. It is revealed to individuals now as they\ncome into Christ. It is important, therefore, for us to know how one\nbecomes a member of the Christ, the great mystery of God.\n\n\nBODY MEMBERS SELECTED\n\n[324]The mystery of God involves an understanding and appreciation of\nthe fundamental truths of repentance, consecration, justification,\nspirit-begetting, and sanctification. Let us now trace the steps of one\nin the world as he comes to Jehovah that he might be a member of the\nbody of Christ.\n\n[325]Because of the disobedience of father Adam, all of his children are\nborn imperfect, all sinners. \"There is none righteous, no, not one.\"\n(Romans 3:10; 5:12) All such are out of harmony with God. They have no\nright to life. It has pleased Jehovah, then, during the gospel age to\ndraw to Jesus, the great Redeemer and Deliverer, those who have the\ndesire to come into harmony with him. The Prophet says: 'The reverence\nof the Lord is the beginning of wisdom'. (Psalm 111:10) The first thing\nessential for one becoming a Christian is an honest desire to know the\nLord and to do his will. A man with this honest desire, then, realizes\nthat he is a sinner and born such; and he has an honest desire to come\nto God. He learns that Jesus is his Redeemer and he wants to know more\nabout him and do his will. In his mind he does not approve the ways of\nthe world. He begins to think about the Lord and wants to know more\nabout him. He begins to turn his face in the right direction. When he\nceases to approve the course of the world, he is repentant to that\nextent. Repentance means a change of mind respecting one's relationship\nto evil.\n\n[326]Jesus said: \"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath\nsent me draw him\". (John 6:44) The man now is drawn to Jesus by what he\nlearns of Jesus, what Jesus has done for him, and by his own desire to\nfollow a different course. When one ceases to approve the worldly course\nand begins to seek after the Lord, he is in that condition mentioned by\nthe Apostle as seeking God, \"if haply they might feel after him, and\nfind him\". (Acts 17:27) When he is drawn to Jesus, seeking God, then he\nis converted. He is now in the condition spoken of by the Apostle when\nhe said: \"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be\nblotted out\". (Acts 3:19) Repentance means a change of mind respecting\none's relationship to evil; and conversion means a change of one's\ncourse. But neither repentance nor conversion, nor both together, brings\nthe individual into relationship with God. Being drawn to Jesus, he must\nexercise faith. Faith means _first_ to understand and believe that God\nexists; that he is the great rewarder of them that diligently seek him;\nthat the Bible is his Word of truth; that Jesus is his beloved Son and\nour Redeemer; and _then_ to rely confidently upon these things and prove\nthis reliance by his action.--Hebrews 11:1,6.\n\n[327]He now needs information to increase his faith, and the Prophet\nhas written: \"The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the\nsimple\". (Psalm 19:7) To such now, as are feeling after God, through\nChrist Jesus this message comes: \"Come unto me, all ye that labor and\nare heavy laden, and I will give you rest\". (Matthew 11:28) Heavy laden\nmeans to be weary of the sinful course of the world and to have a desire\nto be relieved of this burden. Such a one says: 'I am tired of the\nwrongful course. I want to follow the right course, to know God, and to\ndo his will.'\n\n[328]Now being drawn to Jesus, he learns through the Word that he must\ndo something. To him Jesus says: 'I am the way, the truth, and the life:\nno man cometh unto the Father, but by me'. (John 14:6) What can one who\nis now repentant and changing his course, but still a sinner, do to come\ninto harmony with God? He is informed that it will cost him much. So\nJesus says to him: 'Sit down and count the cost'. (Luke 14:28) He learns\nit will cost him all he has, namely, the surrender of himself to the\nLord. The next step for one, then, to become a Christian is to make a\nconsecration; that is to say, to commit himself to the Lord and his\narrangements. And this he may do by saying in substance: 'Blessed Lord,\nI commit myself to thy arrangements; here I am. Do unto me according to\nthy holy will. I desire to do thy will.'\n\n[329]Neither the Lord Jesus nor the heavenly Father coerces any one,\nbut we must come to the Lord voluntarily, seeking his aid. This is\nclearly indicated as necessary to become the follower of Jesus by the\nwords the Master used: 'If you will be my disciple, you must deny\nyourself, then take up your cross, and follow me'. (Matthew 16:24)\nSelf-denial means an agreement to abandon one's selfish course and to\nagree to do the will of the Lord. It means a full and complete surrender\nof oneself unto the Lord. And this is consecration, the setting aside\nof oneself to do the Lord's will.\n\n[330]Those who are selected to be members of the body of Christ, which\nselection is done during the gospel age, must be justified in order that\nthey might be accepted. They are justified only for the purpose of being\naccepted as a part of the sacrifice of the Lord. On the typical day of\natonement when the high priest of Israel slew the animals, the Lord's\ngoat pictured this class who come to the Lord in consecration. That goat\nmust be perfect, without any blemish; thus foreshadowing how that all\nwho are presented unto the Lord to be accepted as a part of the\nsacrifice of Jesus, and hence to become members of his body, must be\nperfect; and since man is imperfect himself something must be done for\nhim in order to make him stand before the Lord Jehovah as perfect. He\nmust be justified. Justification means to be made right with God. This\nmust all be done in the acceptable time of the Lord. (Isaiah 49:8; 61:2)\nAny one coming to the Lord Jesus with an honest desire to be presented\nto the Father in the acceptable year or time may be assured that he\nwill not be cast out, because Jesus said: \"Him that cometh to me I will\nin no wise cast out\". (John 6:37) He would not decline to present any\ngenuine consecration before the heavenly Father. Of course this\nconsecration must be made before the person can be presented.\n\n[331]Jehovah God is the great wise judge of the universe; and he sits\nto determine whether or not one thus presented is right or not. \"It is\nGod that justifieth.\"--Romans 8:33.\n\n[332]The steps essential now to justification, as shown by the\nScriptures, briefly stated, are these: (1) Faith in God and his\npromises, which is exercised and proven by making a surrender of\nourselves to the Lord; (2) receiving the merit of Christ, and his\npresentation to the Father; and (3) the determination by Jehovah God\nthat the one thus presented is right. The following Scriptures show\nthese points in the order named: By faith are we justified (Romans 5:1);\nby the blood of Jesus are we justified (Romans 5:9); \"It is God that\njustifieth\". (Romans 8:33) Christ Jesus is the great High Priest. When\nwe make a consecration of ourselves, then he presents us to the Father.\n(John 6:37) But in order to make us acceptable or presentable to the\nFather, the merit of Jesus' sacrifice must be imputed to us. When he\nascended on high, he deposited with Jehovah the ransom-price, the merit\nof his sacrifice, as we have seen, pictured by the blood. The second\nstep, then, is taken when Jesus imputes to the one thus coming to the\nLord the merit of his sacrifice, which makes him presentable to the\nFather, Jehovah; then Jehovah, upon the merit, determines, as the great\njudge, that the one thus presented is right, is justified, and is\nacceptable as a part of the sacrifice of his beloved Son. Thus Jehovah\nhas been receiving sacrifices throughout the gospel age; but that\nacceptable year or time will soon pass, as indeed it is now passing.\n--Hebrews 3:13.\n\n\nSPIRIT-BEGETTING\n\n[333]The one that is justified before Jehovah is then counted right or\njustified that he might be a part of the great sacrifice of God's\nbeloved Son Jesus, to the end that he might be a part of the mystery\nclass and ultimately reign with Christ. The next thing indicated by the\nScriptures is the begetting of such a one as a new creature. Begetting\nmeans the beginning. The begetting of the new creature, then, means the\nbeginning of a newness of life. When justified by Jehovah, there results\nto him the right to live as a human being on earth, and this is what he\nimmediately sacrifices. At the same time Jehovah begets him to a hope of\nlife upon the high or heavenly plane, because he is called to a \"high\ncalling\", a \"heavenly calling\". (Philippians 3:14; Hebrews 3:1) This\nbegetting is in the nature of a contract or an agreement. Covenant is\nalso a word used for contract. In order to make a contract there must be\ntwo or more parties, and there must be a consideration passing from one\nto the other. Where there are mutual promises, made on both sides, this\nis sufficient consideration. We will name the one whom we have been\ndiscussing as coming to justification Honest Heart.\n\n[334]Honest Heart presents himself to the Lord Jesus the high priest,\nfully surrendering himself and agreeing to do the will of God. There is\nthe promise on his part, then, and he is one party to the contract\nthrough his advocate, the Lord Jesus. And when Christ Jesus the high\npriest presents him to the Father, Jehovah, the Lord Jehovah in\nsubstance says to Honest Heart: 'In consideration of the fact that you\nhave turned away from the wrongful course, and have come to Jesus, and\nhave made a full surrender of yourself in consecration, thereby\nexercising faith in his blood shed for you and your faith in my plan;\nand in consideration of the further fact that my beloved Son has imputed\nto you his merit to make you acceptable before me, I accept you and\ndetermine that you are right or justified, and accepting you as a part\nof his sacrifice, I give to you my exceeding great and precious promises\nthat by these you might become partaker of the divine nature'.--2 Peter\n1:4.\n\n[335]This is in harmony with St. James' statement: \"Of his own will\nbegat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of\nfirstfruits of his creatures\". (James 1:18) The Psalmist shows that this\nbegetting is in the nature of a contract when he says: \"Gather my\nsaints together unto me; those who have made a covenant [contract] with\nme by sacrifice\". (Psalm 50:5) Honest Heart now being begotten has the\npromise of life upon the highest plane, the divine nature. He is\nbegotten to a new hope of life. St. Peter thus writes: \"Blessed be the\nGod and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant\nmercy hath begotten us again unto a hope of life by the resurrection of\nJesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and\nundefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are\nkept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be\nrevealed in the last time\". (1 Peter 1:3-5) The inheritance to which\nHonest Heart is now begotten is an incorruptible inheritance, which is\nthe divine nature. This means that if he is faithful unto death,\nfaithful to his part of the contract, he is certain to be born upon the\ndivine plane, for the reason that Jehovah is always faithful to his part\nof the contract; and so Jesus says: \"Be thou faithful unto death and I\nwill give thee a crown of life\".--Revelation 2:10.\n\n[336]Any one thus presented by Jesus to the Father, Jehovah, justified,\naccepted and begotten, is designated in the Scriptures as a new\ncreature. \"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are\npassed away; behold, all things are become new.\" (2 Corinthians 5:17)\nThere is now a newness of life, which does not result from being\ntransferred to another climate, but from being given a new dominating\nfactor in our lives, namely, the will of God. Honest Heart, or whoever\ntakes this step, now has new hopes, new aims, new ambitions, new\naspirations, and new ideas. He is not looking for earthly honor and\nglory; but he is looking forward to the time when he might be forever\nwith the Lord in his kingdom and be a part of the seed of Abraham\naccording to the promise, through which the blessings of mankind will\ncome.\n\n[337]This one is now dead from the standpoint of a human being, as the\napostle Paul puts it: \"Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in\nGod\". (Colossians 3:3) The new creature now must be renewed, refreshed\nand invigorated and strengthened by knowledge, not by ordinary\nknowledge; but by an acquaintance with God's will and a deep\nappreciation of his plan. (Colossians 1:9) The world cannot know\nanything about this; only those who are in the relationship with the\nLord. The whole world lies in the wicked one. (1 John 5:19) But now the\nnew creature in Christ is admonished to be not conformed to this world,\nbut to be transformed by the renewing of his mind, that he might prove\nwhat is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.--Romans 12:2.\n\n[338]The one begotten is begotten by the spirit of God, the holy\nspirit. He is also anointed. This anointing is received by reason of\ncoming into the body of Christ. He is baptized into Christ's death;\ntherefore baptized into Christ's body. To be baptized means to be\nimmersed. To be baptized into Christ's death means to be immersed into\nthe death of Christ. And so the Apostle puts it: \"Know ye not, that so\nmany of us as are baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his\ndeath? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like\nas Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even\nso we also should walk in newness of life.\" (Romans 6:3,4) Baptism in\nwater is merely a symbol of the real baptism. It would do no one any\ngood to be baptized in water unless he had first undergone the real\nbaptism by being immersed into Christ.\n\n[339]All of those who are thus inducted into the body of Christ receive\nthe anointing through the head of the Christ, Jesus the beloved One.\nThis is illustrated or pictured by God's dealings with Israel. In the\ntype Aaron the high priest was anointed. \"He [Moses] poured of the\nanointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.\"\n(Leviticus 8:12) This anointing oil was poured upon Aaron's head and ran\ndown upon his garment. (Psalm 133:2) Aaron the high priest was a type of\nthe entire Christ, head and body. As the oil was poured upon his head\nand ran down to the skirt of his garments, so in antitype, Jesus the\nhead, at the time of his baptism in the Jordan, received the anointing\nof the holy spirit without measure (Matthew 3:16,17); and at Pentecost\nhis disciples received the anointing of the holy spirit. And thereafter\nduring the gospel age all who come into Christ receive this anointing\nthrough Christ Jesus the head by virtue of being inducted into the body\nof Christ.\n\n[340]Those who are thus anointed have the spirit of the Lord and by\nvirtue of his spirit are able to understand the mystery of God and to\nappreciate the fact that they have the promise of being joint-heirs with\nChrist Jesus in his kingdom. To be anointed means to be assigned to a\nplace in the body of Christ. \"The spirit itself beareth witness with our\nspirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs;\nheirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with\nhim, that we may be also glorified together.\"--Romans 8:16,17.\n\n\nSANCTIFICATION\n\n[341]These new creatures in Christ, otherwise called members of his\nbody, must now be transformed and made into the image and likeness of\ntheir Head. (Romans 8:29) They must be sanctified. Sanctification means\nto be set apart for the use of Jehovah. It means the process of making\nus meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.\n(Colossians 1:12) It is the process of perfecting the saints. (Ephesians\n4:12) This process begins when Jehovah accepts our consecration and\nbegets us; and must continue until birth upon the spirit plane.\n\n[342]Sanctification, then, is to be made holy, in the likeness of our\nLord. Concerning such Jesus said: \"Sanctify them through thy truth; thy\nword is truth\". (John 17:17) The Christian now must feed upon or study\nthe Word of God, learn its principles, learn of Jehovah's character and\nthat of the Lord Jesus, and strive to conform his own life thereto. He\nnow has set before him the hope of being made like the Lord in glory;\nand \"every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he\nis pure\". (1 John 3:3) This process of sanctification is done by the\nLord through his Word. \"Both he who sanctifies and those whom he is\nsanctifying have all one Father, and for this reason he is not ashamed\nto speak of them as brethren.\" (Hebrews 2:11, _Weymouth_) Here we see\nthe sanctifier is the Lord Jesus Christ, and those whom he is\nsanctifying are the members of his body; and all of these have one\nFather, Jehovah God; therefore all of the one body, constituting the\nmystery of God.\n\n[343]All this work of sanctification is done in what we designate the\nschool of Christ; and it is only those who are in this school by being\nin Christ Jesus that can be sanctified and ultimately be a part of that\nglorious mystical body, the heavenly kingdom class that will constitute\nthe great prophet, priest, and king.\n\n[344]This mystery hid from ages and generations and made known only to\nthe saints is, says the apostle Paul, the Christ; and the Christ in you\nis the hope of glory. Those who are in Christ and who have the spirit of\nChrist in them have the glorious hope of being born on the divine plane\nas members of the body of Christ. These are called to the obtaining of\nthe glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; and to them are given all the\nexceeding great and precious promises contained in the Word of God. The\nProphet speaking of them and to them said: \"The nations shall see thy\nrighteousness, and all the kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by\na new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a\ncrown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand\nof thy God.\" (Isaiah 62:2,3) These have the promise: \"When Christ, who\nis our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory\".\n(Colossians 3:4) And \"then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in\nthe kingdom of their Father\".--Matthew 13:43.\n\n[345]The apostle Paul declares that he was made a minister, according to\nthe gift of God, that he should preach to the nations the unsearchable\nriches of Christ, \"and to make all see what is the fellowship of the\nmystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who\ncreated all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the\nprincipalities and powers in heavenly places might be [made] known by\nthe church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose\nwhich he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord\". (Ephesians 3:7-11) Thus we\nsee that this great mystery is the Christ, and that for six thousand\nyears Jehovah has been preparing for, developing and completing this\ngreat mystery; and that when completed, he will use the Christ as his\nprophet, priest, and king to minister unto the people, to rule over the\npeople, and to bless the people, according to his promise.\n\n[346]The Apostle declares that the whole creation is groaning and\ntravailing in pain, waiting for the manifestation of this great\nmystery. (Romans 8:19-22) The people do not know for what they are\nwaiting. But when the great mystery is complete and Messiah's kingdom\nset up, then God will bring his long-promised blessings to mankind, and\nultimately his will shall be done upon earth as it is done in heaven.\n\n\n\n\nWhat is a mystery? \u00b6 298.\n\nHow could Jehovah hide or keep secret his plan from others? \u00b6 298.\n\nHas he kept his plan secret? \u00b6 298.\n\nWhen Jesus was on earth, why did he teach by parables? \u00b6 299.\n\nDid the disciples always understand his meaning? \u00b6 299.\n\nDid he instruct the disciples how they would be taught after his\ndeparture? and if so, how? \u00b6 299.\n\nWhat is meant by the spirit of truth? \u00b6 299.\n\nWhen was the holy spirit given to the disciples? Give the Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6 300.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the term \"holy ghost\"? \u00b6 300.\n\nWhen did God's mystery begin to be understood by the disciples? \u00b6 301.\n\nWhat effect has the mystery had on Jews and so-called Christians? \u00b6 301.\n\nDefine the mystery of God. \u00b6 302.\n\nHow did God foreshadow the mystery? \u00b6 302.\n\nWhat is man's great enemy? \u00b6 302.\n\nWhat is and always has been man's greatest desire? and how long has man\nbeen seeking for this thing desired? \u00b6 303.\n\nWho was the cause of death? \u00b6 303.\n\nAt the time when God pronounced the sentence in Eden, was the statement,\n'The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head,' understood?\n\u00b6 303.\n\nWhen did it begin to be understood? \u00b6 303.\n\nWhat great promise was made nearly two thousand years after the\nexpulsion from Eden? Quote the promise. \u00b6 304.\n\nDid that promise have reference to the mystery of God? and was it\nunderstood then? \u00b6 304.\n\nDid Abraham understand the promise? \u00b6 304.\n\nDid Abraham have any children at that time? \u00b6 304.\n\nThrough whom did Abraham expect the blessing to come to the people?\n\u00b6 304.\n\nIf the promise was renewed, to whom was it renewed? \u00b6 304.\n\nWhat was expected through the seed of Abraham? \u00b6 304.\n\nWhat effect did the Israelites' enslavement have upon their hopes? \u00b6 304.\n\nWhom did God send to deliver the Israelites from Egypt? and whom did he\ntypify? \u00b6 304.\n\nWhat effect did Moses' prophetic statement have upon the people with\nreference to the One of whom he was a type? \u00b6 304.\n\nWhat is signified by the name Joshua? and of whom was Joshua a type? \u00b6 305.\n\nWho was the beloved king of Israel? and what did the Jews hope would\ncome through him? \u00b6 306.\n\nWho succeeded this king on the throne? \u00b6 306.\n\nFor what was Solomon famous? \u00b6 306.\n\nWhat became the condition of Israel under the reign of Zedekiah? \u00b6 307.\n\nDid the prophets who testified of the coming of Messiah understand their\ntestimony? \u00b6 308.\n\nWere the angels of heaven permitted to understand? \u00b6 308.\n\nWhy did God keep this mystery a secret? \u00b6 308.\n\nWho announced the coming of Jesus? and what was his particular message\nor announcement? \u00b6 309.\n\nHow many disciples did Jesus choose? \u00b6 309.\n\nHow long did he teach them personally? \u00b6 309.\n\nWhat were the expectations of the disciples relative to Jesus? \u00b6 309.\n\nWhat effect did his death have upon them? \u00b6 309.\n\nWhat was their expectation after his resurrection, and why? \u00b6 309.\n\nWhat did Jesus say to them at the time of his ascension to heaven? \u00b6 309.\n\nWhere did the disciples tarry after Jesus' ascension? and how long\nbefore they received any manifestation from the Lord? \u00b6 310.\n\nHow was God's power manifested toward them at Pentecost? \u00b6 310.\n\nHow was the acceptance of the merit of Jesus as the sin-offering\nmanifested to men by Jehovah? \u00b6 311.\n\nMay we believe that there was much joy in heaven when Jesus presented\nthe merit of his sacrifice? and if so, why? \u00b6 311.\n\nWhat effect did the understanding of the mystery have upon the\ndisciples? \u00b6 311.\n\nWhat did St. Paul say about the mystery of God? \u00b6 312.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the word \"saints\"? \u00b6 312.\n\nWhat does the word \"Christ\" signify? \u00b6 313.\n\nWhat is the meaning of \"anointing\"? \u00b6 313.\n\nWho compose the Christ? \u00b6 313.\n\nWho is the head? and who the body? \u00b6 313.\n\nGive Scriptural proof of who constitutes the Head and the body of\nChrist. \u00b6 313.\n\nHow does St. Paul use the human body to illustrate the body of Christ?\n\u00b6 314.\n\nWhat is meant by the seed of Abraham? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 315.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the term \"church\"? \u00b6 315.\n\nWho is meant by the \"elect of God\"? \u00b6 316.\n\nGive Scriptural proof that the members of the Christ are called \"living\nstones\". \u00b6 317.\n\nWho is the chief corner-stone in the building of God? \u00b6 317.\n\nWhat great building on earth pictures this building of God? \u00b6 317.\n\nWho constitute the royal priesthood? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 318.\n\nWhy are the members of the church called footstep followers of Jesus?\n\u00b6 319.\n\nWhat are these followers called upon to do? \u00b6 319.\n\nDefine the term \"Christian\". \u00b6 319.\n\nIs every church member a Christian? and if not, why not? \u00b6 319.\n\nWhat promises are given to the Christian? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 319.\n\nWhat particular reward is promised to the ones who are faithful unto\ndeath? \u00b6 319.\n\nCan everybody understand these great truths? and if not, why not? \u00b6 320.\n\nWhat is essential in order to understand the mystery of God? \u00b6 320.\n\nWhat is meant by the prophet Joel's statement, 'the Servants and\nhandmaidens of God'? \u00b6 320.\n\nHow was the mystery illustrated in the tabernacle furnishings? \u00b6 321.\n\nCould the priest be seen by the people while ministering in the\ntabernacle? \u00b6 321.\n\nWhat did this concealing of the priest in the holy illustrate relative\nto the mystery? \u00b6 321.\n\nWhat is the antitypical atonement day? \u00b6 322.\n\nHow often did the atonement day occur with the Jews? \u00b6 322.\n\nOn that day, who was in the holy and the most holy of the tabernacle?\n\u00b6 322.\n\nWhat does this picture in the antitype? \u00b6 322.\n\nWhy have the followers of Jesus been despised by the world? \u00b6 322.\n\nWhat counterfeit of the mystery of God has Satan organized? Give\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 323.\n\nWhat will be the ultimate end of the mystery of iniquity? \u00b6 323.\n\nIs it important to know how one becomes a member of the mystery class?\n\u00b6 323.\n\nAn understanding of the mystery involves what? \u00b6 324.\n\nIn what condition have all the human race been born? \u00b6 325.\n\nWhom has Jehovah drawn to Jesus during the gospel age? \u00b6 325.\n\nWhat constitutes the beginning of wisdom? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 325.\n\nWhat is the first essential to one's becoming a Christian? \u00b6 325.\n\nWhat constitutes repentance? \u00b6 325.\n\nHow is one drawn to Jesus? \u00b6 326.\n\nWhen may it be said of one that he is converted? \u00b6 326.\n\nDefine the difference between repentance and conversion. \u00b6 326.\n\nDo repentance and conversion bring one into relationship with God? and\nif not, why not? \u00b6 326.\n\nDefine faith. \u00b6 326.\n\nWhat is necessary to increase faith? \u00b6 327.\n\nWhat does Jesus say to those who are seeking after God and who are\nweary? \u00b6 327.\n\nWhat is meant by being weary and heavy laden? \u00b6 327.\n\nHow can one come to the Father? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 328.\n\nWhat does Jesus say to the truth-seeker concerning the cost? \u00b6 328.\n\nWhat is the meaning of consecration? and how may one consecrate himself\nto the Lord? \u00b6 328.\n\nIs it proper to compel consecration to the Lord? \u00b6 329.\n\nWhat does Jesus say in reference to becoming his follower? \u00b6 329.\n\nDefine the meaning of self-denial. \u00b6 329.\n\nWhy is any one justified during the gospel age? \u00b6 330.\n\nIn connection with the tabernacle, when the high priest slew the Lord's\ngoat, what did that picture? \u00b6 330.\n\nThe fact that the goat must be without blemish foreshadowed what? \u00b6 330.\n\nWhat is the meaning-of the term \"justification\"? \u00b6 330.\n\nWhen must justification for the purpose of sacrifice take place? Give\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 330.\n\nWhat assurance has one that his consecration will be accepted? \u00b6 330.\n\nMust the consecration be made before or after the consecrator is\npresented to Jehovah? \u00b6 330.\n\nWho is the great Judge of the universe? and who justifies? Give\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 331.\n\nGive the steps essential to justification. \u00b6 332.\n\nQuote the Scriptures proving the steps leading to justification--the\nfirst, second, and third steps, in the order named. \u00b6 332.\n\nFor what purpose does God justify any one during the gospel age? \u00b6 333.\n\nWhat is meant by begetting one as a new creature? \u00b6 333.\n\nWhat results to the man who is justified by Jehovah? \u00b6 333.\n\nWhat does such a one sacrifice? \u00b6 333.\n\nTo what does Jehovah beget this sacrificer? \u00b6 333.\n\nState the nature of this begetting. \u00b6 333.\n\nHow many parties must there be to a contract? and what is the\nconsideration for begetting one as a new creature in Christ? \u00b6 333.\n\nState the terms of the arrangement between Honest Heart, the one who\npresents himself to the Lord, and Jehovah, who justifies and begets him.\n\u00b6 334.\n\nIn this arrangement, what office does the Lord Jesus perform? \u00b6 334.\n\nWhat is meant by the word \"advocate\"? \u00b6 334.\n\nGive Scriptural proof that the begetting is in the nature of a contract,\nboth from the Old and the New Testament. \u00b6 335.\n\nTo what is Honest Heart, or any sacrificer like him, begotten? \u00b6 335.\n\nQuote the Scripture with reference to the nature to which he is\nbegotten. \u00b6 335.\n\nShould the one thus begotten continue faithful unto death, what is his\ncertain reward? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 335.\n\nOne thus begotten is how designated in the Scriptures? Give Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6 336.\n\nWhat is the great hope now of the new creature in Christ? \u00b6 336.\n\nWhy is it said that he is now dead as a human being? \u00b6 337.\n\nAs a new creature, does he need renewing? and if so, how is this done?\n\u00b6 337.\n\nWhy does not the world know about the development of the new creature?\n\u00b6 337.\n\nHow is the new creature transformed? \u00b6 337.\n\nWhat does it mean to be baptized into Christ? Give Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6 338.\n\nWhat is the meaning of water baptism or immersion? \u00b6 338.\n\nIs there any virtue in water baptism? \u00b6 338.\n\nWho are the anointed ones in Christ? \u00b6 339.\n\nHow did Aaron the high priest illustrate this? Give Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6 339.\n\nWhom did Aaron the high priest typify? \u00b6 339.\n\nWhat does anointing mean? \u00b6 339.\n\nGive Scriptural proof of how one may know he has been begotten and\nanointed of the Lord. \u00b6 340.\n\nWhat is the meaning of the term \"sanctification\"? Give Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6 341.\n\nWhen does the process of sanctification begin? and how long must it\ncontinue? \u00b6 341.\n\nHow is one sanctified? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 342.\n\nWhat influence has the hope of glory upon his sanctification? \u00b6 342.\n\nWhy does Jesus call the members of his body brethren? \u00b6 342.\n\nWho is the Father of both the Head and the body of the Christ? \u00b6 342.\n\nIn what school does this sanctification take place? \u00b6 343.\n\nCan any one outside of the school of Christ be sanctified? \u00b6 343.\n\nThose who are in Christ and have the spirit of Christ, what is the hope\nset before them? \u00b6 344.\n\nWhat promises are given to them? \u00b6 344.\n\nQuote some of those precious promises as set forth in the Scriptures.\n\u00b6 344.\n\nGive one of the reasons why St. Paul was made a minister. Quote his\nwords. \u00b6 345.\n\nThe mystery class is known by what other titles? and what will be the\noffice of the mystery class, the Christ, in the future? \u00b6 345.\n\nHow will God use this mystery class for the benefit of the people in the\nfuture? \u00b6 346.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IX\n\nString 8: _Our Lord's Return_\n\n\nSuppose your dearest friend and benefactor is away on a long journey and\nyou expect him to return, because when he went away he promised to come\nagain; suppose that since that time you have been looking, hoping and\npraying for his return, and that you were informed he had arrived. Such\nnews would fill your very soul with joy and you could not keep from\nsinging.\n\n[348]A friend is one who loves you all the time; one who even without\nyour knowing it makes a great sacrifice in order that you might be the\nrecipient of some real good. The greatest friend that you have had, or\nany one else has had, is the Lord Jesus, because he left all of his\nriches and glory, became a man, and laid down his life in ignominious\ndeath in order that all men might have one fair and full opportunity for\nthe blessings of life everlasting.--John 15:13.\n\n[349]The facts show that nineteen hundred years ago, Jesus went away on\na long journey, even into heaven itself; that when he went away he\npromised his disciples that he would return and that, when returning,\nthose who loved his appearing would receive many precious gifts. If the\nfacts show that this precious friend has returned and we begin to see\nthat all the fond hopes of Christians are about to be realized and that\neven the world is soon to be blessed, what unspeakable joy this brings!\nThose who have watched and waited for his coming necessarily break forth\nin singing the praises of the Lord. In this chapter we hope to prove\nthe fact of the Lord's return, how he will return, when, and for what\npurpose, and that he has already come.\n\n[350]For centuries Jews have been hoping, looking, and praying for the\ncoming of a Messiah. For nineteen hundred years Christians have been\nhoping, watching, and praying, and waiting for the coming of Christ Jesus\nthe Lord. Messiah and Christ mean the same. The term means The Anointed\nOne. The whole world of mankind, groping in darkness, laden with grievous\nburdens, has been groaning and still groans in pain, waiting for some\nrelief, but not knowing how it will come. (Romans 8:19,22) The world in\nfact is waiting for the Messiah, the Christ, and his kingdom of\nrighteousness. When the world comes to a knowledge of the fact that the\nLord, the great deliverer and benefactor of man, has returned, every\nhonest soul will be filled with joy and every grateful heart will\nrespond in songs of gladness.\n\n[351]To the Christian the Lord's return is one of the most wonderfully\nprecious strings upon the harp of God. It yields music of unsurpassed\nsweetness. Blessed are the eyes of those who see and ears of those who\nhear and learn that the Lord has come and is now present.\n\n[352]The suffering and groaning of the whole creation daily increases,\nand this condition is putting the people in an attitude of mind to take\nheed to the evidence of the meaning of these present events. The time\nhas come for all to awaken and diligently inquire concerning the\npresence of the King of kings.\n\n\nFACT OF HIS COMING\n\n[353]The reasons why we should expect the Lord's second coming are\nnumerous, but unless we call these to mind, even though we once knew\nthem, we overlook their importance. If we have never known them, then an\nexamination of these reasons is satisfying to the hungry soul. Reason\nshould always be employed in the examination of Scriptural questions.\nSound reasoning and the Scriptures are necessarily in accord. \"Come now,\nlet us reason together, saith the Lord.\" (Isaiah 1:18) As our vision of\nthe divine plan enlarges, we can see a reason and a Scripture for every\nstep and every development in the divine arrangement.\n\n[354]The Scriptures thus far examined prove conclusively that Jesus\nChrist died and rose from the dead that he might be the redeemer of\nmankind; that he ascended on high and presented the value of his human\nsacrifice in behalf of man, and that at some time all men must have an\nopportunity to receive the benefit of his great sacrifice. (1 Timothy\n2:5,6) If mankind in general is to be benefited by the Lord's sacrifice\nafter coming to a knowledge of that fact, then it follows that there\nmust be some relationship established between the world of mankind and\nthe Lord Jesus in order that the world might be brought to a knowledge\nof the arrangement of Jehovah and brought back into harmony with God.\nIf, as the Scriptures declare, God formed the earth for man's\nhabitation, that he made it not in vain, and that the earth abideth\nforever; and if, according to the promise to Abraham, through the seed,\nthe Christ, a blessing shall come to all mankind, it follows that the\nLord must establish an order of things in the earth that man might enjoy\nthe things which God intended for him to have, and that he must be\npresent to establish such a righteous order on earth.\n\n[355]But the student is not left to theory nor conjecture. The\nScriptural evidence is given in such abundance that all doubt is forever\nremoved. God's Prophet long ago foretold the coming of a mighty one and\nsaid that this Mighty One should have a government of righteousness;\nthat \"his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,\nThe everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace; of the increase of his\ngovernment and peace there shall be no end\". (Isaiah 9:6,7) An\n'everlasting Father' presumes that there shall be some offspring who\nwill have everlasting life. Hence this promise indicated that a\ngovernment would be established wherein man would be granted the\nprivilege of life everlasting.\n\n[356]As we have heretofore observed, Jehovah made a covenant with the\nnation of Israel, to the exclusion of all other nations. He gave them a\nlaw to shield them from the influences and machinations of the adversary\nand to lead them to Christ, their great Messiah. The Jews as a nation\ndid not keep this law, because they were imperfect; but some of their\nrulers were especially wicked. The time came when God said concerning\nZedekiah, the last king of Israel: \"And thou, profane wicked prince of\nIsrael, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith\nthe Lord God: Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not\nbe the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will\noverturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come\nwhose right it is; and I will give it him,\"--Ezekiel 21:25-27.\n\n[357]It follows that at some future time there would come a mighty one\nwho would establish a kingdom of righteousness, having full authority\nand right thus to do.\n\n[358]At the overthrow of Zedekiah God permitted the gentiles to\nestablish a universal dominion in the earth. The Lord through the\nprophet Daniel pictured the development of four world empires or\nkingdoms, which would exist for a certain period of time, and which\nwould continue until he should come whose right it is and then he, the\nRighteous One, should take possession of earth's affairs and rule. It is\nto be expected, of course, that the unrighteous governments would hold\non to their power in earth as long as possible, and that they would\nstill be thus doing at the coming of the great King, and that he would\noust these earthly kingdoms of unrighteousness and establish a righteous\ngovernment. Thus says the Lord through the prophet Daniel: \"In the days\nof these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall\nnever be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people,\nbut it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it\nshall stand for ever\". (Daniel 2:44) It follows, then, that this\nrighteous King must be present before he breaks to pieces and consumes\nthe other kingdoms. The Scriptures speak of the righteous kingdom as the\nkingdom of heaven, because it is in accord with the heavenly Father's\nwill and ruled by the invisible power of the great Messiah.\n\n[359]The term kingdom is used in a two-fold sense: (1) referring to the\nking or ruler, the dominating or controlling factor; and (2) to the\ndominion and subjects of that kingdom. Almost all the parables of Jesus\nwere concerning the kingdom of God, or kingdom of heaven. So great is\nthat kingdom in importance in the Lord's arrangement that Jesus taught\nhis disciples to pray: \"Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as\nit is done in heaven\". (Matthew 6:10) From that time until now\nChristians have been praying this prayer and hoping for its fulfillment.\nThe foregoing Scriptures definitely establish the fact that such a\nkingdom of righteousness is to be put into operation. Who, then, will be\nthe king of that great and glorious kingdom? The Scriptures answer,\nJesus Christ the Son of God.--Luke 22:30; Colossians 1:13; 2 Peter 1:11;\nMatthew 28:18.\n\n[360]When Jesus stood before Pilate accused of sedition because he\ntaught concerning his kingdom coming, Pilate asked him: \"Art thou the\nKing of the Jews?\" And Jesus answered: \"My kingdom is not of this\nworld\". (John 18:33,36) By the word world here is meant a social and\npolitical order. The Scriptures show that from the time of Zedekiah's\noverthrow until he whose right it is sets up his kingdom, the gentiles\nare in power and that these lie in the wicked one, Satan, who is the god\nor invisible ruler of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:3,4) Jesus speaks of\nhim as the prince of this world. (John 12:31) Satan's rule has been\nunrighteous, wicked, and devilish; and when he comes whose right it is,\nhe will establish a righteous kingdom in the place or stead of the\nunrighteous order of Satan. By these words, then, addressed to Pilate we\nwould understand the Master to mean that his kingdom from that time is\nfuture, yet definitely showing that in the future time he would have a\nkingdom.\n\n[361]Jesus gave to his disciples a parable designated the parable of the\npounds, in which he pictured himself as a certain nobleman going into a\nfar country to receive a kingdom and to return; and he shows that this\nnobleman does return. \"He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a\nfar country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he\ncalled his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto\nthem, Occupy till I come.... And it came to pass, that when he was\nreturned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants\nto be called unto him, to whom he had given money.\" (Luke 19:12-15) A\nsimilar picture and lesson is taught by the parable of the talents.\n(Matthew 25:14) As further evidence of his return, Jesus said: \"When the\nSon of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him,\nthen shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be\ngathered all nations.\"--Matthew 25:31,32.\n\n[362]Just a short time before his crucifixion he was teaching his\ndisciples. They understood, though imperfectly, that he was to be taken\nfrom them. His disciples were troubled at this information. Then Jesus,\nspeaking plainly to them, said: \"Let not your heart be troubled: ye\nbelieve in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many\nmansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a\nplace for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come\nagain and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be\nalso.\" (John 14:1-3) This is indisputable proof of his second coming.\n\n[363]After his resurrection he had stated that he would ascend unto God\nthe Father in heaven. (John 20:17) Forty days after his resurrection he\nwas with his disciples on the Mount of Olives, instructing them to go to\nJerusalem and there wait until they should receive the power of the holy\nspirit, that they might thereafter be witnesses for him. \"And when he\nhad spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud\nreceived him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward\nheaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;\nwhich also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?\nThis same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in\nlike manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.\" (Acts 1:9-11) Without a\ndoubt these men who here stood by the disciples in white apparel were\nangels or messengers sent of the Lord thus to witness to them, which\nangels doubtless materialized in human form for that very purpose and\nafterward dematerialized and disappeared. This additional testimony was\ngiven, however, that the faith of the disciples might be complete that\nthe Lord would come again.\n\n[364]This fact was so definitely established in the minds of the\napostles that they often spoke and wrote of the second coming of the\nLord. In fact, it is the great event to which they and all other true\nfollowers of the Master have looked forward. (1 Corinthians 1:7; 15:23;\n1 Thessalonians 2:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; James 5:7,8; 2 Peter 1:16;\nActs 3:19-21; Philippians 3:20) Of his coming again and the blessings\nhis presence will bring to those that love him further testimony was\ngiven by the apostle Paul when he wrote to Timothy: \"I am now ready to\nbe offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the\ngood fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth\nthere is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the\nrighteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto\nall them also that love his appearing.\"--2 Timothy 4:6-8.\n\n[365]The book of Revelation in our Bible is the revelation of Jesus\nChrist which he gave after his glorification. He concludes this\nrevelation by stating to St. John: \"He which testifieth these things\nsaith, Surely I come quickly\"; to which St. John replies, \"Even so,\ncome, Lord Jesus\".--Revelation 22:20.\n\n[366]That the Lord is to have a kingdom of righteousness, that Jesus\nChrist is to be the great King of that kingdom, and that he is coming a\nsecond time for the purpose of thus reigning, is so abundantly\nestablished by the Scriptures that all possible doubt is removed. An\nimportant question, therefore, for us to determine is\n\n\nHOW HE COMES\n\n[367]We must make up our minds at once that the Bible testimony\nconcerning the manner of our Lord's coming is to be taken as conclusive.\nA careful examination of this will disclose the fact that the Bible does\nestablish definitely and reasonably the manner of his appearing. Many\nhave supposed and yet suppose that the Lord will come again in his body\nof humiliation, the very body in which he was crucified and which has\nthe marks upon it, and that such is to be visible to human eyes. The\nwords of Jesus disprove this conclusion. When instructing his disciples\njust before his crucifixion, Jesus said: \"Yet a little while, and the\nworld seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live\nalso\". (John 14:19) Thus he establishes the fact that his faithful\ndisciples will see him as he is, but that the world will see him no\nmore. And why is this true? We answer, Because Jesus was raised from the\ndead not a human but a spirit being, with divine nature or organism. The\nnature is determined by the organism or body. He now has a glorious\nbody, which no man hath seen nor can look upon and live. (1 Timothy\n6:15,16) We have heretofore examined the Scriptural evidence showing\nthat no one of the different organisms or bodies in which Jesus appeared\nto his disciples after his resurrection was his glorious body, but that\nsuch bodies were created by him for the purpose at the time.\n\n[368]He was put to death a human being. He was raised from the dead a\nspirit. (1 Peter 3:18; 1 Corinthians 15:45) St. John definitely shows\nthat the body in which Jesus will appear is not his human body because\nhe says: \"It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but ... we shall be\nlike him\". (1 John 3:2) Jesus is no longer human, but divine; therefore\nwe could not expect human eyes to see him. He is now the express image\nof Jehovah. (Hebrews 1:3) Because he is no longer human and has not a\nbody of flesh, but a spirit body, the apostle Paul under inspiration\nwrote: \"Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth\nknow we him no more\".--2 Corinthians 5:16.\n\n[369]After his resurrection Jesus was exalted and given a name above\nevery name (Philippians 2:9) and sat down at the right hand of the\nFather in glory and in power. (Revelation 3:21) Of him the apostle Paul\nwrites: \"Now the Lord is that spirit\". (2 Corinthians 3:17) Jesus\nexplained to Nicodemus concerning a spirit, saying, \"Except a man be\nborn of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of\nGod. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of\nthe spirit is spirit.... The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou\nhearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and\nwhither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the spirit.\"--John\n3:4-8.\n\n[370]Seeing, then, that Jesus Christ is a glorious spirit being with a\ndivine organism, and that as the wind cannot be seen, but comes and\ngoes, so a spirit can thus come and go without being discerned by human\neyes, could not our Lord be present and yet not observable by any\nnatural eyes? That is exactly according to the facts. Satan is a spirit\nbeing. For many centuries Satan has been the god or invisible ruler of\nthe present evil world (2 Corinthians 4:3,4); yet no human eyes have\nseen Satan, although men have felt his influence and still feel it.\nSatan is not only the god of this world, but he is the chief one of his\nwicked, invisible heaven; that is to say, the invisible ruling order of\nthings composed of Satan and the other fallen angels who exercise power\nover human beings. The apostle Peter said: \"We, according to his\npromise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth\nrighteousness\". (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-5) The coming kingdom of\nthe Lord is the new heavenly kingdom. This new ruling power, the\nMessiah, is invisible, and will be invisible to human eyes, but will\nestablish in the earth visible agencies and representatives, namely, a\nnew social and political order of things. We should not, therefore,\nexpect the Lord's second coming to be in a body visible to human eyes,\nbut should expect that he would be present, exercising his power in his\nown sovereign way.\n\n[371]In many places in our Bible referring to the second coming of the\nLord the word translated into the English as \"coming\" is properly\ntranslated _presence_. The proper meaning is distinguished by the Greek\nword used, from which the English is translated. The Greek word\n_parousia_ (pronounced par-oo-se\u00e9-ah) means presence, and refers to the\ninvisible presence of the Lord and is used in the following Scriptural\ntexts. We here quote the texts as they appear in the King James Version,\nputting in brackets the proper word immediately following the word\n\"coming\".\n\n[372]\"What shall be the sign of thy coming [presence]?\"--Matthew 24:3.\n\n[373]\"As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming [presence] of\nthe Son of man be.\"--Matthew 24:37,39.\n\n[374]\"They that are Christ's at his coming [presence].\"--1 Corinthians\n15:23.\n\n[375]\"Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his\ncoming [presence]?\"--1 Thessalonians 2:19.\n\n[376]\"To the end that he may establish your hearts unblameable in\nholiness before God, even our Father, at the coming [presence] of our\nLord Jesus Christ.\"--1 Thessalonians 3:13.\n\n[377]\"We which are alive and remain unto the coming [presence] of the\nLord shall not prevent them which are asleep.\"--1 Thessalonians 4:15.\n\n[378]\"I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved\nblameless unto the coming [presence] of our Lord Jesus Christ.\"\n--1 Thessalonians 5:23.\n\n[379]\"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming [presence] of our\nLord Jesus Christ.\"--2 Thessalonians 2:1.\n\n[380]\"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming [presence] of the\nLord.\"--James 5:7.\n\n[381]\"For the coming [presence] of the Lord draweth nigh.\"--James 5:8.\n\n[382]\"Where is the promise of his coming [presence]?\"--2 Peter 3:4.\n\n[383]When Jesus was taken up into heaven, the angels standing by the\ndisciples said to them: \"He shall come in like manner\". The manner of\nhis going or being taken away was quiet, without observation, except by\na few. In a similar manner we should expect his return. Those watching\nfor his coming necessarily would be the first to observe his presence.\nThis is in exact harmony with the thought expressed by the apostle Paul\nwhen he wrote: \"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord\nso cometh as a thief in the night\", (1 Thessalonians 5:2) The same\nthought the apostle Peter expressed: \"The day of the Lord will come as a\nthief in the night\". (2 Peter 3:10) And of His coming Jesus said:\n\"Behold, I come as a thief\", \"If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will\ncome on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come\nupon thee.\" (Revelation 16:15; 3:3; Matthew 24:43) A thief comes usually\nin the night time when all are asleep, and none see him except those who\nare watching or those who may be awakened by his presence. Even so the\nLord comes in the night time of the close of the gospel age, just before\nthe dawn of the new day; and none discern his presence except those who\nwatch and who have the eye of faith.\n\n[384]The Lord spoke in symbolic phrase, and speaking concerning the\nmanner of his appearing he said: \"Behold, I have told you before.\nWherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go\nnot forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.\"\n(Matthew 24:25,26) Here he is warning and safeguarding against the error\nof believing that he will appear in the desert or that he will appear in\nsome secret chamber; as spiritists claim they have come in contact with\nhim. Then he says: \"For as the lightning cometh out of the east; and\nshineth even unto the west; so shall also the presence of the Son of man\nbe\". (Matthew 24:27) The word lightning here is translated from the\nGreek word _astrapee_ and means bright shining, or bright shiner. We\nknow that lightning does not come out of the east and shine even unto\nthe west, because flashes of lightning come from all directions, and\nmore often from the west than from the east. The bright shining or\nbright shiner here really means the sun. The sun begins to shed forth\nits light in the east before it is fully up; and when it comes over the\neastern horizon it shines everywhere from the east to the west. Just so\nthe presence of the Lord. He quietly appears and his presence begins to\nshed light in all parts of the earth.\n\n[385]The Prophet of the Lord also used the sun to illustrate the Lord\nJesus, saying: \"The Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his\nwings\". (Malachi 4:2) Again Jesus likened his faithful followers unto\nthe sun when he said: \"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun\nin the kingdom of their Father\".--Matthew 13:43.\n\n[386]In examining the evidence, then, with reference to the Lord's\nsecond appearing, if we will keep always in mind that his appearance is\nnot and will not be visible to human eyes, but that it will be gradually\ndiscernible in the physical facts which will occur in fulfillment of\nprophecy, we shall be better enabled to understand the various\nScriptural texts bearing upon the subject.\n\n\nTIME OF HIS COMING\n\n[387]The time of the Lord's second appearing is of great importance to\nall, and Christians, since the days of the apostles, have been watching\nfor some evidence of his presence and asking the question, When will the\nLord appear? While those who love the Lord discuss the important\nquestion, some have answered saying, 'The Lord is liable to come any\nmoment. He may come tonight,' These expect the Lord's appearing in a\nvisible body. Others who have no real desire for his coming, because it\nwould interfere with their selfish plans, say: 'He will not come in my\ntime; he will not come for fifty-thousand years or more; hence there is\nno reason for our concerning ourselves about his coming'. Still others\nwho fear his coming and who do not desire to see him say: 'No one can\npossibly know the time. Why, therefore, should one spend his time in\ndiscussing the question?'\n\n[388]The last-named class, in support of their contention, cite the\nwords of Jesus when he said: \"But of that day and hour knoweth no man,\nno, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only\". (Matthew 24:36) It is\nassumed because he used these words that no one would ever know except\nJehovah. We should remember that Jesus spoke those words while he was\nyet a man on the earth. He had not been glorified then. He did not say\nthat no one would ever know of the hour or the day of his coming. If we\nconclude from these words that no man would ever know, we might as well\nconclude that Jesus would never know, because he said at that time that\nonly the Father knew. Paraphrasing his words we note he said this: 'The\nday of my coming no one now knows except my Father. Neither man nor\nangel knows anything about it; nor do I even know,' At the same time,\nhis words implied that conditions would change, so that others would\nknow, because he said: \"Watch therefore: for ye know not the hour your\nLord doth come\". (Matthew 24:42) Why watch unless they would know when\nthe time would arrive? When Jesus arose from the dead he said: \"All\npower is given unto me in heaven and in earth\". (Matthew 28:18) He must\nhave known then the time of his coming, because now as the creature\ndivine everything was committed into his hands for the outworking of\nGod's plan. At the time of his appearing surely the angels of heaven\nwould know about it; and the day must come when the watchers would know.\n\n[389]His last message to the disciples just before his ascension on\nhigh clearly indicated a time coming when the watchers would know. He\nsaid unto them: \"It is not for you to know the times or the seasons\nwhich the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power,\nafter that the holy spirit is come upon you.\" (Acts 1:7,8) Those who are\nbegotten of the holy spirit have the promise that the Lord will reveal\nto them his great truths when due to be understood. (1 Corinthians\n2:9,10) These are they that walk in the light, and for them the light\nshines with increasing brilliancy unto the perfect day. In harmony with\nthis, St. Paul wrote: \"Of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have\nno need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the\nday of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall\nsay, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as\ntravail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye,\nbrethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a\nthief.\" (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4) Plainly the Apostle here tells the\nfollowers of Jesus that if they are watching the things which the Lord\ntold them to watch, the day of the Lord will not come upon them\nunawares, but they will mark the fulfillment of prophecy, and in the\nlight of its fulfillment they will discern the time of the presence of\nthe great King. Furthermore he says to them: \"Ye are all the children of\nlight, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of\ndarkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and\nbe sober.\"--1 Thes. 5:5,6.\n\n[390]We shall find that Jesus gave much evidence which enables the\nwatcher to determine the Lord's presence. Jesus spoke in prophetic\nlanguage. Prophecy means a foretelling of future events before they take\nplace; and when they are taking place the watcher can ascertain that\nthey are thus fulfilling the prophetic words previously spoken.\n\n[391]Jesus gave us the positive evidence as to when to expect him. He\ngave a parable of the wheat and the tares, saying, \"The kingdom of\nheaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But\nwhile men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and\nwent his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit,\nthen appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came\nand said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from\nwhence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this.\nThe servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them\nup? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the\nwheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the\ntime of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the\ntares and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into\nmy barn.\"--Matthew 13:24-30.\n\n[392]Interpreting his own parable, Jesus said that he was the man who\nhad gown the good seed; that the field is the world; and that the good\nseed are the children of the kingdom, and that the tares are the\nchildren of the wicked one; that the enemy who sowed them is the devil;\nand that the harvest is the end of the world.--Matthew 13:37-39.\n\n[393]From this statement of the Master it is clearly shown that at the\nend of the age or world there must be a harvest; that Jesus Christ must\nbe present as the Master of that harvest, and that the harvest will\nconsist of gathering together the true followers of Christ in one body\nand of binding together the counterfeit or tare class for destruction.\nStated in other phrase, there will be a gathering of the true vine\nclass, true Christians, and the harvesting of the vine of the earth;\nnamely, the nominal Babylonish systems of the world. Since the Master\nhimself stated that he would come at this time to receive his own, the\ntruly consecrated Christians, to himself, and that he, as the Master of\nthe harvest, would direct what should be done, it follows that he must\nbe present before the beginning of the harvest and during the time of\nthe harvest. It would also follow that he would be present before the\nend of the world or age.\n\n[394]Jehovah caused the prophet Daniel to write the salient features of\nevents that would come to pass during the rule of the world powers that\nwould be in existence from the time of the empire of Persia until \"the\ntime of the end\". That which Daniel wrote was prophecy; that is to say,\nguided by the divine power, he recorded long in advance the happenings\nof certain events, which of itself shows that this prophecy could not be\nunderstood until the events had transpired. Daniel wrote concerning\nthese events, but did not understand them. They are set forth in his\nprophetic utterances recorded in the book of Daniel, chapters 7 to 12,\ninclusive. Daniel himself said: \"I heard, but I understood not: then\nsaid I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said,\nGo thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed till the time\nof the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the\nwicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but\nthe wise shall understand.\" (Daniel 12:8-10) The Lord had caused Daniel\nto record specifically what would happen when the time of the end should\nbegin. The \"time of the end\" means a specific period at the end of\ngentile dominion. \"And at _the time of the end_ shall the king of the\nsouth push at him; and the king of the north shall come against him like\na whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and\nhe shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He\nshall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be\noverthrown.\"--Daniel 11:40,41.\n\n[395]The fulfillment of this prophecy fixes the beginning of the \"time\nof the end\", because the prophecy definitely so states. The campaign of\nthe great warrior Napoleon Bonaparte is clearly a fulfillment of this\nprophecy, as reference to the historical facts concerning his campaign\nplainly show. The \"king of the south\" mentioned in the prophecy refers\nto Egypt; the \"king of the north\" means Great Britain, which was then an\nintegral part of the Roman empire. Napoleon was in Egypt fighting the\nEgyptian armies, which were led by Murat Bey, and which he defeated. His\nvictory not only struck terror to the Egyptians, but far into Africa and\nAsia, and all the surrounding tribes submitted to the great conqueror.\nWhile he was doing this, the British in the north, under the leadership\nof Lord Nelson, were making an effective attack upon Napoleon's forces\nat sea. Napoleon began this Egyptian campaign in 1798, finished it and\nreturned to France on October 1, 1799. The campaign is briefly, yet\ngraphically, described in the prophecy, verses 40 to 44; and being\ncompleted in 1799, marks, according to the Prophet's own words, the\nbeginning of the \"time of the end\".\n\n[396]From the time of the overthrow of Zedekiah (606 B.C.) and the\nestablishment of the gentile universal empire under Nebuchadnezzar, the\norganizations of the world powers or governments have been designated in\nthe Scriptures by God's Prophet as \"beasts\". The prophet Daniel (7:7,8)\ndescribes \"a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible\". This terrible beast\nwas a form of government composed of three elements or component parts,\nnamely, professional politicians, great financiers, and ecclesiastical\nleaders. This Satanic organization became dreadful and terrible from the\ntime that these three forces were united. Of this unholy trinity, we see\nthe Papacy, the ecclesiastical element, in the saddle, riding and\ndirecting everything. The date of its beginning was at the overthrow of\nthe Ostrogothic monarchy, which occurred in A.D. 539.\n\n[397]The prophet Daniel was given a vision of the events following, yet\nhe did not understand them; and he says: \"I looked, and, behold, there\nstood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the\nother on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man\nclothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall\nit be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen,\nwhich was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand\nand his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever\nthat it shall be for a time, times, and an half.\" (Daniel 12:5-7) In\nBiblical symbology a time means a year of twelve months of thirty days\neach, or 360 days. Each day is considered for a year, as the Prophet\nsays: \"I have appointed thee each day for a year\". (Ezekiel 4:6) Here\nare mentioned, then, three and a half times of 360 prophetic days each,\nor a total of 1260 prophetic days, equal to 1260 years. The Prophet then\nwas shown that the 1260 years would mark the beginning of the time of\nthe end of this beastly order. Twelve-hundred sixty years from A.D. 539\nbrings us to 1799--another proof that 1799 definitely marks the\nbeginning of \"the time of the end\". This also shows that it is from the\ndate 539 A.D. that the other prophetic days of Daniel must be counted.\n\n[398]The most important thing to which all the prophecies point and for\nwhich the apostles looked forward has been the second coming of the Lord.\nIt is described by the Prophet as a blessed time. Daniel then says:\n\"Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred\nand five and thirty [1335] days\". (Daniel 12:12) The watchers here,\nwithout question, are those who were instructed by the Lord to watch for\nhis return. This date, therefore, when understood, would certainly fix\nthe time when the Lord is due at his second appearing. Applying the same\nrule, then, of a day for a year, 1335 days after 539 A.D. brings us to\nA.D. 1874, at which time, according to Biblical chronology, the Lord's\nsecond presence is due. If this calculation is correct, from that time\nforward we ought to be able to find some evidences marking the Lord's\npresence.\n\n[399]It Is not the purpose of this writing to enter into a detailed\nstatement of Biblical chronology. The searcher for truth can find an\nextensive treatment of this question in Volumes 2 and 3 of STUDIES IN\nTHE SCRIPTURES. The purpose here is to call attention to certain\nimportant dates and then see how much, if any, prophecy has been\nfulfilled within these dates. Chronology, to some extent at least,\ndepends upon accurate calculations and there is always some possibility\nof mistakes. Fulfilled prophecy is the record of physical facts which\nare actually existent and definitely fixed. Physical facts do not\nstultify themselves. They stand as silent witnesses whose testimony must\nbe taken as indisputable.\n\n[400]There are two important dates here that we must not confuse, but\nclearly differentiate, namely, the beginning of \"the time of the end\"\nand of \"the presence of the Lord\". \"The time of the end\" embraces a\nperiod from A.D. 1799, as above indicated, to the time of the complete\noverthrow of Satan's empire and the establishment of the kingdom of the\nMessiah. The time of the Lord's second presence dates from 1874, as\nabove stated. The latter period is within the first named, of course,\nand at the latter part of the period known as \"the time of the end\".\n\n[401]The understanding of the prophecies with reference to \"the time of\nthe end\" and the Lord's presence was purposely concealed by Jehovah\nuntil the due time. Daniel desired to know what would be the end of\nthese things, but God said to him: \"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the\nwords, and seal the book, even to the time of the end\". (Daniel 12:4)\nIt is reasonable to expect that Jehovah would indicate something by\nwhich \"the time of the end\" could be discerned when it arrived. He did\nnot say to Daniel to look for some words emblazoned across the sky that\nthe end had come, but told him to look for such evidences as could be\nseen and understood by men familiar with the prophecies, and who in the\nlight of the prophecies should be watching for their fulfillment. He did\nnot expect Daniel to understand it in his day, because he said: \"Go thy\nway, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the\nend\".--Daniel 12:9.\n\n[402]When that time should arrive, what was to be expected? Jehovah\nanswers: \"Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased\".\n(Daniel 12:4) From and shortly after 1799, the date of the beginning of\n\"the time of the end\", we should expect to find an increase of knowledge,\nparticularly with reference to the Bible. Prior to that time the people\nhad been kept in ignorance of the Bible. It was the practice of the\nPapacy to forbid any one aside from the clergy class to have access to\nthe Bible; in fact, it was made a crime under the Roman law, subjecting\nthe offender to heavy penalties for having in possession a copy of the\nBible. In 1799 the beastly power of Rome, predominated by the Papal\nsystem, received a deadly wound. The people had been taught to believe\nin the divine right of kings to rule and the divine right of the clergy\nto dominate the conscience of the people. When Napoleon took the Pope a\nprisoner and carried him away to France, and when later he refused to\npermit the Pope to crown him as king, but put the crown on himself and\ntreated the Papal claimed authority with contempt, this began to open\nthe eyes of the peoples of earth, kings as well as people, to the fact\nthat Papacy did not possess the divine right it claimed.\n\n[403]A short time thereafter the first Bible societies that ever existed\nwere organized. The British and Foreign Bible Society was established in\n1803; the New York Bible Society in 1804; the Berlin-Prussian Bible\nSociety in 1805; the Philadelphia Bible Society in 1808; and the\nAmerican Bible Society in 1817. The Bible was translated and published\nin many different languages and sold at such low prices that the poor\ncould have access to it, and within a short time millions of Bibles were\nin the hands of the people. The Papal system denounced these Bible\nsocieties as \"pestiferous Bible societies\". The time had come, however,\nfor an increase of knowledge and the Lord was fulfilling his promise by\nputting it within the reach of those who were hungry for truth. The\npeople began to learn that God is no respecter of persons; that kings\nand popes, priests and the common people alike must all render their\naccount to the Lord and not to man.\n\n[404]From that time forward there has been a great corresponding\nincrease of knowledge in all the sciences; and in fact, in all lines of\nlearning. The common school, always opposed by the Papacy, has afforded\na means of general education and increase of knowledge for people in all\nwalks of life. Colleges and universities have sprung up throughout the\nworld. With the increase of knowledge on various lines have come the\nnumerous inventions that man now has, time-and labor-saving machines,\netc.\n\n[405]Before 1799 the means of transportation were such that a man could\ntravel only a short distance in a day. He must go either by a vehicle\ndrawn by horses or oxen, or afoot; and when he would cross the sea he\nmust go in a sailboat that made little progress. In 1831 the first\nlocomotive steam engine was invented. Such wonderful progress has been\nmade in this regard that now one can travel through almost any part of\nthe earth at a rapid rate upon a railway train. Later came the electric\nengines and electric motor cars and gas engines; and now there is a\ntremendous amount of travel in every part of the earth. It is no\nuncommon thing for one to travel at the rate of 75 and 100 miles per\nhour; and particularly is this true by means of a flying machine, which\nis a very modern invention.\n\n[406]God's Prophet designates this same time as \"the day of God's\npreparation\". In Nahum 2:1-6 the Prophet records his vision of a\nrailway train traveling at a high rate of speed, as another evidence of\nthe day of preparation for the establishment of Christ's kingdom.\n\n[407]In 1844 the telegraph was invented, and later the telephone. These\ninstruments were first used with wires and by electricity messages were\nconveyed throughout the earth; but now by later invention wires are\ndispensed with and messages are flashed through the air by the use of\ninstruments all over the earth.\n\n[408]This great increase of knowledge and the tremendous running to and\nfro of the people in various parts of the earth without question is a\nfulfillment of the prophecy testifying as to \"the time of the end\".\nThese physical facts cannot be disputed and are sufficient to convince\nany reasonable mind that we have been in \"the time of the end\" since\n1799.\n\n[409]The latter part of \"the time of the end\" Jesus designates as a\ntime of harvest, because he says: \"The harvest is the end of the world\n[age]\". He stated that he would be present at that time. From 1874\nforward is the latter part of the period of \"the time of the end\". From\n1874 is the time of the Lord's second presence, as above stated. The\napostle Paul enumerating many things done concerning Israel states that\n\"they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world\n[age] are come\". (1 Corinthians 10:11) It must be presumed, then, that\nthese things would be understood at \"the time of the end\".\n\n[410]The Lord's illustration of the sun rising in the east and shining\nacross to the west, which would occur at the time of his presence, is\nfurther proof of the increased light at the time of his presence; and\ntrue to prophecy, this has taken place. The laboring classes have always\nbeen down-trodden and kept in subjection to the financial, ecclesiastical,\nand political princes. It was in the year 1874, the date of our Lord's\nsecond presence, that the first labor organization was created in the\nworld. From that time forward there has been a marvelous increase of\nlight and the inventions and discoveries have been too numerous for us to\nmention all of them here, but mention is made of some of those that have\ncome to light since 1874, as further evidence of the Lord's presence\nsince that date, as follows: Adding machines, aeroplanes, aluminum,\nantiseptic surgery, artificial dyes, automatic couplers, automobiles,\nbarbed wire, bicycles, carborundum, cash registers, celluloid,\ncorrespondence schools, cream separators, Darkest Africa, disk ploughs,\nDivine Plan of the Ages, dynamite, electric railways, electric welding,\nescalators, fireless cookers, gas engines, harvesting machines,\nilluminating gas, induction motors, linotypes, match machines,\nmonotypes, motion pictures, North Pole, Panama Canal, Pasteurization,\nrailway signals, Roentgen rays, shoe sewing machines, smokeless powder,\nSouth Pole, submarines, radium, sky scrapers, subways, talking machines,\ntelephones, typewriters, vacuum cleaners, and wireless telegraphy.\n\n\nTHE HARVEST\n\n[411]The Scriptures disclose a complete parallel concerning the Jewish\nand gospel ages. The parallel exists with reference to time as well as\nevents. The Jewish age ended with a harvest, which harvest began with\nthe ascension of our Lord in the year A.D. 33. By the term \"harvest\"\nhere used is meant the gathering of the remnant of the Jews to Christ.\nJesus' statement plainly is that the gospel age will end with a harvest,\nduring which time he would be present, directing the work of that\nharvest. In the earth three and a half years from the time of his\nconsecration and baptism, Jesus was preparing the Jews for the harvest\nof that age. We should expect to find a parallel of this with reference\nto the harvest of the gospel age, and we do find it. Counting three and\na half years from 1874, the time of his presence, brings us to 1878.\nDuring the presence of the Lord from 1874 to 1878 he was making\npreparation for the harvest of the gospel age. The Jewish harvest\ncovered a period of forty years, ending in A.D. 73. We should expect,\nthen, the general harvest of the gospel age to end in 1918.\n\n[412]The natural harvest was used by the Lord to illustrate his harvest\nof Christians. In the Jewish natural harvest it was customary to glean\nthe field after the regular harvest was over. We should therefore expect\nto find a harvest period from 1878 to 1918, and thereafter for a time a\ngleaning work going on, in which a few Christians would be gathered in,\nas well as another part of the harvest work to be done, which we will\nindicate. The question now is, Do we find a period of harvest in the\ngospel age after 1874 which serves as a fulfillment of the prophecy of\nthe Lord?\n\n[413]In addition to his words cited in Matthew 13:24-30, and in answer\nto the specific question with reference to his presence, Jesus said:\n\"And he [the Lord] shall send his angels [messengers] with a great sound\nof a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four\nwinds, from one end of heaven to the other\". (Matthew 24:31) The\nfollowing facts bear unmistakable testimony of the great harvest period\nof the gospel age in fulfillment of prophetic utterances, which\nfulfillment is one of the strongest proofs of the Lord's presence.\n\n[414]In this text the words \"sound of a\" are not contained in the oldest\nmanuscripts and should be omitted. The text is written, as will be\nobserved, in symbolic language.\n\n[415]Under the terms of the law covenant the Jews were required to keep\nthe fiftieth year as a jubilee, and the jubilee year was announced by\nthe blowing of a trumpet. In the text here under consideration the\ntrumpet symbolizes the message announcing the presence of the Lord,\nproclaiming the fact that the harvest is due, that the time has come\nwhen the saints should be gathered together, because the kingdom of\nMessiah is at hand.\n\n[416]\"Angels\" in this text means messengers or servants who make\nannouncement of the presence of the Lord and the incoming of the\nkingdom. Such messengers are the truly consecrated Christians who make\nthe announcements to other Christians and to all who have a hearing ear.\nIt would be reasonable to expect the Lord to have some special\nmessenger, as distinguished from others or general messengers in\nannouncing his presence and the time of the harvest. And such is the\ncase. Jesus said that an office had been provided for such a special\nmessenger and that at the time of his second appearing he would appoint\nsome one to that office and give him the responsibility of dispensing\nmeat to the household of faith in due season. The Christian's meat in\ndue season is a proper explanation of the Scriptures as they become due\nto be understood. We mark a wonderful fulfillment of this statement of\nthe Lord as further corroborative proof of the Lord's second presence\nfrom 1874 forward. He had said, in answer to the question relative to\nhis second presence: \"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his\nlord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due\nseason? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find\nso doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all\nhis goods.\"--Matthew 24:45-47.\n\n[417]About 1870 Charles Taze Russell, of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, then\na truly consecrated Christian and a careful student of God's Word,\nlearned from the Scriptures that God has a great and harmonious plan for\nthe salvation and blessing of mankind. Like other earnest watchers, he\nwas watching for the evidences of the Lord's coming. About 1875, while\ncarefully and prayerfully studying the Scriptures, he became convinced\nof the Lord's second presence, resulting in his writing and publishing a\nbooklet entitled, \"The Object and Manner of Our Lord's Return,\" which\nhad a phenomenal circulation amongst the Christian people of the world.\nIn 1879 he began the publication of a journal, _The Watch Tower and\nHerald of Christ's Presence_, which has since been issued regularly\ntwice each month. This is the first and only publication that for more\nthan forty years has announced the second presence of the Lord. This\njournal is devoted exclusively to discussion of Scriptural questions,\nbeing the means of carrying the food to the household of faith in due\nseason.\n\n[418]Then followed the great work of gathering together the true\nfollowers of Christ Jesus, regardless of denomination, sect, kindred, or\ntongue. Charles Taze Russell, who afterwards became better known as\nPastor Russell, was the greatest preacher of modern times. He was\nelected pastor of upwards of 1,200 congregations at one time. He\ntraveled all over the earth proclaiming the message of the divine plan\nof the ages, particularly calling attention of Christians to the\npresence of the Lord. Between the years 1881 and 1904 he wrote and\npublished in six volumes the STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES giving a full and\ndetailed explanation of the various features of the divine plan. These\nbooks were translated into about thirty languages and their combined\ncirculation exceeded 11,000,000 copies. In 1917 the seventh volume of\nthe series of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES was published, known as \"The\nFinished Mystery\", which has had a very wide circulation. These books\nare the first clear explanation of the divine plan ever published. In\naddition to the above, he published and widely circulated various\nbooklets, \"What Say the Scriptures About Hell?\" \"Spiritism,\" \"The Bible\nVersus Evolution,\" \"Tabernacle Shadows,\" and many other tracts,\npamphlets, etc. He was the author of the Photo-Drama of Creation, as\nwell as the scenario used for this drama, which gives an outline of the\ndivine plan from the creation to the times of restitution. He organized\nand conducted a lecture bureau which employed a large force of Bible\nlecturers who traveled and who yet travel throughout the world,\nproclaiming the message of the divine plan. For a period of time his\nsermons were published weekly in more than 2,000 newspapers, with a\ncombined circulation of 15,000,000 readers; and in all about 4,000\ndifferent newspapers published his sermons. Some idea of the scope of\nhis work can be understood from the words written in _The Continent_, a\npublication not friendly to him:\n\n[419]\"His writings are said to have a greater newspaper circulation\nevery week than those of any other living man; greater, doubtless, than\nthe combined circulation of the writings of all the priests and\npreachers in North America; greater even than the work of Arthur\nBrisbane, Norman Hapgood, George Horace Lorimer, Dr. Frank Crane,\nFrederick Haskins, and a dozen other of the best known editors and\nsyndicate writers put together.\"\n\n[420]Without a doubt Pastor Russell filled the office for which the\nLord provided and about which he spoke, and was therefore that wise and\nfaithful servant, ministering to the household of faith meat in due\nseason. Pastor Russell finished his earthly course in 1916.\n\n[421]In 1884 he caused to be incorporated the Watch Tower Bible and\nTract Society, intended by him to continue the work of the harvest\nafter his earthly career was finished, and which is yet carrying it on.\n\n[422]This great work of gathering together Christian people can be\ndesignated in no other way than as a harvest, and fully meets that which\nwas foretold by the Lord Jesus. This work, which has covered a period of\nabout forty-five years, has never had for its purpose the forming of any\narrangement by which Christians join anything. Its purpose and work has\nbeen and is to enlighten men and women concerning the great divine plan,\nand by this means of proclaiming the message of truth has gathered\ntogether Catholics and Protestants, Christians from all denominations in\nall parts of the earth. These Christians are not the followers of Pastor\nRussell, but are followers of the Lord and rejoice to feed upon the food\nthat the Lord has provided for them through his wise and faithful\nservant.\n\n[423]Furthermore, Jesus said with reference to his second presence: \"For\nwheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together\".\n(Matthew 24:28) And so it is. The carcass here refers to the spiritual\nfood provided for the household of faith. The eagles are those of keen\nvision and sharp appetite, anxious to know of the Lord's Word, and\nequally anxious to feed upon it. Hence we find gathering together many\nearnest Christian people in groups in various parts of the earth, who\nknow no nationality, whose citizenship is in heaven, whose allegiance\nand devotion is to the Lord and to his kingdom of righteousness.\n\n[424]Jesus defines the wheat class as the true followers of himself,\nchildren of the kingdom, and the tares as the imitation Christians, who\nare Christians in name only. He declared: \"Let both grow together until\nthe harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers,\nGather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn\nthem; but gather the wheat into my barn.\"--Matthew 13: 30.\n\n[425]It is a well-known fact that since 1878 there has been a tendency\non the part of all denominations to bind themselves into leagues and\ncombines, associations, Interchurch World Movement, etc., thus\nfulfilling this prophetic statement of the Lord of binding together the\nmerely nominal Christians preparatory for the great fire, the great time\nof trouble, which is now upon the earth. To the truly consecrated people\nof God, who have been identified with these various sectarian or\ndenominational systems the Lord has been calling in this time of the\nharvest, saying: \"Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers\nof her sins, and receive not her plagues\". (Revelation 18:4) Concerning\nhis work with the others, the wheat class, Jehovah through his Prophet\nlong ago said: \"Gather my saints together unto me, those who have made a\ncovenant with me by sacrifice\". (Psalm 50:5) The great work of the\nharvest, that is to say, the proclaiming of the second presence of the\nLord and the gathering together of those who truly love his appearing,\nhas been so remarkably fulfilled since 1874 that it is one of the most\nstriking and conclusive proofs of the Lord's second presence.\n\n\nSCOFFERS\n\n[426]It might be reasonably expected that the clergy of various\ndenominations would be anxious to know and anxious to tell the people\nabout the presence of the Lord, and would therefore joyfully receive any\nnews concerning his presence. We find the facts to be just to the\ncontrary, however, and we again notice that this is one of the evidences\ngiven by Jesus himself marking his second presence. He said: \"But as the\ndays of Noah were, so shall also the coming [presence] of the Son of\nman be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating\nand drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah\nentered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them\nall away; so shall also the coming [presence] of the Son of man be.\"\n(Matthew 24:37-39) Instead of these clergymen as a class joining in the\nproclamation, 'Behold the Bridegroom! the Lord has returned, the kingdom\nis at hand,' they scoff and jeer, and if they say anything concerning\nthe Lord's second presence, even though they get all their information\nfrom what Pastor Russell wrote, they discredit him and mock and scoff at\nwhat he wrote or said. Of course the Lord foreknew this and therefore he\ncaused the Apostle under inspiration to write: \"There shall come in the\nlast days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is\nthe promise of his coming [presence]? for since the fathers fell asleep,\nall things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation\".\n--2 Peter 3:3,4.\n\n\nEND OF THE WORLD\n\n[427]Jesus having taught his disciples concerning his second coming,\nand having informed them that the world would end at or during that\ntime, they desired to know how they might be able to ascertain the fact\nof his presence and what would be the indication or proof of it to them\nor to any one. He was sitting on the side of the Mount of Olives when\nhis disciples came to him privately and propounded the question: \"Tell\nus, _when_ shall these things be? and _what_ shall be the sign [proof or\nindication] of thy presence, and of the end of the world?\" (Matthew 24:3)\nThe word world as here used does not mean the earth. The earth will never\nend or pass away, because \"God himself that formed the earth and made it,\nhe hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be\ninhabited\". (Isaiah 45:18) \"The earth abideth forever.\"--Ecclesiastes 1:4.\n\n[428]The word world means the social and political order or rule\ngoverning the people. From Adam to the time of the great deluge was the\nfirst world or social order of government; which was under the\nadministration of angels (Hebrews 2:5), and which passed away in a\ngreat flood, during which only Noah and his family, consisting in all of\neight persons, were carried over from the old to the other or newer\nworld, and were saved. (2 Peter 3:6; 1 Peter 3:20) There began with Noah\nand his family a new order or world, which in the time of the Apostle's\nday and before that time had grown evil, and which he designated as \"the\npresent evil world\". (Galatians 1:4) The Apostle clearly shows that that\nworld must pass away to make way for the new and righteous kingdom,\nwhich will rule and govern and bless the people.\n\n[429]It was during the early part of this world that God made promise\nto Abraham that through his seed all the families of the earth should be\nblessed. Later, at the death of Jacob, God organized the nation of\nIsrael or the Jews into a nation and at Mount Sinai made a covenant with\nthem. Jehovah dealt with the nation of Israel exclusive of all other\nnations for a number of years. They had many kings, some good and some\nbad. Zedekiah was their last king, and because of his wickedness God\nsaid concerning him: \"Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Because ye have\nmade your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are\ndiscovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I\nsay, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.\nAnd thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when\niniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God: Remove the diadem,\nand take off the crown: this shall not be the same; exalt him that is\nlow and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it:\nand it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will\ngive it [to] him,\"--Ezekiel 21:24-27.\n\n[430]In the year 606 B.C. Zedekiah was overthrown. He was taken a\nprisoner, carried away to Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar established in the\nearth the first universal empire and the gentile times dated from that\ntime forward. The length of the gentile times is definitely fixed in the\nScriptures as a period of seven symbolic times of 360 years each, or a\ntotal of 2,520 years. This period beginning with the year 606 B.C.\nnecessarily must end in 1914 A.D. God had declared that he would\noverturn the right of the descendants of Abraham to rule, thereby\npermitting the gentiles to have an uninterrupted sway until he should\ncome whose right it is. The one whose right it is is the great Messiah,\nChrist Jesus the Lord. It would be reasonable to expect him to be\npresent some time before he would take unto himself his great power to\nreign. His presence beginning in 1874, he has carried on his harvest\nwork from 1878 forward, but has not interrupted the gentile dominion\nuntil that dominion should end. The end of the gentile rule, therefore,\nwould mark necessarily the end of the present order; therefore, the end\nof the world. We should expect, then, to find 1914 as the beginning of\nthe end of the old world or order of government. And that this would\ntake place during the presence of the Lord he definitely stated.\n\n[431]When the gentile dominion legally ends, the order being a wicked one\nunder the supervision of Satan, the god of the evil world (2 Corinthians\n4:3,4), and all these nations lying in the wicked one (1 John 5:19), it\nwould be expected that the gentile kingdoms and nations would strive to\nhold on to their power. But when the proper time should come it would\nalso be expected that the Lord, whose right it is, would take over the\naffairs into his own hands. And so he said: \"We give thanks, O Lord God\nAlmighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken\nto thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry,\nand thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be\njudged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the\nprophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and\ngreat; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.\"--Revelation\n11:17,18.\n\n[432]It will be observed that the Lord does not do all of his work in a\ntwenty-four-hour day, but that gradually he performs his sovereign will.\nSpecifically answering the question concerning the end of the world\nduring the time of his presence, Jesus said: \"Nation shall rise against\nnation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and\npestilences, and earthquakes [literal and symbolic--revolutions] in\ndivers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.\" (Matthew 24:7,8)\nExactly on time, at the end of the gentile dominion, at the beginning of\nthe end of the world, nation rose against nation and kingdom against\nkingdom in the most devastating war that man ever dreamed would come to\nthe world. There followed in its wake a great pestilence, the Spanish\ninfluenza, which swept the earth; and the famine is still raging amongst\nmany peoples and kindreds of the earth; and there have been revolutions,\nas well as many literal earthquakes in various parts of the earth. And\nthese, said the Master, mark the beginning of the end of the world,\nwhich takes place during the time of his presence. The evidence here is\noverwhelming, proclaiming his presence and the end of the world.\n\n[433]These facts mark a corroboration and a clear fulfillment of the\nwords of Jehovah's Prophet announced centuries before, namely: \"In the\ndays of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which\nshall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other\npeople, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and\nit shall stand for ever\". (Daniel 2:44) Literally the kingdoms of earth\nare being broken in pieces, and any one who takes a map of Europe today\nand looks it over can see how completely this prophecy is now in course\nof fulfillment. Nearly all the kings of earth are gone and their\nkingdoms are broken in pieces and are being consumed. This is being done\nbecause the Lord is present, because the old world has ended and he is\nclearing away the unrighteous things to make way for his new and\nrighteous government.\n\n[434]Furthermore Jesus said concerning the end of the world within the\ntime of his second presence: \"Then shall they deliver you up to be\nafflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for\nmy name's sake\". (Matthew 24:9) \"But take heed to yourselves: for they\nshall deliver you up to councils [courts]; and in the synagogues ye\nshall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my\nsake, for a testimony against them.\" (Mark 13:9) \"But before all these,\nthey shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up\nto the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and\nrulers for my name's sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony.\"\n(Luke 21:12,13) Literally did these Scriptures have fulfillment in the\nyears 1917, 1918, and 1919. The World War furnished the excuse for the\nworld-wide persecution of humble and honest and faithful Christians.\n\n[435]The Christian truly consecrated to the Lord believes and follows\nthe Lord's teaching: \"Thou shalt not kill\". (Matthew 5:21) And again:\n\"Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; for the\nweapons of our warfare are not carnal\". (2 Corinthians 10:3,4) During\nthe World War many of the nations passed laws to govern conscientious\nobjectors, that is, those who object to taking human life. The officers\nof the present evil order upon whom devolved the duty and obligation of\nconstruing and enforcing this law, disregarded it; and at the instance\nof an apostate and dishonest clergy, truly consecrated Christians,\nparticularly those known as Bible Students, were, in fulfillment of\nJesus' utterances, hated, beaten, persecuted, haled into the courts and\nimprisoned, and some of them killed. But the Lord's protecting care has\nbeen about them through it all.\n\n[436]In Germany they were persecuted, some put in the front ranks of the\nassaulting army. One Christian man, for instance, who refused to take\nhuman life because of his faith in the Lord, was placed in the front\nline of attack during a battle. A soldier was placed on either side of\nhim with gun and bayonet and instructed to kill him if he attempted to\nescape. He went through the battle. Most of his regiment was\nannihilated, including the two guards by his side. When the battle was\nover this Christian brother had not a scratch. Again he was put in a\nsimilar position; and again he went through another battle without\ninjury. He was then charged with being insane because he would not fight\nand placed in an insane asylum and kept there for a period of time,\nuntil he was turned out; and then he proceeded with proclaiming the\nmessage of the Lord's presence and his glorious incoming kingdom.\n\n[437]The persecution in Great Britain of the same class of Christians,\nand in Canada, and in the United States--long boasted of as the land of\nthe free and the home of the brave--was so terrible that words are\ninadequate to describe it. Number 27 of the GOLDEN AGE magazine, issued\nSeptember 29, 1920, gives a detailed description of many of these wicked\npersecutions, which mark a clear fulfillment of these prophetic\nutterances of the Lord. The ones who had the privilege of passing\nthrough them and who had the many evidences of the Lord's blessings,\nrejoice because accounted worthy to suffer as our Lord had suffered,\nremembering his words: \"The servant is not greater than his lord. If\nthey have persecuted me, they will also persecute you\".--John 15:20.\n\n[438]Jesus furthermore said: \"This gospel of the kingdom shall be\npreached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall\nthe end come\". (Matthew 24:14) In the year 1919 many of the Bible\nStudents in different parts of the earth, emerging from army camps and\nprison dungeons, rejoicing in their privileges, again assembled together\nand with united action went forth to proclaim the message of the\npresence of the Lord; and particularly the message, \"The World Has\nEnded--Millions Now Living Will Never Die,\" clearly in fulfillment of\nthe words of the Master in the text last above quoted. Numbers of public\nlectures delivered upon this subject throughout Christendom have\ngladdened the hearts of hundreds of thousands of people, comforting\nthose that mourn. In 1920 this message was put into printed form in the\nbooklet entitled \"Millions Now Living Will Never Die\", and in the lands\nwhere the greatest persecution prevailed against the people of the Lord,\ngreatest has been the witness. Within eight months 2,500,000 copies of\nthis booklet were placed in the hands of the people; and yet the message\ngoes on, giving a wider and wider witness, looking forward to the full\nconsummation of \"the time of the end\", the end of the old order and the\nincoming of Messiah's kingdom.\n\n\nREGATHERING OF ISRAEL\n\n[439]Jesus furthermore said that the regathering of Israel to Palestine\n(Luke 21:24) would be one of the most conclusive proofs of his presence\nand of the end of the world. A full discussion of this point, together\nwith many other points concerning the end of the world, is set forth in\ndetail in the above mentioned booklet, \"Millions Now Living Will Never\nDie\". Therein is shown conclusively that the prophecies have been\nfulfilled exactly on time; that Israel is now being regathered and is\nrebuilding Palestine exactly as the Lord foretold. Jesus said: \"And when\nthese things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your\nheads; for your redemption draweth nigh\".--Luke 21:28.\n\n[440]Jesus, speaking further through his chosen vessel, refers to the\nharvest of the tare class, saying, \"The harvest of the earth is ripe.\nAnd he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the\nearth was reaped.\" (Revelation 14:15,16) This gathering of the elements\nof Christendom, the vine of the earth, and the reaping of it for\ndestruction, is now in progress. It is one feature of the Lord's work,\nwhich proves his presence at this time.\n\n[441]There are many other corroborative evidences of the presence of the\nLord, but space will not permit the examination of all of them here. We\nleave the reader to find a more detailed explanation of these great\ncorroborative truths set forth in Volumes 2 and 3 of STUDIES IN THE\nSCRIPTURES.\n\n[442]Why should any one deceive himself by being induced to cease an\ninvestigation of this subject because some self-constituted wise one\nwill say: 'You can never know when the Lord will come'? Jesus himself\nsaid to his faithful followers: \"Watch therefore: for ye know not what\nhour your Lord doth come\". (Matthew 24:42) \"And what I say unto you I\nsay unto all, Watch.\" (Mark 13:37) The clear inference here is that the\nwatchers in due time would recognize the evidences of his presence, and\nrecognizing these, would rejoice.\n\n[443]Suppose we admit, for the sake of the argument, that no man knows\nthe day nor hour of the Lord's appearing. What difference does that make?\nThe hour and the day have already passed. He is here! And let all truly\nconsecrated Christians rejoice. \"But of the times and the seasons,\nbrethren, ye have no need that I write unto you,\" says St. Paul.\n(1 Thessalonians 5:1) The times and seasons are clearly established by the\noverwhelming proof that the Lord is now present. Therefore, \"ye,\nbrethren, are not in darkness, ... ye are all the children of light, and\nthe children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness\". Why\nquibble now about dates, days or hours? The physical facts, the\nfulfilled prophecy and prophecy further in course of fulfillment, prove\noverwhelmingly and beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Lord is\npresent, that the world has ended, that the kingdom of heaven is at\nhand! And the true watchers are joyfully exclaiming: \"Behold the\nBridegroom!\" As faithful members of his body, as the feet of him, they\nare standing upon the mountains, that is, upon or above the kingdoms of\nearth, singing out to the peoples of Zion: 'Thy God reigneth! The\nkingdom of heaven is at hand!' The Prophet of the Lord describes them\nthus: \"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that\nbringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings\nof good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God\nreigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together\nshall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall\nbring again Zion.\"--Isaiah 52:7,8.\n\n[444]These are they who, having the harps of God, are singing the song\nof Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb, harmonizing the\ngreat truths of the Old and New Testaments, the Mosaic law and the\ngospel of Christ Jesus, singing: \"Great and marvelous are thy works,\nLord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who\nshall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art\nholy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy\njudgments are made manifest.\"--Revelation 15:2-4.\n\n\nWHY THE LORD COMES\n\n[445]There are three primary purposes or reasons why the Lord appears\nthe second time. These are: (1) To bind Satan and destroy his kingdom\nand all the false systems inaugurated by his agencies; (2) to receive\nunto himself his bride, the church, which includes the work of the\nharvest of gathering them unto him; and (3) to set up his kingdom, for\nwhich he taught his followers to pray.\n\n[446]The purpose of our Lord's second coming has been much misunderstood\nand misrepresented. Some have said that he is coming to burn up the\nearth. The Scriptures answer this charge: \"The heaven, even the heavens,\nare the Lord's; but the earth hath he given to the children of men\".\n(Psalm 115:16) How then can we harmonize this statement of the\nScriptures with St. Peter's words?--\"But the day of the Lord will come\nas a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a\ngreat noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth\nalso and the works that are therein shall be burned up.... The heavens\nbeing on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with\nfervent heat.\"--2 Peter 3:10,12.\n\n[447]It is manifest that the Apostle is here using symbolic language. He\nstates that the Lord comes as a thief, illustrating how quietly and\nunobservedly his second coming or appearing takes place, as we have\nalready noted. Then we must conclude that the other main elements here\nmentioned are symbolic. The heavens taken symbolically mean the\ninvisible power of control, consisting of Satan and his unseen agencies,\nas well as his visible agencies in the earth. The earth symbolically\nrepresents organized society under Satan's dominion. The elements here\nmeant are the various selfish elements of the earth, composed of\necclesiasticism, political parties, lodge systems, etc., that go to make\nup the various elements of human society; and we can see that these are\nall discordant and warring amongst themselves. They shall all be\ndissolved and shall melt with fervent heat; that is to say, during the\nheated time of trouble.\n\n[448]But the Apostle states in the thirteenth verse of this chapter:\n\"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a\nnew earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness\"; meaning thereby that we look\nfor a new invisible power of control, Messiah's kingdom, and a new\nearth, society organized along new lines, to take the place of the old.\nThe words here have no reference to the mundane sphere or globe upon\nwhich the human race resides.\n\n[449]The symbolic fire is now burning fiercely in the troublesome time\nthat we see amongst the peoples and nations of the earth; and it will\ncontinue to burn until all the false systems of Satan's empire are\ncompletely destroyed. This is a further evidence of the Lord's presence\nat this time, as well as one of the purposes for which he comes.\n\n[450]In speaking of the proof of his presence, Jesus further stated that\nat that time there would be \"upon the earth distress of nations, with\nperplexity; the sea [restless humanity] and the waves [various organized\nparts of it] roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for\nlooking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers\nof heaven shall he shaken. And then shall they see [discern] the Son of\nman coming in a cloud with power and great glory;\" that is to say, they\nwill discern the Lord's presence through the clouds, symbolic of great\ntrouble, and glory, the manifestation of his justice and power. (Luke\n21:25-27) No one will attempt to gainsay the fact that just now, in the\nyear 1921, all the nations are in distress and the people in all\nbranches of business--socially, politically and otherwise--are in\nperplexity and know not what to do. And men of earth who are engaged in\nbusiness affairs are so fearful that their hearts are failing them, not\nknowing which way to turn nor what to do.\n\n[451]On one hand we observe the employers who own the factories and the\nmills and who employ the laboring element to do the work, striving to\ncurtail their expenses, reducing wages, discharging men, resulting in\nmillions being out of employment with no means of earning a livelihood\nfor themselves or families. On the other hand is the laboring class of\nmen, who have received their employment at the hands of the wealthier,\nwho are distressed in mind. And because of the injustices heaped upon\nthem they are becoming more restless each day and are threatening to\ntake complete possession and control of the factories and mills and\nmines and operate these themselves. The political class, striving always\nto do the will of the financial powers, are perplexed and frightened as\nto what they shall do, yet constantly acting in a vain attempt to help\ntheir allies in the great beastly order; while the apostate clergy,\nwhich goes to make up the third element of the beastly order, is trying\nto induce the order-loving people to unite themselves with church\nsystems and thereby support the employing class.\n\n[452]These various elements, selfishly exercising what power they have,\nare going from bad to worse, leading on to a great disaster for the\nunrighteous systems of earth. Jesus points this out as the final and\nconclusive evidence of his presence and of the end of the world, saying:\n\"Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of\nthe world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days\nshould be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's\nsake those days shall be shortened.\" (Matthew 24:21,22) The prophet\nDaniel corroborates the words of the Master to the effect that in this\ntime of trouble the great Messiah will manifest himself and put into\noperation his kingdom. He says: \"And at that time shall Michael [God's\nrepresentative, the Messiah] stand up, the great prince which standeth\nfor the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble,\nsuch as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and\nat that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be\nfound written in the book\".--Daniel 12:1.\n\n[453]The world is madly rushing on now to this time of trouble. It is\nthe time spoken of by the prophet Haggai, who says: \"And I will shake\nall nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill\nthis house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts\". (Haggai 2:7) And when\nthis great shaking is over, then the desire of all nations and peoples\nwill come, namely, an honest, righteous government, administered in\nbehalf of mankind under the supervision of the great Messiah. The\napostle Paul refers to this time as a time of great shaking, which\nimmediately precedes the full establishment of the Messianic kingdom.\n(Hebrews 12:18-28) The Lord by his presence is bringing to light every\nhidden thing. The Apostle foretold it would be thus, saying: \"Therefore\njudge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring\nto light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the\ncounsels of the hearts\".--1 Corinthians 4:5.\n\n[454]Thus the Lord is letting the light of truth shine out, and by the\ntruth is binding Satan, which means the great adversary, the devil, and\nhis various agencies and influences in the earth. And this is further\nevidence of the Lord's presence. Truly Satan's house is divided against\nitself and cannot stand. It is going to pieces. Jesus in his revelation\nto St. John caused to be written these words: \"And I saw an angel come\ndown from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain\nin his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is\nthe devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into\nthe bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he\nshould deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be\nfulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season,\"\n(Revelation 20:1-3) This is the time that Jesus foretold when the\nnations shall be \"as vessels of a potter, ... broken to shivers\".\n(Revelation 2:27) Satan soon shall be restrained and his empire\ncompletely and forever destroyed. (Isaiah 34:1-4; 51:6) Thus shall the\nLord be revealed to the world, and they shall know of his presence by\nthe fiery time of trouble which shall take vengeance upon the\nunrighteous systems and things of the earth. (2 Thessalonians 1:7,8)\nThis is the day of God's vengeance and his fire will continue to burn\nuntil all parts of the Satanic order are destroyed. The Prophet wrote\nconcerning this first work of the Messiah: \"Thou shalt break them with a\nrod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel\".\n--Psalm 2: 9.\n\n\nTO RECEIVE HIS BRIDE\n\n[455]Jesus is likened unto a bridegroom, while the church is likened\nunto a bride. (John 3:29; Revelation 21:9; 2 Corinthians 11:2) Many\nbeautiful word pictures or types appear in the Old Testament, which God\ncaused to be made for the purpose of teaching his great plan to those\nwho would search for the truth. One of these pictures is that of Isaac\nand Rebekah. Abraham the father of Isaac sent his servant Eliezer into a\ndistant land to find a wife for his son Isaac. The servant took ten\ncamels and went into Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. There he found\nRebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, a virgin very fair to look upon.\nEliezer \"took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two\nbracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold\". Rebekah agreed\nto accompany Eliezer to become the wife of Isaac. \"And Rebekah arose,\nand her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man\n[Eliezer],\" who brought her unto Isaac. \"And Isaac brought her into his\nmother Sarah's, tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife,\" after\nhis mother Sarah's death.--See Genesis 24.\n\n[456]In this picture Abraham is a type of Jehovah; his wife Sarah, a\ntype of the Abrahamic covenant, from which the Messiah springs; Isaac,\nthe son, a type of Jesus Christ; while Rebekah is a type of the church,\nthe bride of Christ. Eliezer, Abraham's servant, is a type of the holy\nspirit, whose mission it is to invite the church and to assist her, and\nultimately to bring her and her companions to the antitypical Isaac, the\nLord Jesus, the Bridegroom. Before Jesus departed from the earth he said\nto his disciples: \"I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another\nComforter, ... even the spirit of truth.... I will not leave you\ncomfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth\nme no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also,\" (John\n14:15-19) Eliezer here pictures the comforter, the holy spirit, which\nwas given at Pentecost, at which time the way was opened and the\ninvitation was given to men who love the Lord to become followers of the\nLord Jesus and be of the bride class. The ten camels which Eliezer took\nwith him represent the Word of God, the ten strings of the harp. The\ngolden earring presented to Rebekah represents the blessed and pleasing\neffect of hearing the call to be the bride of Christ; while the two\nbracelets picture the happy effect of responding to the divine call and\ndoing with our might what our hands find to do.\n\n[457]The call to become members of this glorious bride class is\nbeautifully pictured by the Psalmist thus: \"Hearken, O daughter, and\nconsider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy\nfather's house; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is\nthy Lord; and worship thou him\". (Psalm 45:10,11) Responding to that\ncall, one consecrates his all to the Lord, is begotten of the holy\nspirit, and henceforth being borne up by the spirit of the Lord through\nhis Word grows in the likeness of his Master and prepares for the coming\nof the beloved Bridegroom. The death of Sarah, Abraham's wife, pictures\nthe end of the Sarah-Abrahamic covenant, from which springs the bride of\nChrist; and Isaac receiving Rebekah and taking her as his wife after his\nmother's death foreshadowed the complete union of Christ Jesus the\nbridegroom and the church his bride at the end of the world.\n\n[458]Throughout the entire gospel age from Pentecost until now the Lord\nhas been preparing his bride, the church. Many have been called, but few\nhave been chosen, and still fewer will be faithful; but only the\nfaithful ones will he receive. Just before his departure at the time of\nhis first advent he said: \"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it\nwere not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And\nif I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you\nunto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.\"--John 14:2,3.\n\n[459]Here, then, is one of the positive statements that one of the chief\npurposes of the Lord's return is to receive unto himself his bride.\nSince his appearance, therefore, he has been doing the harvest work,\nnamely, gathering unto himself those who will constitute the bride\nclass.\n\n[460]The Lord gives a picture in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew of\nthis kingdom class. (Matthew 25:1-13) Here he speaks of ten virgins who\ntook their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. A virgin means a\npure one. Lovers of the Lord Jesus, the bridegroom, long for his return.\nThese took their lamps. The lamp represents the Word of God; as the\nPsalmist says: \"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet\". (Psalm 119:105) Part\nof these virgins were wise; therefore they took oil in their vessels.\nThe wise represent the bride class, the faithful ones; while the foolish\nones picture a class of greater numbers who will not be of the bride\nclass, but will be born on the spirit plane. While these have waited for\nthe coming of the Lord, the foolish ones have been indifferent. They\nhave had no oil, have not had the spirit of the truth, the loving zeal\nfor the Lord and his cause; hence they have been negligent. Whereas the\nwise virgins have been watching and have kept their lamps trimmed and\nburning; which means they have studied the Word of God and watched the\nfulfillment of prophecies, striving to develop the fruits and graces of\nthe spirit and to be prepared for the coming of the Bridegroom. As\nthese, then, of the bride class come to a knowledge of the fact that the\nbridegroom is present, they join in the cry: \"Behold the Bridegroom!\"\nAnd they hasten to prepare to meet him. During the time of the harvest\nof the gospel age, during the second presence of the Lord, members of\nthe wise virgin class coming to a knowledge of the truth of his presence\nhave rejoiced greatly because the Lord has returned; and the joy of the\nbride class has increased as the members have marked the ever-increasing\nevidence manifesting the Lord's presence and the preparation for his\nkingdom. And as they have cried out, \"Behold the Bridegroom!\" they have\nbeen zealous in presenting the message of truth to others, that their\nhearts might be refreshed. The Lord has a special reward for those who\nlove his second appearing, as the Apostle plainly stated. (2 Timothy 4:8)\nThere will not be a great number of this bride class. On the contrary,\nthey are small in number. Jesus said there would be but a little flock.\n(Luke 12:32) Through the Revelator he designates the number as\n144,000.--Revelation 14:1.\n\n[461]Some of these dear saints, however, have been developed from time to\ntime throughout the gospel age, beginning with the apostles at Pentecost.\nThese have died and waited for the return of the Lord. Since the\nScriptures show that the dead know not anything until the resurrection,\nit would be reasonable to expect the Lord to do something for these who\nhad died faithful to their covenant and to expect that he would do\nsomething for them early in the time of his presence. St. Paul says:\n\"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are\nalive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them\nwhich are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a\nshout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and\nthe dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain\nshall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in\nthe air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.\"--1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.\n\n[462]Some have misconstrued this Scripture to mean that the Lord would\nappear the second time and give a great shout and wake up the dead. The\nword here translated shout means a message of encouragement. It implies\na public message designed for the ears not of a few, but for a great\nnumber. The \"shout\", the \"voice of the archangel\" and the \"trump of God\"\nare all symbols. Literally, it means that the appearing of the Lord will\nbe at the time of or during the shout of encouragement; and this is in\nfull harmony with the evidences heretofore examined that the presence of\nthe Lord has been at a time when the people have been encouraged\nconcerning their own rights. Christians have encouraged each other by\npassing the message of the Lord's presence on to each other. The peoples\nhave encouraged one another with reference to their liberties, rights,\nand privileges. The \"voice of the archangel\", as used in this passage,\nmeans one with authority, the chief messenger, Christ Jesus himself. He\ncomes with light and truth, illuminating the minds of men, leading them\ninto greater light which has come upon the end of the age when the shout\nof encouragement for the rights and liberties of the people and the\ndeliverance of Christians into the kingdom of the Lord has begun\nthroughout the earth.\n\n[463]During this time, then, we should expect the resurrection of those\nsaintly ones who died before the second coming of the Lord; and should\nexpect that these would be awakened out of death and gathered unto the\nLord, thus to be forever with him. And therefore those believers who\nwere alive at his coming, when the time came for their death, would\nexperience an instantaneous change from human to spirit beings. And\nfinally, when all the members of the bride class shall have finished\ntheir course and all have passed from the human into the spiritual\ncondition, with glorious bodies, they will enjoy peace and happiness for\nevermore. The Lord is taking unto himself his bride class, because the\npromise is that these shall be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ\nJesus in his kingdom, and that they shall reign with him.--Romans 8:16,17;\nRevelation 20:6.\n\n\nESTABLISHING HIS KINGDOM\n\n[464]Before the foundation of the world God foreordained that he would\nhave a kingdom and a royal family who would have charge of the kingdom.\nThe kingdom necessarily embraces the royal house or royal family, as\nwell as the dominion. Foreknowing the end of all things, God provided in\nhis great plan not only for the redemption of the human race, but the\nselection from amongst men of a certain number whom he would transform\ninto the image and likeness of his beloved Son. God provided also that\nthese should constitute the royal family of heaven. The apostle Peter\nsays of this class: \"But ye are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a\nholy nation, a people for a purpose, that you may declare the\nperfections of him who called you from darkness into his wonderful\nlight; who once were not a people, but now are God's people\".--1 Peter\n2:9,10. _Diaglott_.\n\n[465]To his disciples, and to those who should thereafter become such,\nJesus said: \"I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed\nunto me\". (Luke 22:29) And again: \"To him that overcometh will I grant\nto sit with me in my throne\". (Revelation 3:21) From these Scriptures\nit is to be seen that the church constitutes with Jesus the royal\nfamily, the kingdom class, otherwise called the seed of Abraham, through\nwhich the blessings shall flow out to mankind. This is the kingdom for\nwhich he taught his disciples to pray. This is the kingdom which the\nprophet Daniel declares shall be set up to have no successor, and which\nshall be established during the last days of the kingdoms of the\nunrighteous order.--Daniel 2:44; 7:14,27.\n\n[466]The truly consecrated followers of Jesus, obedient to his\nadmonition, have been watching and waiting; and those who were permitted\nto live at the time of his second presence and since have experienced\nthat blessedness spoken of by Daniel the prophet at the end of the 1,335\nsymbolic days or years. As the great divine plan has been revealed to\nthese they have learned that the Lord has returned and is here,\ninvisible to human eyes, yet exercising his great power in binding Satan\nand dashing to pieces the present unrighteous order, gathering unto\nhimself his saints, and putting in order the affairs of his kingdom;\nthat he has taken unto himself his great power to reign, and that soon\nall the saints shall participate with the Lord in glory in carrying out\nthe further divine arrangement. As this string upon the harp of God is\nrevealed to them, they sing with exultant joy:\n\n  \"Our lamps are trimmed and burning,\n    Our robes are white and clean;\n  We've tarried for the Bridegroom,\n    And now we'll enter in.\n  We know we've nothing worthy\n    That we can call our own--\n  The light, the oil, the robes we wear,\n    Are all from him alone.\n  Behold, behold the Bridegroom!\n    And all may enter in,\n  Whose lamps are trimmed and burning,\n    Whose robes are white and clean.\"\n\n[467]And these saints while yet on earth, beholding with the eye of\nfaith the marvelous fulfillment of prophecy, are patiently waiting for\nthe time of their glorification, when they each shall be clothed upon\nwith a new and beautiful body like unto Jesus', the beloved Bridegroom,\nand when they each shall see him as he is.\n\n\n\n\nWhat effect is produced upon one by the return of a very dear friend\nlong absent? \u00b6 347.\n\nDefine the term \"friend\". \u00b6 348.\n\nWho is mankind's dearest friend, and why? \u00b6 348.\n\nHow long since Jesus journeyed to a far country? and what did he say\nabout returning? \u00b6 349.\n\nIf the facts show that this dear friend has returned for the blessing of\nmankind, what effect should this have upon those who have been expecting\nhis return? \u00b6 349.\n\nWould his returning constitute one of the strings upon the harp of God?\n\u00b6 349.\n\nFor what have the Jews been long hoping and praying? \u00b6 350.\n\nFor what have Christians been looking and waiting for the past nineteen\ncenturies? \u00b6 350.\n\nFor what is the world of mankind groaning and waiting? \u00b6 350.\n\nWhat effect will be produced upon mankind when they learn that their\nbenefactor is present to bestow blessings upon them? \u00b6 350.\n\nIs the returning of the Lord to Christians a precious string upon the\nharp of God? and if so, why? \u00b6 351.\n\nWhat conditions in the earth are preparing the people for a knowledge of\nour Lord's return? \u00b6 352.\n\nAre the reasons for our Lord's return few or many? and should they be\nkept in mind? \u00b6 353.\n\nShould we reason upon the Scriptures? and if so, why? \u00b6 353.\n\nIn the advancement of the divine plan, do we find reason and the\nScriptures harmonizing? \u00b6 353.\n\nWhat points are conclusively proven by the Scriptures thus far examined?\n\u00b6 354.\n\nWhy is it necessary for relationship to be established between the world\nand the Lord Jesus? \u00b6 354.\n\nWhat reason do we see for the Lord establishing in the earth a righteous\norder of things? \u00b6 354.\n\nMust he be present to establish that order? \u00b6 354.\n\nIs there Scriptural evidence to support these reasonable conclusions?\n\u00b6 355.\n\nWhat did the prophet Isaiah say about the coming of this mighty One?\n\u00b6 355.\n\nWhat presumption follows the term \"everlasting father\"? \u00b6 355.\n\nWhat blessing, then, should we expect man to receive through the\npromised government? \u00b6 355.\n\nWhat presumption must be indulged concerning the coming of the Lord from\nthe utterance of Jehovah to King Zedekiah through the prophet Ezekiel\nwhen God overturned the government of Israel? \u00b6 356.\n\nWhat is to be expected that the coming of this mighty One would do in\nthe earth? \u00b6 357.\n\nWhen Zedekiah was overthrown, what did the gentiles do, by the Lord's\npermission? \u00b6 358.\n\nThrough the prophet Daniel, what world empires did the Lord Jehovah\nforetell? and how long would they last? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 358.\n\nWould we expect the righteous King to be present when this breaking to\npieces of the old kingdoms occurs? \u00b6 358.\n\nWhy do the Scriptures speak of this righteous kingdom as the kingdom of\nheaven? \u00b6 358.\n\nIn what two-fold sense is the term \"kingdom\" used? \u00b6 359.\n\nTo what did most of the parables of Jesus relate? \u00b6 359.\n\nWhat did Jesus teach the disciples indicating the importance of the\nLord's coming kingdom? \u00b6 359.\n\nShould Christians expect the fulfillment of their prayers? \u00b6 359.\n\nSince this coming King must have a kingdom, do the Scriptures indicate\nwho is to be the king of this new order? Quote the Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6 359.\n\nWhen Jesus stood before Pilate, of what crime was he accused? \u00b6 360.\n\nWhat question did Pilate ask him? and what was the Lord's reply? \u00b6 360.\n\nWhat is meant by the term \"world\" as used in this and other Scriptures?\n\u00b6 360.\n\nWhat peoples were to have dominion in the earth from the time of\nZedekiah's overthrow until the second coming of the Lord? \u00b6 360.\n\nWho is the invisible ruler of that social order of things? \u00b6 360.\n\nBy what other terms is Satan designated? \u00b6 360.\n\nWhat has been the nature of Satan's rule through his earthly\nrepresentatives? \u00b6 360.\n\nWhat do we understand, then, to be the meaning of the Master's words to\nPilate? \u00b6 360.\n\nDid the parable of the pounds taught by our Lord to his disciples\nindicate his return? \u00b6 361.\n\nWhat is also indicated by the parable of the talents? \u00b6 361.\n\nWhat did Jesus say to his disciples just before his crucifixion about\nhis second coming? Quote his words. \u00b6 362.\n\nWhere were Jesus and his disciples when Jesus ascended into heaven? \u00b6 363.\n\nGive the Scriptural account of what occurred at the time of his\nascension, \u00b6 363.\n\nWho were the men who stood by and spoke to the disciples at that time?\n\u00b6 363.\n\nWhy did these angels thus materialize and speak to the disciples? \u00b6 363.\n\nWere the disciples thoroughly convinced of the second coming of the\nLord? and if so, how did it influence their teachings? Give Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6 364.\n\nWhat did St. Paul say to Timothy about the time of the end of his\nearthly career concerning the second coming of the Lord? \u00b6 364.\n\nWhat special promise is indicated for the benefit of those who would\nlove his appearing? \u00b6 364.\n\nWhat is the book of Revelation? \u00b6 365.\n\nWhat is stated in the latter part of that book concerning the Lord's\nreturn? \u00b6 365.\n\nCan there be any doubt about the Lord's second coming? and if not, why\nnot? \u00b6 366.\n\nWhat, then, is one of the important questions to be first determined\nconcerning his coming? \u00b6 367.\n\nFrom what should we expect to get the evidence concerning the manner of\nthe Lord's return? \u00b6 367.\n\nIs it reasonable to suppose that he would return in the body in which he\nwas put to death? and if not, why not? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 367.\n\nIn what manner will the faithful followers of Jesus see him? \u00b6 367.\n\nHas any human being seen the Lord Jesus' glorious body? Give Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6 367.\n\nWhy shall the disciples see him as he is? \u00b6 368.\n\nWhy could not human eyes see him? \u00b6 368.\n\nIs he like Jehovah? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 368.\n\nIn what manner did St. Paul say the Christian should henceforth know\nChrist Jesus? \u00b6 368.\n\nAfter the ascension of Jesus on high, what was his position with\nreference to the Father? \u00b6 369.\n\nGive Scriptural proof that he is a spirit being. \u00b6 369.\n\nWhat did Jesus say to Nicodemus about a spirit being? and how does this\nillustrate that human eyes cannot see the glorious Lord? \u00b6 369.\n\nShould we expect, then, our Lord to be present, not seen by human eyes,\nbut discernible by those who are his true followers? \u00b6 370.\n\nSatan is the god of this present evil world. Have human eyes seen him?\n\u00b6 370.\n\nWhat will constitute the new heavens and new earth? \u00b6 370.\n\nWill the ruler of those new heavens, the Messiah, be visible or\ninvisible? \u00b6 370.\n\nIs there any reason for us to expect human beings to see the Lord? \u00b6 370.\n\nIs it always proper to use the word \"coming\" with reference to our\nLord's second appearance? If not, what other word is properly used? \u00b6 371.\n\nQuote a number of Scriptures in which the word \"coming\" is properly\ntranslated \"presence\". \u00b6\u00b6 372-382.\n\nWhen Jesus ascended on high, what did the angels standing by advise his\ndisciples as to the manner of his return? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 383.\n\nWhat does this suggest as to the manner of his return? \u00b6 383.\n\nWhat is meant by coming as a thief in the night? and how does this\nillustrate the second coming of the Lord? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 383.\n\nWhat does the night illustrate? \u00b6 383.\n\nWhat did the Lord say concerning those who would report his return in\nthe desert or in the secret chambers? \u00b6 384.\n\nExplain the Lord's statement of his second appearing wherein he said,\n\"As the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the\nwest, so shall the presence of the Son of man be\". \u00b6 384.\n\nWhat heavenly planet or body is used to picture the second appearing of\nthe Lord? \u00b6 385.\n\nWhy is it important to keep in mind that the Lord's second appearing\nwill be invisible to human eyes? \u00b6 386.\n\nIs the time of his coming important to Christians? \u00b6 387.\n\nState the various opinions expressed by some concerning the Lord's\nsecond coming. \u00b6 387.\n\nWhy do some of these desire him not to come? \u00b6 387.\n\nAre we justified in assuming that no one could ever know the time of his\nsecond appearing? and if not, why not? \u00b6 388.\n\nIs it reasonable to suppose that Jesus himself would know some time\nbefore? \u00b6 388.\n\nWhy would he tell his disciples to watch if they would never know of his\ncoming? \u00b6 388.\n\nWhen Jesus arose from the dead, what did he say about the power\ncommitted to him? \u00b6 388.\n\nIs it reasonable to conclude that he then knew of his second appearing\nand when it would take place? \u00b6 388.\n\nShould we expect the angels in heaven to know when that great event\ntakes place? \u00b6 388.\n\nDid the Lord promise the disciples that after they received the holy\nspirit they might know concerning his second coming? \u00b6 389.\n\nWhat Scriptural promise is given the Christian that he shall have\nrevealed to him these things in due time? \u00b6 389.\n\nWhat did St. Paul, after he had received the holy spirit, writing under\ninspiration to the Thessalonians, say about the times and seasons and\nthe second coming of the Lord? \u00b6 389.\n\nShould we expect the watching Christians to be in darkness as to the\ntime of the Lord's appearing? \u00b6 389.\n\nHow did Jesus speak concerning his second coming? \u00b6 390.\n\nWhat is the meaning of prophecy as relating to the Lord's presence? \u00b6 390.\n\nDoes the fulfillment of prophecy enable the watcher to determine about\nthe Lord's presence? \u00b6 390.\n\nIn what way did Jesus use the natural harvest to illustrate his second\ncoming? \u00b6 391.\n\nRepeat the parable of the wheat and the tares, and give the Scriptural\ninterpretation of it. \u00b6\u00b6 391, 392.\n\nWhat definite conclusion must be drawn from this statement of the Lord\nrelative to his second presence? \u00b6 393.\n\nWould it be necessary for the Lord to be present before the harvest?\n\u00b6 393.\n\nWould it be necessary for him to be present some time before the end of\nthe age or world? \u00b6 393.\n\nWhat great historical facts were written prophetically by the prophet\nDaniel? \u00b6 394.\n\nCould these statements of the prophet Daniel leading up to the \"time of\nthe end\" be understood by him? \u00b6 394.\n\nWhat did Daniel himself say about understanding his prophecy? \u00b6 394.\n\nWho did he say would understand in due time? \u00b6 394.\n\nWhat is meant by the term \"time of the end\"? \u00b6 394.\n\nWhat did the prophet Daniel definitely state would take place at the\n\"time of the end\"? Quote the Scripture. \u00b6 394.\n\nState the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy (11:40,41). \u00b6 395.\n\nIn connection with Napoleon's campaign, who was meant in this prophecy\nby the \"king of the south\" and by the \"king of the north\"? \u00b6 395.\n\nWhen did Napoleon's campaign end as in this prophecy described? \u00b6 395.\n\nHow is the \"time of the end\" definitely fixed and stated? \u00b6 395.\n\nFrom what time in the world's history have governments been pictured by\nbeasts? \u00b6 396.\n\nWhat did the prophet Daniel say about a fourth beast? \u00b6 396.\n\nWhat constitutes the three principal component parts of the \"beast\"?\n\u00b6 396.\n\nGive the historical date of the beginning of this great \"beast\". \u00b6 396.\n\nQuote Daniel's words in Daniel 12:5-7. \u00b6 397.\n\nIn Biblical symbology, what is meant by a \"time\"? \u00b6 397.\n\nHow much time was indicated by the prophet Daniel in this prophecy as\nelapsing from the beginning of this beastly order to the \"time of the\nend\"? \u00b6 397.\n\nHow is the beginning of the \"time of the end\" definitely fixed at 1799\nA.D.? \u00b6 397.\n\nWhat other periods of time does the prophet Daniel mention in the\ntwelfth chapter? \u00b6 398.\n\nFrom what date must these prophetic days be counted, as shown by the\nforegoing facts? \u00b6 398.\n\nWhat was the most important thing to which the Prophet pointed? \u00b6 398.\n\nApplying the above rule, a day for a year, when would the 1,335 days of\nDaniel's prophecy end? \u00b6 398.\n\nWhat should be expected at that date? \u00b6 398.\n\nIf we are correct in reaching this date of 1874, should we expect\ncorroborative evidence of the Lord's presence? \u00b6 398.\n\nWhy is fulfilled prophecy conclusive proof concerning the question at\nissue? \u00b6 399.\n\nWhat is the value of physical facts in examining any question? \u00b6 399.\n\nIs there a difference between the date of the beginning of the \"time of\nthe end\" and the presence of the Lord? \u00b6 400.\n\nWhat period of time is covered by the \"time of the end\"? \u00b6 400.\n\nFrom what time does the Lord's second presence date? and during what\nperiod of the \"time of the end\" does his presence occur? \u00b6 400.\n\nWas there any reason why these important dates should be concealed for a\ntime? Give Scriptural reason. \u00b6 401.\n\nIs it reasonable to expect that Jehovah would indicate something by\nwhich the event could be determined in the future? \u00b6 401.\n\nFor what did he tell Daniel to look as evidence of the \"time of the\nend\"? \u00b6 402.\n\nIf 1799 marks the beginning of the \"time of the end\", should we expect a\nspecific fulfillment of this prophecy of Daniel shortly thereafter? \u00b6 402.\n\nWho had access to the Bible prior to 1799? \u00b6 402.\n\nWhat penalties were attached to common people for having a Bible in\npossession? \u00b6 402.\n\nWhat happened in 1799 that caused a change of conditions? \u00b6 402.\n\nWho had taught the doctrine of the divine right of kings and the divine\nright of the clergy? \u00b6 402.\n\nWhat historical event occurred to open the minds of the people to the\ntruth concerning these doctrines? \u00b6 402.\n\nHow did this mark a beginning of the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy?\n\u00b6 402.\n\nState when and how soon after 1799, the beginning of the \"time of the\nend\", the great Bible societies were organized. \u00b6 403.\n\nGive approximately the number of Bibles that were distributed amongst\nthe people thereafter. \u00b6 403.\n\nDid the Papal system gladly participate in distributing the Bible\namongst the people? \u00b6 403.\n\nWhen did the people begin to learn that God makes no distinction between\npersons, whether they are priests or of the common herd? \u00b6 403.\n\nRelate something concerning the increase of knowledge generally since\n1800 A.D. \u00b6 404.\n\nPrior to 1799, what was the means of travel through the countries? \u00b6 405.\n\nWas there any increase of travel shortly after 1799 A.D.? \u00b6 405.\n\nWhen was the steam locomotive put in operation? and how have means of\nrapid transit increased since that time? \u00b6 405.\n\nWhat is meant by the \"day of God's preparation\"? \u00b6 406.\n\nWhat prophet describes a railway train? Quote the prophecy. \u00b6 406.\n\nWhen was the telegraph invented? and what other means of communication\nhave followed since? \u00b6 407.\n\nCan there be any doubt about these physical facts marking a fulfillment\nof Daniel's prophecy concerning the \"time of the end\"? \u00b6 408.\n\nWhat did Jesus say concerning the latter part of the \"time of the end\"\nand in what way it would be indicated? \u00b6 409.\n\nDid the apostle Paul indicate that greater light would come to the\npeople at the \"time of the end\"? \u00b6 409.\n\nWhat other evidence have we of increasing light at that time? \u00b6 410.\n\nWhat class of people have been trodden down for centuries? and when did\nthey begin to get their eyes opened as to their privileges? \u00b6 410.\n\nWhen was the first labor organization formed in the world? \u00b6 410.\n\nEnumerate some of the great inventions and discoveries since 1874,\nmarking the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy, and the Lord's presence,\nand the \"time of the end\". \u00b6 410.\n\nWhat do the Scriptures disclose concerning a parallel between the gospel\nand the Jewish ages? \u00b6 411.\n\nWhen did the Jewish harvest begin? \u00b6 411.\n\nWhat is meant by the term \"harvest\"? \u00b6 411.\n\nDid Jesus state that there would be a harvest at the end of the world,\nduring his second presence? \u00b6 411.\n\nDescribe the parallel between the Jewish and the gospel-age harvests.\n\u00b6 411.\n\nThe natural harvest of the Jews was used to illustrate what? \u00b6 412.\n\nWhat was the custom following the reaping of the grain by the Jews? \u00b6 412.\n\nWhat would this indicate that we might expect from 1878 to 1918, and\nfollowing that period? \u00b6 412.\n\nIn answer to the disciples' question as to when he would be present,\nwhat did Jesus say about the harvest and the sending of messengers? Give\nthe Scriptural proof. \u00b6 413.\n\nIn Jesus' statement of Matthew 24:31, what is meant by the word \"trumpet\"?\n\u00b6 415.\n\nExplain the term \"angels\" as used in this text. \u00b6 416.\n\nWould it be reasonable to expect some special messenger to be used of\nthe Lord during the time of this harvest? \u00b6 416.\n\nWhat did Jesus promise about providing such a messenger? Quote Matthew\n24:45-47. \u00b6 416.\n\nFrom 1870 A.D. forward, what evidence do we have in fulfillment of this\nprophetic statement of the Lord? \u00b6 417.\n\nWhat publication has for some forty years consistently announced the\nLord's second presence? \u00b6 417.\n\nFrom 1878 forward, what evidence has there been of a gathering of\nChristians, regardless of denominations? \u00b6 418.\n\nDescribe some of the work done by the special messenger of the Lord.\n\u00b6 418.\n\nQuote the words of the publication _The Continent_ concerning Pastor\nRussell. \u00b6 419.\n\nWhat society was incorporated in 1884? and what has been its work in\nconnection with the harvest of this age? \u00b6 421.\n\nWhat has been and is the purpose of this society? \u00b6 421.\n\nAre these Christians who are thus gathered together followers of any\nman? \u00b6 422.\n\nQuote Matthew 24:28, and give its meaning. \u00b6 423.\n\nJesus likened the true children of God to wheat. What did he use to\nillustrate imitation Christians? Quote Matthew 13:30. \u00b6 424.\n\nWhat has been the tendency of so-called Christian denominations since\n1878? \u00b6 425.\n\nSince that time, how has the Lord's message in Revelation 18:4 applied\nto Christians? \u00b6 425.\n\nWhat did the Lord through the Prophet say concerning the gathering of\nhis people at this time? Quote Psalm 50:5. \u00b6 425.\n\nWhat does this prove concerning the Lord's second presence? \u00b6 425.\n\nDo we find the clergy of various denominations anxious to tell of the\nLord's second presence? and if not, why not? \u00b6 426.\n\nWhy do these distinguished gentlemen scoff and jeer at those who teach\nthe Lord is now present? \u00b6 426.\n\nDid the Lord foretell this? Quote the Apostle's language with reference\nto it. \u00b6 426.\n\nWhy did the disciples want to know what would be the proof of the Lord's\npresence and of the end of the world? \u00b6 427.\n\nRepeat the question that they propounded to Jesus on the Mount of\nOlives. \u00b6 427.\n\nWill the physical earth ever be destroyed? Give Scriptural proof for\nanswer. \u00b6 427.\n\nWhat is meant, then, by the end of the world? \u00b6 428.\n\nWhat became of the first world? \u00b6 428.\n\nHow many persons were carried over from the first world to that\ndesignated as the present evil world? \u00b6 428.\n\nWhat period of time is designated in the Scriptures as the present evil\nworld? \u00b6 428.\n\nWhat Scriptural proof is there as to how the present evil world shall\npass away? \u00b6 428.\n\nIn what world and what part of that world did God make the promise to\nAbraham that in his seed all the families of the earth should be\nblessed? \u00b6 429.\n\nWhat was God's declaration to Zedekiah, the king of Israel? Repeat it.\n\u00b6 429.\n\nWhen was Zedekiah overthrown? \u00b6 430.\n\nWho established the universal gentile empire then? \u00b6 430.\n\nWhen did the \"gentile times\" begin? and how long must that period last?\n\u00b6 430.\n\nWho is the one spoken of by the Prophet here as \"he whose right it is\"?\n\u00b6 430.\n\nWould it be reasonable, then, to expect the presence of this mighty One\nbefore the overthrow of the old order or present evil world? \u00b6 430.\n\nWhy was the year 1914 A.D. an important date? \u00b6 430.\n\nWhat would be reasonably expected to be the conduct of the gentile\nnations after 1914 with reference to continuing in power? \u00b6 431.\n\nWhat does the Revelator say would be the condition of these nations at\nthat time? Quote the Scripture. \u00b6 431.\n\nWhat did Jesus say would mark the beginning of the end of the world?\nQuote his answer to the question. \u00b6 432.\n\nWhat fulfillment of this prophecy began in 1914? \u00b6 432.\n\nHow does the fulfillment of this prophecy also mark the fulfillment of\nthe prophecy of Daniel (2:44)? \u00b6 433.\n\nWhy are these kingdoms of earth being broken to pieces? \u00b6 433.\n\nQuote the words of Jesus given by various evangelists concerning the\npersecution of his followers at the end of the world. \u00b6 434.\n\nWhat fulfillment of these prophetic utterances of the Master took place\nin 1917, 1918, and 1919? \u00b6 434.\n\nGive some instances of the Lord's protecting care of his followers\nduring this period of persecution. \u00b6 435-437.\n\nWhy should Christians not complain but rejoice because of these trying\nexperiences? \u00b6 437.\n\nQuote the Master's words in Matthew 24:14, in answer to the question\npropounded to him. \u00b6 438.\n\nWhat evidence is there of a fulfillment of these prophetic words? \u00b6 438.\n\nWhat did Jesus say relative to the regathering of Israel to Palestine as\nevidence of his second presence? \u00b6 439.\n\nWhat did Jesus tell his followers to do when they should see these\nthings coming to pass, and why? \u00b6 439.\n\nHow is the Lord's presence and the end of the world shown by the reaping\nof the \"vine of the earth\"? \u00b6 440.\n\nWhy would Jesus admonish his followers to watch for his second coming?\n\u00b6 442.\n\nSuppose it were true that 'no man knows the day nor the hour' of the\nLord's appearing, what difference would it now make? \u00b6 443.\n\nIs there any reason why a Christian should be in darkness concerning the\ntimes and seasons of the Lord's presence? \u00b6 443.\n\nShould we waste our time to quibble about dates, or days, or hours? \u00b6 443.\n\nWhat do fulfilled prophecy and the physical facts establish relative to\nthis question? \u00b6 443.\n\nWhat words are upon the lips of the true watchers in view of this\noverwhelming evidence? \u00b6 443.\n\nHow does the prophet Isaiah describe this class of faithful watchers?\nQuote his words. \u00b6 443.\n\nDescribe those who now have the harp of God; and what are they singing?\n\u00b6 444.\n\nGive the three primary purposes of the Lord's presence. \u00b6 445.\n\nSome have thought that the Lord's second presence would be for the\npurpose of destroying the earth. What proof have we that this is\nerroneous? \u00b6 446.\n\nWhat is the proper explanation of St. Peter's words in 2 Peter 3:10-12?\n\u00b6 447.\n\nWhat did the Apostle mean when he said that 'we look for new heavens and\na new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness'? \u00b6 448.\n\nWhat evidence is there that the fire is now burning? \u00b6 449.\n\nHow long will it continue to burn? \u00b6 449.\n\nWhat bearing has this on the presence of the Lord? \u00b6 449.\n\nWhat Scriptural explanation is given for the distress of nations and\nperplexity of business men on earth at this time? Quote the Scripture\nand analyze it. \u00b6 450.\n\nDescribe the actions of the employing and the laboring classes. \u00b6 451.\n\nHow are all these perplexed? \u00b6 451.\n\nTo what is this disturbed condition leading? \u00b6 452.\n\nIs there greater trouble just ahead? and if so, what proof have we?\nQuote the Scriptures. \u00b6 453.\n\nWhat will follow this general shaking of the nations? \u00b6 453.\n\nHow is the Lord's presence revealing the hidden things? Quote the\nScriptural authority for your answer. \u00b6 453.\n\nWhat effect is this light having upon Satan and his kingdom? \u00b6 454.\n\nWhat effect is the Lord's presence having upon the nations of the earth?\n\u00b6 454.\n\nQuote the prophecies of Isaiah 34:1-4 and 51:6, and explain. \u00b6 454.\n\nHow will this trouble bring to the minds of the people the presence of\nthe Lord? \u00b6 454.\n\nWhat is meant by the \"day of God's vengeance\"? and what did the Lord say\nhe would do with the nations at this time? \u00b6 454.\n\nWhat is meant by the Bridegroom and bride? Give the Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6 455.\n\nGive the picture of Abraham, Isaac, and Rebekah, stating what each\ntypified, and what the whole picture shows. \u00b6 455.\n\nIn this picture, what did Eliezer represent? \u00b6 456.\n\nQuote the words of the Master with reference to sending a comforter to\nhis followers. \u00b6 456.\n\nWhat was pictured by the ten camels which Eliezer took with him? \u00b6 456.\n\nWhat was pictured by the golden ornaments presented to Rebekah? \u00b6 456.\n\nQuote the words of the Psalmist inviting the church to become the bride\nof Christ. \u00b6 457.\n\nWhat do the ones called do, in response to the call? \u00b6 457.\n\nWhat did Sarah picture with respect to the covenants? and what did her\ndeath represent? \u00b6 457.\n\nWhat is pictured by Isaac receiving Rebekah and making her his wife\nafter the death of his mother Sarah? \u00b6 457.\n\nDuring what period of time has the Lord been preparing the bride of\nChrist? \u00b6 458.\n\nWhat did Jesus say about preparing a special place for these, and his\nreturn to receive his bride? Quote his words. \u00b6 458.\n\nWhat do his words show with reference to one of the principal reasons\nfor his second coming? \u00b6 459.\n\nExplain the parable of the virgins.--Matthew 25:1-13. \u00b6 460.\n\nExplain the meaning of the lamp and the oil in the lamp. \u00b6 460.\n\nDefine virgin; and what does a virgin picture here? \u00b6 460.\n\nWhat is meant by keeping their lamps trimmed and burning? \u00b6 460.\n\nHow has knowledge of the Lord's presence affected the wise virgin class?\n\u00b6 460.\n\nWhat proof is this that his presence is one of the strings of the harp\nof God? \u00b6 460.\n\nDo the Scriptures indicate how many will be in the bride class? If so,\ngive the proof. \u00b6 460.\n\nWhat do the Scriptures show the Lord does for the faithful saints who\ndied long ago when he first returns? Give the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 461.\n\nWhat is meant in the Scriptures by a great shout? \u00b6 462.\n\nState how this has been fulfilled. \u00b6 462.\n\nWhat is meant by the voice of the archangel? \u00b6 462.\n\nShould we expect the resurrection of the saints during this time? \u00b6 463.\n\nHow is he gathering unto himself the saints who are still on earth\nduring his presence? \u00b6 463.\n\nGive some Scriptural promises concerning the church being forever with\nthe Lord. \u00b6 463.\n\nWhat is meant by the kingdom of God? \u00b6 464.\n\nWho constitute the royal family of heaven? Quote the apostle Peter's\nwords relating to this. \u00b6 464.\n\nWhat promise did Jesus make to this class concerning a kingdom? \u00b6 465.\n\nWhere will these be associated with the Lord Jesus in his kingdom? \u00b6 465.\n\nFor what kingdom did the Lord teach his disciples to pray? and is it the\nsame spoken of by the prophets of old? \u00b6 465.\n\nWho have enjoyed and are enjoying the blessedness spoken of by Daniel\nthe Prophet in Daniel 12:12? \u00b6 466.\n\nAs these appreciate this string of the harp, what song is appropriate to\nthem? \u00b6 466.\n\nWhile the saints thus rejoice, for what do they patiently wait? and to\nwhat do they look forward? \u00b6 467.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER X\n\nString 9: _Glorification of the Church_\n\n\nThe church means a called out class, separate and distinct from all\nothers. The church of Christ consists of Jesus Christ the head and the\n144,000 members of his body. (Colossians 1:18; Revelation 7:4) Those\ncomposing this special class are otherwise designated saints. A saint is\none who is pure, holy, blameless. The followers of Christ Jesus are not\nholy or blameless within themselves, but their holiness is by virtue of\nhis imputed merit. This same class of Christians is otherwise designated\nin the Bible as \"a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a\npeople for a purpose\". (1 Peter 2:9) They are also designated new\ncreatures (2 Corinthians 5:17); therefore they constitute the new\ncreation. This new creation when completed will be of the divine nature.\n(2 Peter 1:4) Nature is determined by organism. The nature of the\nchurch, then, will be like unto Jehovah God. It pleased God that Jesus\nChrist, his beloved Son, should have preeminence in his great plan;\nhence he is made the head of the new creation.--Colossians 1:18.\n\n[469]This new creation had its beginning with Jesus Christ at the time\nof his baptism in Jordan when he was begotten to the divine nature and\nanointed with the holy spirit without limitation. As a man, he was pure,\nblameless, holy. At the age of thirty years, he was qualified under the\nlaw to be a priest, and there he consecrated himself and at that time\nwas baptized and begotten to the divine nature; hence became a new\ncreature there from the divine standpoint. As a new creature he was\nmade perfect by the things which he suffered.--Hebrews 5:8.\n\n[470]From the time of his baptism he was opposed by Satan the devil, who\nsought to destroy him. The reason for this opposition lay in the fact that\nwhen God sentenced Adam to death he had said unto Satan: \"I will put\nenmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it\nshall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel\". (Genesis 3:15) The\nwoman here symbolized or typified the Abrahamic-Sarah covenant, from which\nthe seed of promise springs. As Isaac was the son of promise, so the\nchurch was typified by Isaac. (Galatians 4:25-29) The seed of promise is\ntherefore the new creation. The seed of the serpent consists of those\nagencies visible and invisible which are his offspring, and which are used\nby him for his wicked work. In Jesus' day the scribes and Pharisees and\ndoctors of the law were classed as the offspring of Satan, his seed (John\n8:44); and it has been true at all times that many who have pretended to\nbe Christians are really the seed of Satan and engage in persecuting\nothers who love the Lord.\n\n[471]Immediately after the baptism of Jesus he went up into a mountain\nin the wilderness to study God's plan and to meditate upon it, that he\nmight be instructed in the way that Jehovah would have him go; and when\nthis season of forty days was ended and he came forth, he was subjected\nto a great temptation by the devil. Jesus resisted all of these efforts\nof Satan. (Luke 4:1-13) Jesus, the head of the seed of promise, was the\ntarget of Satan's instruments. For three and a half years he suffered\ndaily at the hands of Satan and those who represented him, namely, those\nhuman beings who possessed the devilish spirit. During that period of\nthree and a half years he was indeed a man of sorrows and acquainted\nwith grief; but all this suffering was necessary for his perfection as a\nnew creature. (Hebrews 5:8,9) Because of his faithfulness, his fidelity\nand loyalty to God even unto death, he won the great victory, became an\novercomer. Hence we read: \"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,\nand given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of\nJesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,\nand things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that\nJesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father\". (Philippians\n2:9-11) The members of the body of Christ, the members of the church,\nmust follow in his footsteps.--1 Peter 3:21.\n\n\nPREDESTINATED\n\n[472]While the selection of the new creation began with the baptism of\nJesus, God had foreordained long in advance that there should be a\nchurch, of which Jesus Christ is the head. St. Paul wrote: \"According as\nhe hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we\nshould be holy and without blame before him in love; having\npredestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to\nhimself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of\nthe glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.\nIn whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,\naccording to the riches of his grace; wherein he hath abounded towards\nus in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of\nhis will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in\nhimself.\"--Ephesians 1:4-9.\n\n[473]The world referred to here means the social and political order\nexisting from the time of the flood until the coming of the Lord's\nkingdom, and is designated in the Scriptures as the present evil world.\nSt. Paul therefore says that before the foundation of this world God\nmade provision for the choosing of the members of the church. He did not\nchoose the individuals, but he predestinated or foreordained that there\nshould be such a church or new creation, and that these should be\nadopted as his children through his beloved Son Jesus Christ, and should\nbecome the members of his household, and that these should be made in\nthe image and likeness of Christ Jesus the head. (Romans 8:29) As we\nview the experiences through which Jesus passed, we may expect to find\nthat the body members would have similar experiences; and this we do\nfind.\n\n[474]Fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus was the day of\nPentecost. There went forth the call to the remnant of the Jews to come\nunto the Lord, accept Jesus as their head and be transferred from Moses\ninto Christ and become the members of the 144,000, constituting the\nchurch. A call means an announcement or an invitation. The call here\nsignified an announcement of God's purpose of electing the members of\nthe church and an invitation to those of the right heart condition to\naccept that invitation. Many were called, but only a few responded to\nthat call and were chosen. (Matthew 22:14) For three and a half years\nthis call was confined to the Jews, at the end of which time Cornelius,\nthe first gentile, was granted the gospel. He heard, believed on the\nLord and fully consecrated himself to do God's will, and was accepted.\n(Acts 10) From that time forward the call has been general to any one\nwho might desire to respond to the terms and follow in the Master's\nfootsteps.\n\n[475]For this purpose the gospel has been preached, that men might know\nof the plan of God and understand that he is selecting the church. Men\nof worldly wisdom have given no heed to the gospel. To them it has been\nfoolishness. And so St. Paul wrote: \"For after that in the wisdom of God\nthe world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of\npreaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and\nthe Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, unto the\nJews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them\nwhich are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the\nwisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the\nweakness of God is stronger than men,\"--1 Corinthians 1:21-25.\n\n[476]This message of Christ Jesus, the crucified one, the selection of\nthe church and the setting up of his kingdom, was a stumblingblock to\nthe Jews; they could not understand; they would not believe. And to most\nof the gentiles it seemed foolishness. It was not foolishness, however.\nIt was the greatest wisdom. A few have responded to this divine wisdom.\nThe man, however, who thought himself wise would not become a follower\nof Jesus. It was not a popular thing. And so it has ever been throughout\nthe gospel age that those who have really come to the Lord, made a\nconsecration and followed in his footsteps, have been the meek and lowly\nof heart who are anxious to know the Lord and his great plan. Hence St.\nPaul writes: \"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise\nmen after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but\nGod hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;\nand God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things\nwhich are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are\ndespised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to\nnought things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence\".--1\nCorinthians 1:26-29.\n\n[477]The thought here is that ultimately no creature will ever be\nstanding in Jehovah's presence boasting of what he did. But all those\nwho compose the church will realize that all they have came to them as a\ngracious gift from Jehovah. To those who have really had the desire to\nknow and serve the Lord the call has been and is beautiful indeed. Such\nhave been thrilled with the gracious words of Jehovah spoken through his\nprophet, inviting them to become members of the royal family of heaven.\nThe Psalmist wrote: \"Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline\nthine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so\nshall the king greatly desire thy beauty; for he is thy Lord, and\nworship thou him\".--Psalm 45:10,11.\n\n[478]As Jesus is the Son of God, so the church, the bride of Christ, is\nthe daughter of God. Hence the Psalmist speaks to her here, inviting\nthose who are to become the daughter to forget their own people and\ntheir earthly father's house and earnestly and willingly follow in the\nMaster's footsteps. These are invited to worship the Lord and grow in\nhis likeness and thereby become beautiful; and it is that beauty, the\ncharacter-likeness of the Lord, that he desires.\n\n\nDEVELOPMENT\n\n[479]The development of the church is not an instantaneous matter. It is\na gradual process. Some have erroneously thought and taught that a man\nmight be wicked all his life and then on his deathbed confess his sins,\naccept Christ, become a Christian and die and go immediately to heaven.\nThere is no Scripture that warrants such a conclusion. Time is required\nfor the development of the Christian. He must first repent; that is to\nsay, become displeased with the wrongful course of the world, change\nhis own course and seek the Lord. He must become converted, turn away\nfrom a wrongful course and turn to the Lord. He must be drawn to the\nLord Jesus, make a full consecration, be accepted of the Lord, presented\nto the Father, justified, and begotten of the holy spirit, before he\nbecomes a new creature; and from that time forward he must develop. He\nmust have the opportunity to pass through, and must pass through, many\nexperiences and by these experiences learn the lessons that God desires\nthe members of the new creation to learn.\n\n[480]A boy or a girl in school who is being trained for a special\npurpose is required to have some hard mental exercise in order to\ndevelop the mind. For this reason many mathematical problems are\nrequired of the pupil; and other lessons are required to develop the\nmental faculties. One who is training for a race or other physical\ncontest is required to have some strenuous experiences. With stronger\nreasoning are these principles true relative to the members of the new\ncreation. These are being trained for the high and exalted position of\nmembership in the royal family of heaven. Hence we may not be surprised\nto find often that their training is quite severe. The understanding of\nthis requirement enables one to appreciate why Christians have never\nbeen popular and why they have suffered so much during the past nineteen\ncenturies.\n\n[481]The Psalmist wrote concerning the new creation; \"I am become a\nstranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children. For\nthe zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them\nthat reproached thee are fallen upon me.\" (Psalm 69:8,9) Jesus became a\nstranger to the Jews in this, that they despised and rejected him.\nBecause of his zeal for the heavenly Father's great plan, his earthly\nlife was consumed. Satan had reproached Jehovah from the time of Eden;\nand now these reproaches fell upon Jesus. We should expect the body\nmembers to have similar experiences. And so the Apostle quotes this text\nand applies it to those who are the followers of Jesus, saying, \"For\neven Christ pleased not himself; but, as it written, The reproaches of\nthem that reproached thee fell on me\".--Romans 15:3.\n\n[482]God is a great economist. He makes the wrath of men and other\ncreatures to result to his own praise. Satan and his seed have always\npersecuted and buffeted the Christians, and Jehovah has caused this\npersecution to result in the development of the members of the body of\nChrist. He could have prevented the church from suffering at Satan's\nhands had he desired so to do; but by being permitted to buffet them\nwith trying experiences, Satan has demonstrated his own depraved\ncharacter, and the resistance of the church has shown their love and\ndevotion to the Lord and thus developed characters that are pleasing\nunto him.\n\n[483]When one first becomes a Christian he does not usually suffer so\nmuch as later, when he is more developed. He is at first designated in\nthe Scriptures as a babe in Christ. As we deal with babes, so our\nheavenly Father deals with his baby children. As earthly babies are fed\nupon milk and other light diets, so is one when he first becomes a\nChristian; and his experiences are in harmony therewith, as the apostle\nPeter says: \"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that\nye may grow thereby\".--1 Peter 2:2.\n\n[484]The Apostle then illustrates the growth of a Christian by likening\nthe entire new creation to a building, with Jesus as the chief\ncorner-stone and the other members of the body as built up in harmony\nwith him. He says: \"If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.\n[Those who have been begotten of the holy spirit have tasted that the\nLord is gracious.] To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed\nindeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as living\nstones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up\nsacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is\ncontained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone,\nelect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.\nUnto you therefore which believe he is precious; but unto them which be\ndisobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made\nthe head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense,\neven to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient.\"--1 Peter\n2:3-8.\n\n[485]Paraphrasing these words, the Apostle states that Jesus is the\nchief corner-stone. He is the Head of the elect; he is the precious One.\nThose who believe on him, to such he is precious; and those who hold\nfast to that belief shall not be confounded. To believe means to act by\nfully consecrating oneself to do the Lord's will. This great One, the\nLord Jesus, has been and is a stumbling-stone and a rock of offense to\nthose who have not believed. Those who have not appreciated the fact\nthat he is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and that it is a\nprivilege to suffer with him, have been offended and turned away from\nhim. It is a great privilege to suffer with Christ. \"For unto you it is\ngiven in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to\nsuffer for his sake.\"--Philippians 1:29.\n\n[486]The course of the world is directly opposite to the course of the\nChristian; hence the Christian finds that he must constantly put forth an\neffort to develop. For this reason the apostle Peter wrote: \"Giving all\ndiligence, add to your faith virtue [that is, fortitude, steadfastness,\nbeing determined to stand for the truth and on the side of right]; and to\nvirtue knowledge [in order to do this one must study the Word of God, not\nonly occasionally, but regularly, systematically]; and to knowledge\ntemperance [which means self-control, learning to control oneself under\nprovocation, being calm, gentle, self-possessed, trusting in the Lord];\nand to temperance patience [which means cheerful endurance, no matter how\nfiery the trials are; to endure cheerfully because it is pleasing to the\nLord and because it makes a strong character]; and to patience godliness\n[which means to grow in the likeness of the Lord, with piety, purity];\nand to godliness brotherly kindness [which means that kind and loving\ndisposition that exists and should exist between those who are really\nbrothers]; and to brotherly kindness charity,\" or love which means an\nunselfish desire to do good and doing good to others even at a sacrifice\nto ourselves.--2 Peter 1:5-7.\n\n[487]When we recognize that the course of the world is exactly opposite\nto this, we may know it requires a warfare, a constant vigilance, and\nthe subjection to persecution because of misunderstanding. But if we do\nthese things, we shall make our calling and election sure. The Apostle\nputs it thus: \"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make\nyour calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall\nnever fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly\ninto the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ\".--2\nPeter 1:10,11.\n\n[488]While thus undergoing development, the new creature finds that he\nhas to war against the downward tendencies of his own fleshly\ndisposition, against the spirit of the world, and against Satan's\nmachinations through various instruments. But this warfare is what makes\nhim strong. It is not a warfare with carnal weapons. It is the power of\nGod working in him to war against these enemies, and it is mighty to\nthe pulling down of the strongholds of wrong. (2 Corinthians 10:4) It is\nthe great hope of an entrance into the kingdom that enables him, by the\nLord's grace, to battle steadfastly for the right. St. John states:\n\"Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is\npure\". (1 John 3:3) These fiery trials through which the Christian\npasses have the same effect upon him that a fire has upon metal. It\nburns up the dross and refines the gold. It has a cleansing effect; and\nalso for this reason the Lord permits it.\n\n[489]God foreordained that all the members of the new creation should be\nmade in the likeness of his beloved Son. (Romans 8:29) This does not\ntake place by meditating upon wrongful things, but by resisting these\nand keeping the mind upon heavenly things. The Christian now has his\nface unveiled; that is, he is enabled by his mental vision to understand\nthe things of God's Word, and when he looks into the Word, the Bible, he\nsees reflected from that Word the character-likeness of the Lord; and\nhaving the Lord's spirit in him, he is being transformed from one degree\nof glory to another. The apostle Paul puts it thus: \"We all, with open\nface beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the\nsame image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord\".\n(2 Corinthians 3:18) The pathway of the Christian is not strewn with\nflowers or ease or comfort, but as Jesus said, it is a narrow way and\nfew there be that walk in it.--Matthew 7:14.\n\n[490]St. James says: \"Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken\nin the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of\npatience\". (James 5:10) The prophets of old suffered much and they will\nnot be privileged to be a part of this heavenly kingdom class; but their\nsuffering was for a two-fold purpose: (1) to develop them, which will\nresult to their benefit when they are resurrected as perfect men; and\n(2) to serve as examples for the church, the followers of Jesus.\n\n[491]Jesus said: \"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the\nkingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force\".\n(Matthew 11:12) Here he showed that the kingdom-of-heaven class, meaning\nthe royal family, suffers violence at the hands of the adversary's\ninstruments, and the violent ones take these by force. It was so of him;\nit has been so of his followers, as St. Paul writes: \"Our hope of you is\nsteadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall\nye be also of the consolation\".--2 Corinthians 1:7.\n\n[492]But why should the Christian suffer? you may ask. And the Apostles\nanswer: \"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which\nis to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but\nrejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when\nhis glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If\nye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of\nglory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of,\nbut on your part he is glorified.... Yet if any man suffer as a\nChristian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this\nbehalf.\" (1 Peter 4:12-14,16) \"It became him, for whom are all things,\nand by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make\nthe captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he\nthat sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which\ncause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.\"--Hebrews 2:10,11.\n\n[493]Again the apostle Paul shows that the Christian does not complain\nbecause of persecution and suffering; neither does he murmur against\nGod. But the true sentiment of his heart is expressed in the words of\nthe Apostle: \"We glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation\nworketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and\nhope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our\nhearts by the holy spirit which is given unto us\". (Romans 6:3-5) Again\nsays the Apostle: \"I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are\nnot worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in\nus\".--Romans 8:18.\n\n[494]No true Christian would expect to be without suffering or\nchastisements from the Lord, because these are evidences that he is a\nfollower of Jesus and a son of God. It is one of the ways in which the\nspirit of the Lord testifies to us that we are his. (Hebrews 12:2-11;\nRomans 8:16,17) These sufferings of the Christian come from various\nagencies. The Christian suffers by being misunderstood. His motives are\npresumed to be wrong. He is sometimes charged with sedition because he\ndoes not desire to join with peoples of the world in engaging in war to\ndestroy human lives; sometimes persecuted by false brethren, and\nsometimes by those who are ignorant. But all these afflictions he\npatiently endures, gladly.\n\n[495]St. Paul probably suffered as much or more than any follower of\nChrist. He suffered shipwreck, imprisonment, his back was flogged on\nthree occasions at least, he was stoned and dragged out by the wayside\nand left for dead; and notwithstanding all these afflictions he wrote:\n\"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a\nfar more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at\nthe things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen\".\n(2 Corinthians 4:17,18) He was looking forward to the glory that shall\nfollow, as should all Christians--not only _some_ glory, but a far more\nexceeding and eternal weight of glory. The Christian delights to\nmeditate upon the promises given in God's Word concerning this glory.\n\n\nPROMISES\n\n[496]The great promise set before the church is that of eternal\nlife--being for ever with the Lord. Addressing these, St. Paul wrote:\n\"God will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by\npatient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and\nimmortality, eternal life\". (Romans 2:6,7) It is to be noticed that\nthose who are looking for that great reward patiently continue in doing\nwell; that is to say, they cheerfully endure whatsoever experiences\ncome, while they continue to walk in the Master's footsteps. Let us,\nthen, examine some of the texts setting forth God's precious promises\nrelative to the glory and honor that shall be the portion of the church\nin his great arrangement.\n\n[497]_Glory_ is the term used to describe Jehovah's presence. It\nsuggests the brightness of the divine person and character. Glory is\nassociated with God's holiness. (Isaiah 6:1-4) Our Lord Jesus is\nmentioned as the 'brightness of God's glory'. He is also spoken of as\nbeing 'the express image of the Father', and we are told that he is at\nthe right hand of the Father. (Hebrews 1:3) The 144,000 members of his\nbody are to be with him in his throne and in the Father's presence, thus\nin glory. (Revelation 3:21) This glory that they shall enjoy will be so\ntranscendently more wonderful than all the things of earth that could be\nglorious, that St. Paul describes it as a \"far more exceeding and\neternal weight of glory\". The members of the church while undergoing\ndevelopment bear the image of the earthly. Imperfect human beings they\nare, with imperfect bodies and minds. But the promise to them is: \"As\nwe have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of\nthe heavenly\".--1 Corinthians 15:49.\n\n[498]From the time of Pentecost until the coming of the Lord, those\ndear and faithful saints who died in Christ slept and waited for his\ncoming; but as the Apostle says, these would be the first to be honored\nwith an awakening from the dead. Hence we understand that shortly after\nthe second appearing of the Lord Jesus, during the time of the shout of\nencouragement that was going on among the peoples of earth, these dead\nsaints in Christ were resurrected and caught up with the Lord Jesus in\nthe air, to be for ever with him, as stated by the Apostle.\n--1 Thessalonians 4:16,17.\n\n[499]Those remaining, who had not died up to the time of the Lord's\nappearing, but who since die as do other men, have their change\ninstantaneously. Their resurrection is instantaneous, as St. Paul\nplainly says: \"Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but\nwe shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the\nlast trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised\nincorruptible, and we shall be changed\". (1 Corinthians 15:51,52) These\nare the blessed ones of the Lord because they participate in the first\nor chief resurrection and thereafter reign with Christ. (Revelation 20:6)\nThese promises, then, are to the effect that they shall be forever with\nthe Lord Jesus in the presence of Jehovah: therefore in glory. Jehovah\nfor centuries has been preparing this class, the new creation, \"that he\nmight make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which\nhe had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called\".--Romans\n9:23,24.\n\n[500]It is customary for the royal family of a nation to have the\nchoicest jewels of that nation in possession. These jewels are kept in\nthe presence of the king, that they might be admired by him. Concerning\nthose who shall constitute the new creation, the church, the Prophet of\nGod wrote: \"They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day\nwhen I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own\nson that serveth him\". (Malachi 3:17) That these shall be admired by\nthe Lord Jehovah as the zenith of his glorious creation is indicated by\nthe Prophet who writes: \"Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand\nof the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God\".--Isaiah 62:3.\n\n[501]Those who by patient continuance in well doing battle faithfully\nunto the end have the precious promise of being made a part of the\ntemple of God; hence will be in his presence. \"Him that overcometh will\nI make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out:\nand I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city\nof my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from\nmy God; and I will write upon him my new name.\"--Revelation 3:12.\n\n[502]The brightness and glory of the earth is the sun, which\nilluminates and gives life to the things of earth. Scientists declare\nthat this light is produced by explosive gas which ascends from the sun\nto a height of from 5,000 to 300,000 miles. It is the brightness of the\nfirmament; and the glory in the presence of Jehovah is illustrated by\nthis brightness, as indicated by the Prophet: \"They that be wise shall\nshine as the brightness of the firmament\". (Daniel 12:3) The wise ones\nare those who devote themselves to understanding and doing Jehovah's\nwill. They are the righteous ones, who have been made so through the\nmerit of Christ Jesus, and whom he gathers in during his presence. When\nthese enter into the glorious presence of Jehovah, \"then shall the\nrighteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father\".\n--Matthew 13:43.\n\n[503]It was Jesus who said to his disciples: \"In my Father's house are\nmany mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare\na place for you, ... that where I am, there ye may be also\". (John 14:2,3)\nThe promise here is, then, that a special habitation shall be prepared\nfor the church, which habitation will be in the glorious presence of the\nLord Jehovah. This holy or heavenly kingdom class, the royal family, is\nspoken of as Zion, and of it the Prophet of the Lord wrote: \"The Lord\nhath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation\". (Psalm 132:13)\nOf its beauty and glory the Psalmist wrote: \"Out of Zion, the perfection\nof beauty, God hath shined\". (Psalm 50:2) Jehovah will shine forth\nthrough the new creation for the blessing of all the families of the\nearth. The glory to be experienced by the church in the presence of\nJehovah will bring unspeakable joy; for 'in his presence is fullness of\njoy; at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore'.--Psalm 16:11.\n\n[504]In the glorious presence of Jehovah, we may be sure that all will\nbe his friends; and as an inducement to strive for that place his\nProphet wrote: \"He that loveth with a pure heart and hath grace upon his\nlips will have the king as his friend\" (Proverbs 22:11, _Leeser_), and\nhe will be sure of being loved for evermore.--Proverbs 17:17.\n\n[505]_Honor_ applies more to a recognized station or position in God's\narrangement. Always glorious, God is honored in the minds of his\ncreatures who worship him. The position of the glorified church will be\nthat of the bride of Christ, for ever with him; and he being at the\nright hand of the Father, their position will be one of great honor.\nThe special honor, therefore, of the church is that of being the\nglorious bride or associate of the Lord Jesus, the King of glory. His\nrecognition of her station as his own wife pictures the superlative\ndegree of her honor and glory. Jesus said: \"Father, I will ... that they\nbe with me where I am\".--John 17:24.\n\n[506]Of Jesus it is written that he is the 'express image of the Father'\n(Hebrews 1:3); and that he is the beloved Bridegroom and Friend of the\nbody members of the church. (Canticles 5:16) Now it does not appear what\nthe church shall be, but, says St. John, \"we know that, when he shall\nappear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is\". (1 John 3:2)\nGod \"hath appointed [him] heir of all things\". (Hebrews 1:2) These\nchildren of God, members of the body of Christ, are \"heirs of God, and\njoint-heirs with Christ\" in all the glory and honor of his\nposition.--Romans 8:17.\n\n[507]When Jehovah took away from Israel the right to rule, he promised\nto give it to him whose right it is, the great Messiah, when he should\ncome. (Ezekiel 21:27) Of him the Prophet of God wrote: \"And there was\ngiven him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations,\nand languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion,\nwhich shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be\ndestroyed.... And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the\nkingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the\nsaints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and\nall dominions shall serve and obey him.\" (Daniel 7:14,27) To his\ndisciples Jesus promised that they should share his kingdom, saying, \"I\nappoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye\nmay eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging\nthe twelve tribes of Israel\".--Luke 22:29,30.\n\n[508]As Jesus the bridegroom will be the great King of glory to rule\nover the nations, so the members of the body, the bride, the overcomers,\nare promised that they with him shall have \"power over the nations\".\n--Revelation 2:26.\n\n[509]Throughout the Millennial age not only will the position of the\nbride be that of associate with Christ Jesus in the kingdom, but her\nposition in all the ages to come will be one of honor. St. Paul writes\nthat God \"hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in\nheavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come he might show\nthe exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through\nChrist Jesus\".--Ephesians 2:6,7.\n\n[510]When Jesus was in the earth he was despised and rejected of men. He\nwas dishonored of men, and has since been dishonored of all except those\nwho have come to a knowledge of the truth. The time will come, however,\nas the Apostle declares, when 'every knee shall bow, and every tongue\nshall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father'.\n(Philippians 2:7-11) The members of his body, the truly consecrated\nchildren of God, following in the footsteps of their Master have been\ndespised of men, have been counted as the offscourings of the earth,\nhave been persecuted and imprisoned, and many of them killed; and the\nworld has known them not, even as it knew him not. But in due time all\nthose born in the glorious kingdom of our Lord will be honored among\nmen, because mankind will know of their position, as it is written: \"Of\nZion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her; and the\nhighest himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count, when he\nwriteth up the people, that this man was born there.\" (Psalm 87:5,6)\nThen shall the people rejoice that it has pleased the heavenly Father\nto select out from amongst poor, imperfect men the 144,000, and to make\nthem perfect through Christ Jesus. He will cause the peoples of earth to\nhonor them, as he has promised: \"I will make thy name to be remembered\nin all generations; therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and\never\".--Psalm 45:17.\n\n[511]The Apostle says also that these are seeking _immortality_. That\nword here means incorruptibility; a condition not subject to death. The\nMessianic class, head and body, will not be subject to decay, sickness,\nor death. Even a perfect human being requires nourishment to sustain his\norganism; but the exalted church, the Messiah, the Christ, will need\nnothing in the way of food to replenish any powers, because their powers\nwill not be exhausted. These will have life in themselves in such an\nabundant measure that they can give it out, and will give it out, and\nstill need no replenishing. Of himself Jesus declared: \"As the Father\nhath life in himself, so hath he given the Son to have life in himself\".\n--John 5:26; 4:14.\n\n[512]This same promise is made to those who participate in his\nsacrificial death. (John 6:53,54) These have the promise that they shall\nbe partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), and thus shall have\npower to give life unto others. The great prize that is here to be given\nis eternal life; and immortality is that quality of eternal life that is\nindestructible. To those who have entered into relationship with the\nLord through Christ, he says: \"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will\ngive thee a crown of life\". (Revelation 2:10) And again says St. James:\n\"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation [trial]; for when he is\ntried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised\nto them that love him\".--James 1:12.\n\n[513]When one is begotten to membership in the body of Christ, he has\nnew hopes, new ambitions, and new aspirations. He looks forward, not to\nthe glorious things of the earth, but to the glory and honor of being\nwith the Lord and serving in the capacity in which the Lord places him.\nHe has in mind the words of St. Paul: \"Your life is hid with Christ in\nGod. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also\nappear with him in glory.\"--Colossians 3:3,4\n\n[514]David, being a type of the church, prophetically wrote concerning\nthe church, and his words apply in a broader sense to the church. He\nexpressed the heart's desire of the members of the body of Christ: \"One\nthing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may\ndwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the\nbeauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple\". (Psalm 27:4) Here he\nhas hope of the glory of dwelling in the house of the Lord, in his\npresence, beholding his beauty and acquiring knowledge concerning his\ngreat plan.\n\n[515]Again David represents the church as in the presence of Jehovah,\nenjoying the glory and honor that will be granted to those who\nparticipate in the first resurrection. Of this in beautiful poetic\nphrase he writes: \"The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in\nthy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! Thou hast given him his\nheart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.\nFor thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a\ncrown of pure gold on his head. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest\nit him, even length of days for ever and ever. His glory is great in thy\nsalvation; honor and majesty hast thou laid upon him. For thou hast made\nhim most blessed for ever; thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy\ncountenance.\"--Psalm 21:1-6.\n\n[516]What a contrast in the eyes of the people between the man Christ\nJesus who suffered ignominy at the hands of the Jews and the Christ\nJesus glorified, the brightness of whose glory shines above that of the\nbrightness at noonday! Great will be the honor and dignity in the minds\nof the people of the position of Jesus Christ when all have come to know\nthe Lord. What a great contrast between the body of humiliation and the\nbody of glory! These members of the body, as the Prophet beautifully\nexpresses it, were 'digged from the pit and hewn from the rock'. (Isaiah\n51:1) They have trudged along the narrow way, suffering at the hands of\nSatan and his seed. But all the way they have had these precious\npromises of what would be the result, amongst which is this promise:\n\"Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul\ndelighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment\nto the gentiles\".--Isaiah 42:1.\n\n[517]In the eyes of the world these die like ordinary men; yet they\nreally fall like Prince Jesus. (Psalm 82:7) St. Paul, discussing the\nhumiliation of the church this side the vail, and contrasting it with\nthe glory on the other side, said: \"There is one glory of the sun, and\nanother glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star\ndiffereth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the\ndead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown\nin dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in _weakness_; it is\nraised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual\nbody.\"--1 Corinthians 15:41-44.\n\n[518]We have now come to the time in which these members of the body\nhave their change instantaneously. One moment they are sown in\ncorruption; the next, raised in incorruption. One moment in dishonor;\nthe next in glory. One moment in weakness; the next in power. When the\nchurch is finished and all of the 144,000 members are with the Lord,\n\"then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is\nswallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is\nthy victory?\" (1 Corinthians 15:54,55) Then it will be that all\ncomposing that class will enjoy glory, honor, immortality, even eternal\nlife.\n\n\nAPPROACHING THE KINGDOM\n\n[519]It is certain that the time must come when all those composing the\nbody of Christ will have finished their course on this side the vail and\npassed into heavenly glory; and since the Lord promised that his second\npresence would be for the purpose of gathering unto himself those who\nwould compose his bride, we should expect the glorification of the\nchurch to take place within a reasonably short time after the second\npresence of the Lord. The apostle Paul's mind was illuminated by the\npower of Jehovah, the holy spirit; and he wrote concerning the coming\nkingdom of Messiah, describing conditions that would immediately precede\nits inauguration.\n\n[520]At Mount Sinai Jehovah made a covenant with the nation of Israel,\nand at the time of making this covenant God directed Moses to instruct\nthe people, to prepare them for what was about to take place. When Moses\ncame down out of the mountain to deliver God's message to Israel, it was\namidst a great convulsion of nature. There were thunders and lightnings,\nand a thick cloud of smoke upon the mountain, and the voice of a trumpet\nexceeding loud, so that the people in the camp trembled with fear, and\nthe whole earth quaked greatly. This was a picture foreshadowing the\ntime of trouble in the earth, the great shaking of the nations just\nbefore the inauguration of Messiah's kingdom and the taking unto himself\nof his bride for the setting up of his kingdom. St. Paul, referring to\nthat time, by way of comparison says: \"Ye are not come unto the mount\nthat might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness,\nand darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of\nwords; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be\nspoken to them any more (for they could not endure that which was\ncommanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be\nstoned, or thrust through with a dart; and so terrible was the sight,\nthat Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake)\".--Hebrews 12:18-21.\n\n[521]We should expect, then, an antitypical fulfillment of these\nconditions. And so we do find it. The mountains (symbolically meaning\nkingdoms of the world) are on fire, and there is a great tempest, and\ntrouble, and disturbance in the earth; and so terrible is the time that\nmen's hearts are failing them for fear of what they see coming on the\nearth. Speaking of that time, and directing his words to the church, St.\nPaul wrote: \"Ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the\nliving God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of\nangels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are\nwritten in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of\njust men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,\nand to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of\nAbel\".--Hebrews 12:22-24.\n\n[522]Thus St. Paul pictures the gathering together of those who compose\nthe spiritual phase of Messiah's kingdom, namely, the church, Head and\nbody. He describes this as the heavenly Jerusalem.\n\n[523]That the peoples of earth and the creatures of heaven might ever\nhave in remembrance the importance of this great day in which we are\nnow living God is manifesting his power and his justice through his\ndealings with the nations, and in due time the people will learn to\nappreciate the love of God.\n\n[524]What a marvelously wonderful time now to be on the earth! Four\nthousand years ago holy men looked down to the time when God's kingdom\nmight come, but they could not understand it. The angels of heaven were\nnot permitted to know. Many of these faithful men were martyrs to the\ncause of righteousness. Moved by the spirit of Jehovah, they wrote\nconcerning the kingdom. The Psalmist composed songs and sang of the\ncoming blessed day. For nineteen hundred years Christians have been\ntrudging along the narrow way. And now it can be truly said, The Lord is\npresent; the Lord reigneth! The kingdom of heaven is at hand!\n\n[525]Necessarily the members of the body this side the vail are looking\nforward with anticipation to their change, when they may put off this\nmortal and be clothed upon with immortality, and be caught up to be\nforever with the Lord, and by him be presented to the great Jehovah.\nWhen all the members of the body have passed beyond the vail, then in\nGod's due time they will be presented by the Lord Jesus before the\npresence of Jehovah. Since we are so close to that time, let us now\nassume in our minds that we are standing just beyond the vail and that\nwe are getting the first glimpse of the glories of the kingdom.\n\n[526]Whom would the true Christian first expect to meet in the kingdom?\nNecessarily he would look for some one who had been a special friend to\nhim during the time of his humiliation. If a person who expected to be\npresented to an earthly king or potentate had an acquaintance or friend\nat that court, he would first desire to consult his friend and receive\nsome advice and suggestions before entering the presence of the noble\none. Entering heaven, the Christian expects to see the Lord Jesus, and\nultimately the heavenly Father, according to the promise. As the\nChristian looks over the precious promises given to the church, he finds\nmany assurances that he has had an unseen friend during his earthly\npilgrimage, namely, his guardian angel. Of such the Psalmist wrote: \"The\nangel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and\ndelivereth them\". (Psalm 34:7; Hebrews 1:14) These angels are doubtless\nmessengers for Jehovah, because of them Jesus said: 'In heaven they do\nalways behold the face of my Father'.--Matthew 18:10.\n\n[527]Describing the conditions and events in connection with the general\nassembly of the church of the firstborn, St. Paul writes: \"Ye are come\n... to an innumerable company of angels\". These must be pure, lovable,\nand beautiful in form and character. These have been the ones who have\nkept the record of each member of the body of Christ. (Malachi 3:16) It\nwill be a real joy to become acquainted with these precious and\nbeautiful creatures who have been helpers of the Christians along the\nway. It would be expected that they would render assistance to the one\njust appearing in the presence of the Lord Jesus. Therefore it is not\nunreasonable to anticipate that the first one to be met beyond the vail\nis the Christian's guardian angel.\n\n[528]Next in order the Apostle mentions \"the church of the firstborn\".\nJesus Christ is the head of this church, the great King of glory.\nCertainly all the body members will be eager to see our wonderful Lord,\nwho redeemed us to God with his precious blood. He is not only our\nRedeemer, Advocate, and Deliverer, but our dearest Friend; and now the\nrelationship of bride and bridegroom is about to be fully consummated.\nHow thrilling will be that time! By long and patient continuance in\nwell doing, their experiences, by the grace of the Lord and through his\nministration, have perfected every one of the body for this happy time,\nmaking each member beautiful, \"So shall the king greatly desire thy\nbeauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.\" Each member of the\nbride then will be permitted to see Jesus as he is and will then be like\nhim. Happy will be that time. (1 John 3:2) Every one of these Christians\nhas had some dear fellow Christian friend on earth. He will be looking\nfor such a one, doubtless, when he arrives in heaven. Of course each one\nwill look for the faithful apostles whom the Lord used to furnish the\nfood to the household of faith. Then they will look for others whom the\nLord specially used as teachers, instructors, and servants of the\nchurch, who were loving and kind and ministered to the wants of the\nvarious members and did it joyfully.\n\n[529]We may be sure that of all those who are there every one will be\nperfected in love, because the Apostle says they must thus be.\n(Ephesians 4:16; Colossians 3:14) We may expect to see some there whom\nwe have loved and may be disappointed in not seeing them; but no\nChristian will ever see any one of his fellow-Christians in heaven\nexcept those who have loved their brethren with a pure heart, all of\nwhom have passed through the fiery trials and rejoiced in the\nexperiences that the Lord brought to them. Each one of the members of\nthe divine family will be beautiful, for all will be like the Lord. As\nstar differs from star in glory, so shall the various members differ in\nthat glorious realm. But what a marvelous gathering that will be:\n144,000 glorious beings assembling with their glorious head Christ\nJesus!\n\n[530]All united together with the Lord Jesus, it seems, according to St.\nPaul, that the next in order would be to grant unto the church the\nglory that is promised, by presenting the bride class before the great\ndivine throne of Jehovah. St. Jude informs us not only that our Lord\nkeeps the members of the body from falling, but that he will present\nthem faultless before the presence of Jehovah's glory with exceeding\njoy.--Jude 24.\n\n[531]The day approaches for the presentation of the bride. In vision we\nbehold an innumerable company of angels assembled before the throne of\nGod, forming a guard of honor. The heralds of heaven with golden\ntrumpets appear, announcing the approach of the Bridegroom with his\nbride. Music of surpassing sweetness fills the heavenly courts. All eyes\nare fixed upon the conquering Hero, the King of kings and Lord of lords,\nthe great Bridegroom, who now approaches with his bride of 144,000\nmembers. The hosts of heaven are singing, \"Hallelujah: for the Lord God\nomnipotent reigneth! Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him;\nfor the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself\nready.\"--Revelation 19:6,7.\n\n[532]It is well that we take note here of the apparel of the bride of\nChrist now entering glory. \"And to her was granted that she should be\narrayed in fine linen, clean and white.\" (Revelation 19:8) \"The king's\ndaughter is all glorious within the palace; her clothing is of wrought\ngold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework.\"\n(Psalm 45:13,14) Thus in symbolic phrase the Prophet describes her\ninherent beauty when she is presented faultless before the glorious\npresence of Jehovah. It will be impossible for human words to\napproximate the grandeur and the majesty of that scene. Before the great\nwhite throne of the heavenly Father, bride and Bridegroom will be made\none, and the glory of the church will be complete. There, in the\npresence of Jehovah, she will have fullness of joy and pleasures for\nevermore.\n\n  \"O that will be a union\n    Such as earth has never known.\n  When bride and Bridegroom are made one\n    Before the great white throne.\"\n\n[533]The members of the body of Christ in glory will be a monument of\nthe grace of God, because thus will be demonstrated the power, as well\nas the love, of Jehovah in taking insignificant creatures from amongst\nmen and exalting them to the highest place in the universe, next to the\nLord Jesus. Then she will be held forth in the power of Jehovah,\nexhibited as a crown of glory in his hand, and be used by him to\naccomplish that which he purposed from the foundation of the world. As\nthe glorified bride of our heavenly Bridegroom, clothed with honor and\nimmortality, she will possess life everlasting, inherent life; and with\nher Bridegroom she will minister life and blessing to others.\n\n[534]St. John had a vision of this wonderful royal family of heaven, and\nin symbolic language he described it as \"the holy city, the new Jerusalem,\ncoming down from God out of heaven\". (Revelation 21:1-5) Thus he depicts\nthe approaching kingdom of Messiah. In vision he saw the faithful\nfollowers of Jesus who are still on this side the vail, by faith\nbeholding the approach of this happy time; and he describes them as\nthose who had \"gotten the victory over the beast [the devil's earthly\norganization], and over his image, and over his mark, and over the\nnumber of his name [whose allegiance is wholly to the Lord, and who]\nstand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the\nsong of Moses the servant of God [the song taught by the law, which\nforeshadowed the better things to come], and the song of the Lamb [the\nsong of the clear fulfillment of prophecy and the unfolding of God's\nplan, as set forth in the New Testament; they are playing upon their\nharps and praising Jehovah], saying, Great and marvelous are thy works,\nLord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.\"\n--Revelation 15:2,3.\n\n\n\n\nDefine the word \"church\". \u00b6 468.\n\nOf what does the church of Christ consist? \u00b6 468.\n\nWhat other name is given to those composing the church? \u00b6 468.\n\nWhat is a saint? \u00b6 468.\n\nHow are those composing the body of Christ purified? \u00b6 468.\n\nWhat is meant by the terms \"new creature\" and \"new creation\"? \u00b6 468.\n\nHow is nature determined? \u00b6 468.\n\nWho has preeminence in the divine plan? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 468.\n\nWhen did the new creation have its beginning? \u00b6 469.\n\nWhat occurred with reference to Jesus when he was thirty years of age?\n\u00b6 469.\n\nHow was he perfected as a new creature? \u00b6 469.\n\nWho opposed Jesus from the time of his baptism? \u00b6 470.\n\nWhy this opposition? \u00b6 470.\n\nIn the sentence by Jehovah, as set forth in Genesis 3:15, what is\nsymbolized by the woman? \u00b6 470.\n\nWhom did Isaac typify? \u00b6 470.\n\nOf what does the seed of the serpent consist? Give some Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6 470.\n\nWhat is the disposition of the seed of the serpent? \u00b6 470.\n\nWhere did Jesus go immediately following his baptism, and for what\npurpose? \u00b6 471.\n\nTo what temptation was he subjected shortly thereafter? Give the\nScriptural account. \u00b6 471.\n\nHow long did he suffer at the hands of Satan and his representatives?\n\u00b6 471.\n\nHow did he gain the victory? \u00b6 471.\n\nHow did Jehovah reward Jesus for his faithful devotion to the divine\narrangement even unto death? \u00b6 471.\n\nWhat Scriptures indicate that the body members most follow in his\nsteps? \u00b6 471.\n\nDid God predestinate or foreordain a new creation? Give Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6 472.\n\nWhat is meant by the word \"world\" as used in Ephesians 1:4-9? \u00b6 473.\n\nDid God foreordain or choose the individuals who would compose the\nchurch? Or what is meant by his foreknowledge? \u00b6 473.\n\nShould we expect the body members to have experiences similar to those\nof Jesus? \u00b6 473.\n\nWhen was the day of Pentecost? \u00b6 474.\n\nWhat call went forth to the Jews from that time? \u00b6 474.\n\nWhat is meant by the call? \u00b6 474.\n\nWhat did Jesus say about the number called and chosen? Give Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6 474.\n\nHow long was this call confined to the Jews? \u00b6 474.\n\nWho was the first gentile to receive the gospel? Give the Scriptural\naccount. \u00b6 474.\n\nThereafter to whom did the call extend? \u00b6 474.\n\nWhy has the gospel been preached? \u00b6 475.\n\nHow has the gospel appeared to worldly-wise men? \u00b6 475.\n\nWhat did St. Paul say about the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of\nGod? \u00b6 475.\n\nHow did the Jews as a people receive the message of Christ and him\ncrucified? \u00b6 476.\n\nHow did the majority of the gentiles receive the gospel? \u00b6 476.\n\nWhat proportion of the wise and mighty and noble are called and respond\nto the call of the gospel? \u00b6 476.\n\nWhy have not many wise and noble accepted the truth? \u00b6 476.\n\nHow has the call impressed the humble-minded? \u00b6 476.\n\nGive Scriptural proof of Jehovah's invitation to become members of the\nbride class. \u00b6 477.\n\nWhy can the church be called the daughter of God? \u00b6 478.\n\nWhat beauty is it that the Lord desires in the body members? \u00b6 478.\n\nIs time required for the development of the church? \u00b6 479.\n\nWhat can be said about deathbed confessions? \u00b6 479.\n\nWhat is the first thing to do to become a Christian? \u00b6 479.\n\nWhat is meant by repentance? \u00b6 479.\n\nWhat is meant by being converted? \u00b6 479.\n\nAfter conversion, what further things take place before one becomes a\nnew creature? \u00b6 479.\n\nWhy must the Christian thereafter pass through many varied experiences?\n\u00b6 479.\n\nWhy are children in school required to have hard mental exercises? \u00b6 480.\n\nIs it necessary for one to train for a physical contest? \u00b6 480.\n\nWhy is it necessary for a new creature to be trained and to pass through\nexperiences? \u00b6 480.\n\nWhat did the Psalmist say concerning the standing of the new creature\nwith his brethren and others? \u00b6 481.\n\nTo whom did Jesus become a stranger? and what reproaches fell upon him?\n\u00b6 481.\n\nGive Scriptural proof that the body members have similar reproaches.\n\u00b6 481.\n\nHow has God overruled for good Satan's persecution of the church? \u00b6 482.\n\nIs the Christian's suffering greater when he first knows the Lord or\nlater? \u00b6 483.\n\nHow is a Christian, when first begotten, designated in the Scriptures?\n\u00b6 483.\n\nWhat kind of spiritual food does he need? \u00b6 483.\n\nGive a figure of speech illustrating the development of the church, with\nScriptural proof of same. \u00b6 484.\n\nGive a paraphrase of the Apostle's words in 1 Peter 2:3-8. \u00b6 485.\n\nGive Scriptural proof that it is a privilege to suffer with Christ. \u00b6 485.\n\nWhat course must a Christian take as compared to the world? \u00b6 486.\n\nExplain the development of the Christian, as taught by St. Peter in\n2 Peter 1:5-7. \u00b6 486.\n\nWhat should a Christian do with reference to making his calling and\nelection sure? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 487.\n\nAgainst what enemies does the new creature war? \u00b6 488.\n\nWith what weapons does he war? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 488.\n\nWhat hope strengthens him in the battle? \u00b6 488.\n\nWhat effect does this hope have upon his purifying himself? \u00b6 488.\n\nTo what likeness were the members of the church foreordained? \u00b6 489.\n\nWhy can the Christian understand things that the world cannot? Give\nScriptural proof, \u00b6 489.\n\nHow is the pathway of the Christian designated? and is it an easy one?\n\u00b6 489.\n\nWhat does St. James say to the Christian about considering the suffering\nof the prophets? \u00b6 490.\n\nWhat was the purpose of the prophets' suffering? \u00b6 490.\n\nWhat did Jesus say about the violent taking the kingdom? Give explanation.\n\u00b6 491.\n\nWhy should the Christian suffer? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 492.\n\nWhy is Jesus not ashamed to call the members of the church his brethren?\n\u00b6 492.\n\nDoes the true saint of God complain or murmur because of his persecution?\nGive Scriptural reason. \u00b6 493.\n\nDoes the true Christian expect to be without suffering? \u00b6 494.\n\nWhat does suffering testify to him? \u00b6 494.\n\nFrom what source do these sufferings come? \u00b6 494.\n\nWho was one of the greatest sufferers amongst Christ's followers? \u00b6 495.\n\nEnumerate some of his experiences. \u00b6 495.\n\nWhat did he say about such afflictions? \u00b6 495.\n\nTo what was St. Paul looking forward as his great hope? \u00b6 495.\n\nUpon what does the Christian meditate with delight? \u00b6 495.\n\nWhat is the great promise set before the church? Give Scriptural proof.\n\u00b6 496.\n\nWhat does the word \"glory\" mean, as used in the Scriptures? Give\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 497.\n\nHow is Jesus mentioned with reference to God's glory? \u00b6 497.\n\nHow are the body members to be with him in glory? \u00b6 497.\n\nHow will this glory compare to things of earth? \u00b6 497.\n\nWhat did St. Paul say about that glory? \u00b6 497.\n\nWhat image will the church bear in glory? \u00b6 497.\n\nWhat was the condition of faithful saints who died between Pentecost and\nChrist's second coming? \u00b6 498.\n\nWhat do the Scriptures say about their awakening at the second coming\nof Christ? \u00b6 498.\n\nWhat do the Scriptures say concerning the resurrection change of those\nsaints living on the earth after Christ's second appearing? \u00b6 499.\n\nWhy are they called blessed of the Lord? \u00b6 499.\n\nWhy has Jehovah been for centuries preparing the new creation? \u00b6 499.\n\nWhat is the custom of royalty concerning jewels? \u00b6 500.\n\nIn what way do the Scriptures compare the saints to jewels? Give the\nproof. \u00b6 500.\n\nHow are they to be regarded by Jehovah? and how illustrated by jewels?\nGive Scriptural proof. \u00b6 500.\n\nGive a Scriptural promise of glory to the overcomer. \u00b6 501.\n\nHow is the sun used to illustrate glory? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 502.\n\nWhat Scriptural promise did the Lord give to his church concerning a\nheavenly habitation? \u00b6 503.\n\nWhat did the Psalmist say about the Lord's habitation? \u00b6 503.\n\nWhat did the Prophet write concerning the beauty of Zion? \u00b6 503.\n\nFor what purpose will Jehovah shine through the new creation? \u00b6 503.\n\nWhat joy will this bring to the new creation? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 503.\n\nWhat is the Scriptural promise with reference to having the great King\nas a friend? \u00b6 504.\n\nHow will this great friend love the members of the church? \u00b6 504.\n\nWhat is meant by the Scriptural term \"honor\"? \u00b6 505.\n\nHow is God honored by his creatures? \u00b6 505.\n\nHow will the church occupy a position of honor? \u00b6 505.\n\nWhat particular relationship with Jesus pictures the great honor that\nthe body members will have? \u00b6 505.\n\nWhat does the Scripture say concerning the likeness of Jesus and his\nrelationship to the body members? \u00b6 506.\n\nWhat does the Apostle say concerning the appearance and likeness of the\nchurch? \u00b6 506.\n\nWho has been appointed heir of all things? \u00b6 506.\n\nWho shares with him in this honor? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 506.\n\nTo whom did Jehovah promise the rulership and dominion of the earth at\nthe time of Zedekiah's overthrow? \u00b6 507.\n\nWhat does the prophet Daniel say with reference to granting this\ndominion to Jesus? \u00b6 507.\n\nWhat will be the extent of his dominion and kingdom? \u00b6 507.\n\nHow shall the nations regard it? \u00b6 507.\n\nWhat promise of honor is given to the church in this connection? Give\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 507.\n\nWho will be the great King of glory to rule the nations? \u00b6 508.\n\nIs any promise of honor to the church given in this connection? \u00b6509.\n\nWhat Scriptural promise is there that the church shall enjoy a position\nof honor in the coming ages? \u00b6 509.\n\nTo what extent has Jesus been honored by the world? \u00b6 510.\n\nWhat Scriptural proof is there that the world will yet honor him? \u00b6 510.\n\nHow have the body members of the church been regarded by the world? \u00b6 510.\n\nWill they be honored in the future? \u00b6 510.\n\nWill the world know who is born a member of the glorified church? Give\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 510.\n\nWhat effect will this knowledge have upon the world? \u00b6 510.\n\nHow will the people regard the church in the future ages? Give\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 510.\n\nBesides glory and honor, what else is the church seeking? \u00b6 511.\n\nDefine immortality. \u00b6 511.\n\nWhat will be the difference between a perfect human being and a member\nof the new creation with reference to requiring nourishment to sustain\nlife? \u00b6 511.\n\nWhat Scriptural proof is given that Jesus possesses inherent life? \u00b6 511.\n\nWhat Scriptural promise is given to the body members that they will have\ninherent life? \u00b6 512.\n\nWith what power will they be clothed with reference to giving life to\nothers? \u00b6 512.\n\nGive some Scriptural proof of the degree of life to be possessed by the\nchurch. \u00b6 512.\n\nWhat is meant by the \"crown of life\"? \u00b6 512.\n\nWhen one becomes a new creature in Christ, how does that affect his\nhopes, ambitions and aspirations? \u00b6 513.\n\nWhat did St. Paul say concerning the life of such? \u00b6 513.\n\nWhom did David typify? and how do his words apply to the church? \u00b6 514.\n\nHow is the desire of the church expressed by the Psalmist? Quote the\nScripture. \u00b6 514.\n\nWhat did the psalmist David say about the King and the new creation in\nthe presence of Jehovah? Quote the psalm. \u00b6 515.\n\nShow the contrast in the minds of the people between the position of the\nChrist during the period of humiliation and the period of glory. Give\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 516.\n\nIn the eyes of the world, how do members of the church die? \u00b6 517.\n\nIn the eyes of Jehovah, how do they die? Give the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 517.\n\nHow does St. Paul contrast the humiliation with the glory of the church?\nQuote the Scripture. \u00b6 517.\n\nWhen will all the members of the church enjoy glory, honor, and\nimmortality, eternal life? \u00b6 518.\n\nWhen should we reasonably expect the church to be glorified? \u00b6 519.\n\nUnder what influence did St. Paul write concerning the approaching\nkingdom? \u00b6 519.\n\nDescribe what took place at the time of the making of the law covenant\nby Jehovah with Israel at Mount Sinai. \u00b6 520.\n\nGive the Scriptural statement by St. Paul concerning that time. \u00b6 520.\n\nWhat did such convulsions of nature foreshadow concerning the present\ntime? \u00b6 520.\n\nWhat does a mountain symbolize? and in what sense can we say that\npresent conditions were foreshadowed by the disturbance at Mount Sinai?\n\u00b6 521.\n\nUsing this to illustrate the approaching kingdom, quote the apostle\nPaul's words in Hebrews 12:22-24. \u00b6 521.\n\nWhat do these words of St. Paul picture with reference to the kingdom?\n\u00b6 522.\n\nWhy is God now manifesting his power and justice in dealing with the\nnations of earth? \u00b6 523.\n\nHow does the privilege of living on earth now compare with that in\ncenturies past? \u00b6 524.\n\nDid the prophets understand what would happen at this time? \u00b6 524.\n\nDid the angels understand? \u00b6 524.\n\nDid these seek to find out? \u00b6 524.\n\nWhat is the privilege of the Christian now compared with that of\nChristians living in the early part of the gospel age? \u00b6 525.\n\nTo what are saints this side the vail looking forward? \u00b6 525.\n\nWhom will the Christian first expect to meet in the heavenly kingdom?\n\u00b6 526.\n\nQuote the Scriptures with reference to the Christian's guardian angel.\n\u00b6 526.\n\nWhat records have these angels kept? Give the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 527.\n\nWho would be the next whom the Christian would expect to meet in glory?\n\u00b6 528.\n\nWhy will the King of glory desire to greet the body members in the\nkingdom? \u00b6 528.\n\nDescribe others in the church for whom the Christian will be looking in\nthe kingdom. \u00b6 528.\n\nWhat grace of the holy spirit will be possessed by every one who is in\nthe kingdom? \u00b6 529.\n\nWhat will be the appearance of each member of the body of Christ? \u00b6 529.\n\nAfter all the bride class is united with the Bridegroom, then what is\nnext to be expected? \u00b6 530.\n\nTo whom is granted the honor of presenting the bride before Jehovah? \u00b6 530.\n\nGive a picture based upon the Scriptures of the appearance of the bride\nwith the Bridegroom before the throne of Jehovah. \u00b6 531.\n\nDescribe the appearance of the bride class. \u00b6 532.\n\nHow will that marriage compare with earthly marriages or unions? \u00b6 532.\n\nWhy will the members of the body of Christ be a monument to the grace of\nGod? \u00b6 533.\n\nIn vision, how did St. John describe the church class this side the vail\nusing the harp of God? \u00b6 534.\n\n\n\n\n  \"THEE FOR EVER BLEST\"\n\n  Thy works all praise Thee: all Thy angels praise:\n  Thy saints adore, and on Thy altars burn\n  The fragrant incense of perpetual love.\n  They praise Thee now: their hearts, their voices praise,\n  And swell the rapture of the glorious song.\n  Harp! lift thy voice on high--shout, angels, shout!\n  And loudest, ye redeemed! glory to God,\n  And to the Lamb, who bought us with His blood,\n  From every kindred, nation, people, tongue;\n  And washed, and sanctified, and saved our souls;\n  And gave us robes of linen pure, and crowns\n  Of life, and made us kings, and priests to God.\n  Shout back to ancient Time! Sing loud, and wave\n  Your palms of triumph! sing, Where is thy sting,\n  O Death? where is thy victory, O Grave?\n  Thanks be to God, eternal thanks, who gave\n  Us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n  Harp, lift thy voice on high! shout, angels, shout,\n  And loudest, ye redeemed! glory to God,\n  And to the Lamb--all glory and all praise;\n  All glory and all praise, at morn and even,\n  That come and go eternally; and find\n  Us happy still, and Thee for ever blest.\n  Glory to God, and to the Lamb. Amen.\n  For ever, and for evermore. Amen.\n\n--_Pollok_\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XI\n\nString 10: _Restoration_\n\n\nThe restoration string of the harp of God is one that will fill the\nearth with joyful song. Although every prophet from Samuel to John the\nBaptist spoke of the coming days of restoration, this wonderful doctrine\nrepresented by the tenth string of the harp was for a long time lost to\nthe vision of many who claimed to be Christians, as was also the\ndoctrine of the Abrahamic promise. Hence we see that the eight-string\nharp sometimes used by the Jews represents the harp of God minus the\nstrings picturing the Abrahamic promise and restoration. Now these\nstrings or doctrines have been found and appreciated by God's people;\nand the harp fully strung yields music of unspeakable sweetness.\n\n[536]Restoration means to restore that which was lost. The first man\nAdam was made perfect, in the image and likeness of God, with power and\nauthority to fill the earth with a race of people and to rule the earth\nas his dominion. By reason of his sin, he brought upon himself the\nmanifestation of divine justice; and being sentenced to death, he lost\nthe right to life, and this right was lost also for his offspring. The\nfirst man, Adam, was created a human being, not a spirit being. \"The\nfirst man is of the earth, earthy.\" (1 Corinthians 15:47) God created\nthe earth for man. \"God ... formed the earth and made it; he hath\nestablished it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be\ninhabited.\" (Isaiah 45:12,18) The Scriptures conclusively prove that\nGod's original purpose was that man should have an everlasting home on\nthe earth as long as he obeyed the divine law. Man having disobeyed\nforfeited his right to live on earth, and Jesus, the perfect man, having\nby his great sacrifice purchased this right for man, the time must come\nwhen man will be restored to that which was lost.\n\n[537]Some noted teachers of the Bible deny the doctrine of restoration.\nLet us observe, then, what else must fail if this doctrine fails. If\nthere is to be no restoration of man to his original state, then it must\nbe admitted that the creation of man was and is a failure. Not only\nwould the creation of man result in a failure, but the very purpose for\nwhich God created the earth must fail. This would mean, then, that his\nword has not and will not accomplish what he said. But God being\nall-wise, and having unlimited power, his purposes cannot fail. If we\nbelieve the Bible, we will have to believe the doctrine of restoration.\nJehovah has said: \"My word that goeth forth out of my mouth ... shall\nnot return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please and\nit shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it\".--Isaiah 55:11.\n\n[538]If there is to be no restoration of man to his original state and\nno opportunity for him to be so restored, then the manifestation of\ndivine justice against Adam amounts to nothing more than God's\ndestroying the work of his own hands and admitting he was and is unable\nto people the earth with a perfect race. If we believe in his\nomnipotence, we must believe that he will accomplish his design. Having\nmade the promise at the time of the sentence of man that the great enemy\nshould ultimately perish, we may take this as one truth upon which to\nhang a hope that something better is to come in the future.\n\n[539]If there is to be no restoration of mankind to original\nperfection, then God's promise made to Abraham is meaningless and must\nfail, because the express purpose of that promise is the blessing of all\nthe families of the earth; and that blessing is life. (Genesis 12:3;\n22:18; 28:14; Romans 6:23) Not only did Jehovah make this promise to\nAbraham, but he bound the promise with his oath; and by these two things\n(his word and his oath, both of which are unchangeable) it is impossible\nfor the promise to fail; but in due time it must be carried out.--Hebrews\n6:17,18.\n\n[540]Beyond question, the Scriptures show that Jesus, who in his\nprehuman existence was the Logos, left the heavenly courts, his life\nbeing transferred from spirit to human plane, took upon him the nature\nand form of man, and became Jesus for the very purpose of saving the\npeople from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) He came that man might have life.\n(John 10:10) He came and gave his life as a ransom, that others might\nlive. (Matthew 20:28) He was rich and for our sakes became poor, that we\nthrough his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9) When he was\nborn as a man, the angels of heaven announced glad tidings of great joy\nwhich shall be unto all people, because the purpose of his birth was to\nredeem mankind and to restore to them that which had been lost. (Luke\n2:9-11) If there is to be no restoration of man to his original state,\nthen all these purposes of God in sending his beloved Son to earth must\nfail. We know that God's word cannot fail.\n\n[541]It was the perfect man Adam who had sinned and by his sin lost the\nright to life and the blessings incident to a perfect human life. The\nonly means provided for satisfying that judgment and releasing mankind\nwas by substituting another perfect human life. The substitution of\nthat one perfect human life for the other is called in the Scriptures\nthe ransom-sacrifice. God made the specific promise that he would ransom\nman from the power of the grave, and that he would redeem him from\ndeath. (Hosea 13:14) In keeping with this promise, his Word declares\nthat 'Jesus, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man'. (Hebrews\n2:9) \"There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man\nChrist Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due\ntime.\"--1 Timothy 2:5,6.\n\n[542]Unless, therefore, mankind has a full and fair opportunity to be\nrestored to the perfect condition enjoyed by father Adam while in Eden,\nthen all of these promises of Jehovah are meaningless and must fail. If\nthey should fail, such would prove that God is not all-powerful. It\nwould also prove that his promises are not sure; whereas the Scriptures\ndeclare: \"All the promises of God, whatever their number, have their\nconfirmation in him; and for this reason through him also our 'Amen'\nacknowledges their truth and promotes the glory of God through our\nfaith. But he who is making us as well as you stedfast through union\nwith the anointed one, and has anointed us, is God, and he has also set\nhis seal upon us, and has put his spirit into our hearts as a pledge and\nforetaste of future blessing.\"--2 Corinthians 1:20-22, _Weymouth_.\n\n[543]Jesus arose from the dead and ascended on high. The fact of his\nresurrection is a guarantee that all men shall have an opportunity for\nlife. If there is to be no restoration of the human race, then the\nresurrection of Jesus and the awakening of others from the dead are\nmeaningless and for no purpose. If we believe the Scriptures, we must\nbelieve in restoration, because God \"hath appointed a day, in the which\nhe will judge the world in _righteousness_ by that man whom he hath\nordained; whereof he hath given assurance _unto all men_, in that he\nhath raised him from the dead\". (Acts 17:31) If we do not accept the\ndoctrine of restoration of the human race, then we must ignore the\npositive words of the Apostle, who wrote: \"Now is Christ risen from the\ndead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man\ncame death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in\nAdam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man\nin his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are\nChrist's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have\ndelivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put\ndown all rule and authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath\nput all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed\nis death.\"--1 Corinthians 15:20-26.\n\n[544]\"The mystery\" is the Christ, the anointed class--Jesus the head\nand his body members--designated in the Scriptures as the seed of\nAbraham, according to the promise. (Colossians 1:26,27) It is the\nrepeatedly announced purpose of Jehovah that through this seed all the\nfamilies of the earth shall be blessed. (Galatians 3:8,16,27,29)\nJehovah has devoted much time and effort to the development of the seed\nof promise. If, therefore, there is to be no opportunity for full\nrestoration of mankind, then the time and effort spent in developing the\nseed of Abraham has been wasted, and the promise of blessing through\nthis seed is meaningless and void. If we believe the Scriptures above\ncited, that God's word cannot return unto him void, then we must know\nthat his purposes cannot fail.\n\n[545]The Lord Jesus went away to prepare a place for his bride, the\nchurch, which is the seed of Abraham through which the promised blessing\nof mankind must come. He promised to return and receive his bride unto\nhimself. He has come again, as the Scriptural evidence herein cited\nclearly and conclusively shows. If there is to be no opportunity for the\nrestoration of man to the condition which Adam enjoyed before he sinned,\nthen the second coming of the Lord must fail in one of its primary\npurposes. That one of the primary purposes of his second coming is the\nrestoration of the human race, is definitely stated by the inspired\nwitness: \"God ... shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached\nunto you; whom the heaven must receive [retain, hold] until the times of\n_restitution_ [restoration] of all things, which God hath spoken by the\nmouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly\nsaid unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto\nyou of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things\nwhatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every\nsoul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among\nthe people. Yea, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those that follow\nafter, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.\"\n--Acts 3: 20-24.\n\n[546]Added to this positive statement of the inspired Apostle is the\ntestimony of all the prophets foretelling the time coming for the\nrestoration of the things that were lost through the disobedience of\nAdam.\n\n[547]Enoch was the first of the holy prophets. (Jude 14,15) Then\nfollowed Jacob (Genesis 49:10), Moses (Genesis 3:15; 12:3; 13:15; 18:18;\n22:18; Deuteronomy 18:15,19; 30:15), Samuel (1 Samuel 2:6), Job\n(14:13-15; 33:19-30), David (Psalm 22:27; 30:5; 37:11; 46:10; 67:1-7;\n72:3,4,6,10; 86:9; 93:2; 96:11-13; 98:4-9; 104:5), Solomon (Proverbs\n2:21; 11:31; Ecclesiastes 1:4), Isaiah (2:2-4; 9:7; 11:4-9; 14:7;\n19:22; 25:6-12; 28:17,18; 29:17,18; 33:24), Jeremiah (3:17; 24:7;\n31:16,29,34; 32:39,40; 33:8,9; 46:27; 50:4,5), Ezekiel (11:19;\n16;55,61-63; 18:2,31,32; 28:26; 34:25-28; 36:26,27,29,30,35; 37:24;\n39:29), Daniel (2:44; 7:27), Hosea (2:18,21; 3:5; 13:14), Joel (2:22,32),\nAmos (9:11,12; Acts 15:14-18), Obadiah (verse 21), Jonah (chapter 4),\nMicah (4:1-5,8), Nahum (1:15; 2:3-6), Habakkuk (2:14), Zephaniah (2:11;\n3:9,13), Haggai (2:7), Zechariah (2:11; 3:10; 8:3,8,12,15,21,22;\n9:10,17; 14:9,11,20), Malachi (1:11; 3:11; 4:2), and John the Baptist.\n(John 1:29; Matthew 11:9,11) This entire array of holy witnesses,\nwithout a single exception, unite in testifying to the coming days of\nrestoration of man.[A]\n\n[Footnote A: See discussion of this in \"The Finished Mystery\", pages\n62-95.]\n\n[548]The reasonable mind cannot conceive that Jehovah would develop a\nnew creation and glorify that creation by committing to the head of it\nall power in heaven and in earth without assigning the new creation some\nwork to do with reference to man. The very purpose of the glorification\nof the new creation, the church, is that the members thereof, directed\nby the head, the Lord Jesus, might judge and bless and restore the\nfamilies of the earth. There could be no judgment without a trial; and a\ntrial means an opportunity. Jesus plainly said: \"In the regeneration\nwhen the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall\nsit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel\". (Matthew\n19:28) Here is the positive statement of regeneration. Regeneration\nmeans the act of reproducing or giving life anew to a creature.\n\n[549]Again it is written concerning those who participate in the first\nresurrection and thereby become members of the royal family of heaven:\n\"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on\nsuch the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God\nand of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years,\" which\nthousand-year reign is for the purpose of restoring mankind.--Revelation\n20:6; Acts 17:31.\n\n[550]Again says the Apostle: \"Do ye not know that the saints shall\njudge the world?\" (1 Corinthians 6:2) Again Jesus plainly declared that\nat his second coming he would sit upon his throne of glory, and before\nhim should be gathered all nations, and he would separate them and\nreward them according to their obedience to his laws. (Matthew 25:31-46)\nIf the church, Jesus the head and his body members glorified, endowed\nwith power and authority, are not to act as the great deliverer and\nuplifter of the human race, then why should they be clothed with such\npower and authority? If there is to be no opportunity for the\nrestoration of mankind, then God's plan with reference to the new\ncreation and its work must fail. He has positively announced that one of\nthe very purposes for calling and developing the new creation is the\nblessing of mankind.--Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:16,27,29.\n\n[551]\"I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine\nhand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people,\nfor a light unto the gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the\nprisoners from the prison [the grave, condition of death], and them that\nsit in darkness out of the prison house.\" (Isaiah 42:6,7) \"Thus saith\nthe Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of\nsalvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee\nfor a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to\ninherit the desolate heritages.\"--Isaiah 49:8.\n\n[552]Thus we see that every purpose of the divine plan points to the\nrestoration of mankind. Every vital doctrine speaks of that coming time\nfor man's blessing. Every other string of the harp of God harmoniously\nblends with the music of the tenth string, the restoration of man. It\nmust be admitted by every honest student of the Bible that all the\nfundamental doctrines point to God's purpose of offering restitution\nblessings to the entire human race, and that the obedient ones will\nenjoy the blessings upon the earth. And now let us examine some more\nspecific texts further corroborating the already strong proof that\nrestitution is the great object of the divine plan relative to the human\nrace.\n\n[553]God made a covenant with the nation of Israel, by which covenant he\npromised to give life to all who would keep that covenant. (Leviticus\n18:5) The Israelites, like others of Adam's offspring, having been born\nsinners and imperfect, could not keep this covenant; therefore could not\nget life through it. The specific reasons are: (1) Because the\nransom-sacrifice had not yet been given; (2) because of the\nimperfections of the human race and the imperfections of Moses the\nmediator of the covenant it yielded life to none of the nation of\nIsrael. (Romans 8:3) There was a two-fold purpose for this law covenant\nbeing made. One was, that it might serve as a schoolmaster to lead\nIsrael to Christ (Galatians 3:24); and the other, to foreshadow a better\nor new law covenant arrangement which God would make through his beloved\nSon Christ Jesus. (Hebrews 10:1; 8:5) Christ is the great high priest;\nand by his fulfilling the divine purposes, he is now the mediator of a\nbetter covenant, the new covenant, which God purposes to make for man's\nbenefit. (Hebrews 8:6; 9:15) When the church is glorified and the\nkingdom set up, then the blood (merit) of Christ will be applied for the\nsealing of the new covenant, through which covenant promised blessings\nare to be extended to the human race.\n\n[554]After these days, then--after the gathering out of the Christ class\nor new creation--this covenant is to be made, as St. Paul states:\n\"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant\nwith the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to\nthe covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them\nby the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they\ncontinued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.\nFor this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel\n_after those days_, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind,\nand write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they\nshall be my people; and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and\nevery man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me,\nfrom the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their\nunrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no\nmore.\"--Hebrews 8:8-12.\n\n[555]Under this new covenant the whole human race shall have the\nopportunity to come back to God through Christ the mediator. Mark that\nit is plainly stated that during the time of restoration 'God will put\nhis laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts, and will be\nto them a God and they shall be to him a people; for he will be merciful\nto them, and their sins and iniquities he will remember no more'. This\ncould mean nothing less than the taking away of the imperfections of the\nobedient and restoring them to a righteous condition.\n\n[556]Following the glorification of the church and the making of the new\ncovenant, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Barak, Jepthae, and the prophets\n(all of whom we term faithful worthies), the Lord has promised shall be\nbrought forth from the tomb, being given a better resurrection.\n(Hebrews 11) These shall be princes, rulers, or legal representatives of\nthe Christ, in the earth; and through them the Lord will establish a\nrighteous government in the earth. (Psalm 45:16; Isaiah 32:1) And then\n\"out of Zion [the Christ, invisible to men] shall go forth the law, and\nthe word of the Lord from Jerusalem\"--the headquarters of Christ's\nvisible representatives.\n\n[557]\"It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the\nLord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains\n[kingdoms], and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall\nflow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go\nup to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he\nwill teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of\nZion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.\nAnd he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and\nthey shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into\npruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither\nshall they learn war any more.\"--Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-4.\n\n\nTHE LIVING FIRST\n\n[558]St. Paul emphatically states that the Lord Jesus shall judge the\nquick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. (2 Timothy 4:1) In\nthis he is corroborated by St. Peter (1 Peter 4:5) The word _quick_ here\nmeans the living, those who have some measure of life; and the text is\nso rendered in the Weymouth translation. When the new covenant is made\nand the Lord begins to deal with the people, it will be with the living\nfirst. It would be unreasonable to suppose that he would first awaken\nthe dead and deal with them, and then with the living later. Jesus,\nspeaking of the great time of trouble with which the present world\nreaches a final conclusion, indicated that many human beings will pass\nthrough the trouble. (Matthew 24:21,22) The prophet Zechariah informs us\nthat a portion of the people will be brought through the fiery trouble,\nand refined, and then will call upon the name of the Lord and he will\nhear them. (Zechariah 13:8,9) Those who learn of the Lord's kingdom and\nreadily put themselves under its direction and become obedient to the\nlaws and rules of his new kingdom will be the ones who will be blessed\nand acknowledged of the Lord, and rapidly restored.\n\n[559]Further corroborative proof is given by the prophet Isaiah that\nrestoration will begin with those living on the earth at the beginning\nof the Messianic reign. There are millions of persons now living who\nhave a sincere and honest desire for righteousness. Many of these love\nthe Lord to the extent of their knowledge of him; but their knowledge is\nso limited because they have been taught so much error concerning his\ncharacter that they are filled with fear and dread. They have not\nsufficient knowledge of him to have real faith. They have not gone on to\nthe point of consecration. They have heard of the Lord's second coming\nand hope for something better. They realize that there is great trouble\nin the world and see no human remedy for it. They long for a complete\nand proper relief.\n\n[560]To such Jehovah says through his Prophet: \"Be strong, fear not:\nbehold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence;\nhe will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,\nand the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap\nas an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.\" (Isaiah 35:4-6) These words\ncould have no application to persons who are in their graves, and must\nexclusively apply to those who are living at the beginning of the\nMessianic reign. Furthermore, when the dead are raised up, they will not\ncome forth from the graves minus arms, or legs, or other parts of the\nbody; but 'God will give to each a body as it pleaseth him' (1 Corinthians\n15:38)--a reasonably sound body. And as a man renders himself in\nobedience to righteousness, his body will develop toward perfection.\nThere are now on earth millions who are blind, or deaf, or lame, or\ndumb, or cripples in some form; and these are the ones to whom the\nProphet refers. The kingdom being in operation, as these come to a\nknowledge of God's great arrangements and obey the righteous laws under\nthe new covenant, they will develop new arms, legs, eyes; be given the\npower of speech, and gradually develop a sound body.\n\n[561]When these great miracles begin to be performed in the earth, then\nthe most skeptical, it is to be hoped, will believe that the Lord Jesus\nreigns. The miracles which he performed while on earth in opening the\neyes of the blind and healing the sick were merely examples of what he\nwill do in his glorified condition. Because it is both unreasonable and\nunscriptural to expect that the dead will come forth from their graves\nin a maimed, deaf, and dumb condition; but will come forth with\nreasonably sound bodies, these words of the Prophet conclusively prove\nthat restoration will begin with those who are living on the earth at\nthe beginning of the Messianic reign.\n\n[562]Concerning the work of the Christ of restoring the peoples of\nearth, and looking forward to that time, St. Paul writes; \"The whole\ncreation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, waiting for\nthe manifestation of the sons of God\"--the kingdom class. (Romans\n8:19,22) Those who thus travail in pain, groan, wait, and hope for\nsomething better, could not be the dead ones, but those who are living\nat the inauguration of the new order. There are millions now on earth\nwho are looking and hoping for a better time, and groaning for that\nrelief. They understand not the mystery of God. They do not understand\nhow his sons constitute the seed of Abraham for their blessing; yet they\nhope for something.\n\n[563]During the World War millions were maimed and disfigured in various\nways, and many deprived of one or both arms or legs. Because the Lord is\nnow present, putting his kingdom into operation, it is to be expected\nthat many of these crippled and maimed ones will be among the first to\nreceive the restoration blessings. As they come to a knowledge of the\nfact that the Lord is giving these blessings, and render themselves in\nobedience to his righteous rule, they will be thus blessed. Happy will\nbe their portion when they begin to be restored. Joyful will be their\nfriends and loved ones to see such restoration blessings being\nministered unto them.\n\n[564]While the trouble in the earth is ever increasing and the suffering\nof the poor increases, some are manifesting a greater amount of sympathy\nand consideration; while others are becoming more unreasonable and harsh\ntoward the poor. The Lord indicates what class he will favor in this\ntime of trouble, saying: \"Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the\nLord will deliver him in the time of trouble. The Lord will preserve\nhim, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth.\" (Psalm\n41:1,2) Surely this could apply to none other than those now living in\nthis time of trouble, because when restitution blessings begin the time\nof trouble will be over.\n\n[565]Upon the earth there are now, according to the best statistics\nobtainable, approximately 1,700,000,000 persons who have a measure of\nlife. The proof cited herein shows that the old world (social and\npolitical order) ended and began to pass away in 1914, and that this\nwill be completed in a few years and righteousness fully established.\nThe Scriptural evidence further is that many will be brought through\nthis time of trouble, and these will be the ones with whom the Lord will\nfirst begin the work of restoration.\n\n[566]The first world ended with a great flood, in which a few persons,\nto wit, eight, were saved by being carried over in the ark from the old\nto the new order of things that God established immediately after the\nflood under Noah. This was an example or picture representing the\npassing away of the present evil world and showing that many will be\ncarried over from the old to the new. When God had delivered Noah and\nhis family from the perils of the deluge and Noah builded an altar\nbefore the Lord and offered a sacrifice, the Lord made promise to Noah,\nsaying: \"I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; ...\nneither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.\nWhile the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and\nsummer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.\" (Genesis 8:21,22)\nThe Scriptures show that \"the earth abideth forever\". (Ecclesiastes 1:4)\nTherefore this statement to Noah is a positive promise that never again\nwill the earth witness the destruction of every living thing. Seeing,\nthen, that we are at the end of the old order and the opening of the\nnew, and that according to the Scriptures many must pass over to the\nnew, it can be confidently announced that MILLIONS OF PEOPLE NOW LIVING\nWILL NEVER DIE, because these being offered restitution blessings the\npresumption must be indulged that many of them will accept and be\nobedient to the new order of things.\n\n[567]It was Jesus who said: \"Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall\nnever die\". (John 11:26) The people of the world do not yet live, nor\nhave they had an opportunity of life; and this opportunity cannot come\nto mankind in general until the times of restoration begin. Then the\nliving ones who believe on the Lord shall not die. We should keep in\nmind, however, that to believe means to act upon that belief, in\naccordance with it, and to be obedient to the new order that the Lord\nwill establish in the earth. Furthermore Jesus said: \"If any man keep my\nsaying, he shall never see death\". (John 8:51) Men cannot keep the\nsayings of Jesus until they hear them; and the world cannot hear until\nthe Lord's due time. (1 Timothy 2:5,6) We are now entering that due time\nand the message of the kingdom is being given out, by the Lord's grace,\nthat some may hear, and hearing, may profit and live.\n\n[568]The majority of mankind practise unrighteousness. This is due\nlargely to the fact of their imperfections. As the Prophet puts it, each\none was born and shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin. (Psalm 51:5)\nThey have been surrounded by conditions and influences that have induced\nwrong-doing. A great many of these have not the power of resistance\nagainst evil; but during the reign of Messiah evil will be punished and\nrighteousness rewarded, and evil influences restrained. Then even those\nwho are wicked and turn from unrighteousness to righteousness shall live\nand shall not die. Of this God gives positive assurance through his\nProphet.--Ezekiel 18:27,28.\n\n[569]As further proof that restoration blessings will begin with those\nliving on the earth at the beginning of the Messianic reign, we cite the\nwords of the prophet Job. In poetic phrase he draws a picture of mankind\nin a condition of suffering and sorrow, almost upon the brink of the\ngrave. This picture describes vividly the conditions now existing in the\nearth. It depicts those who have a measure of life, all of whom must be\nbrought to a knowledge of the truth. Christ is the messenger of the new\ncovenant, through which mankind must receive the blessing. Job then\npictures the appearance of this messenger of the covenant and shows that\nthe message delivered turns many to righteousness. And those who hear,\nappreciate and obey the message are represented as saying, 'I have found\nmy redeemer'; and then restitution blessings shall follow, and the old\nshall be restored to a condition of manly youth. Man now is filled with\npride and pursues his own selfish purposes. The great time of trouble\nwill break this pride and bring the haughty low. Note Job's description:\n\n[570]\"Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,\nthat he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. He\n[the Lord] keepeth back his [man's] soul from the pit, and his life from\nperishing by the sword. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and\nthe multitude of his bones with strong pain; so that his life abhorreth\nbread, and his soul dainty meat. His flesh is consumed away, that it\ncannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out. Yea, his\nsoul draweth nigh to the grave, and his life to the destroyers. [Thus\ndescribing the miserable condition of humankind] If there be a messenger\n[the Christ, the Messenger of the new covenant] with him, an\ninterpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness,\nthen he [the Lord] is gracious unto him [man], and saith, Deliver him\nfrom going down to the grave [thus showing that not all are to be sent\ninto death. Then man is represented as saying]: I have found a ransom.\n[The result then is pictured in the next phrase when the Prophet says\nconcerning man:] His flesh shall be fresher than a child's; he shall\nreturn to the days of his youth.\"--Job 33:16-25.\n\n\nPUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED\n\n[571]The Scriptures clearly indicate that some stubborn, proud,\ndisobedient ones will refuse to hear the word of the Lord and to obey\nhis righteous laws. The loving kindness of the Lord is manifested when\nhis long-suffering is shown in the fact that he does not immediately\ndestroy all such, but gives each one a full and fair opportunity, the\nProphet showing that each one shall have at least a hundred years of\ntrial; and if at the end of that time he is persistent in disobeying the\nLord, he shall be counted accursed and cut off in everlasting\ndestruction. (Isaiah 65:20) St. Peter corroborated this in his statement\nconcerning restoration times, saying: \"It shall come to pass, that every\nsoul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among\nthe people\".--Acts 3:23.\n\n[572]Again the testimony of Jesus is to the effect that at the beginning\nof his reign the nations and peoples shall be gathered before him in the\nsense that they will be instructed concerning his reign. In parabolic\nphrase he pictures them being separated as sheep are separated from\ngoats. A goat is an animal that is unruly, disobedient. It refuses to\nstay in the pasture where it is placed, but insists on getting outside\nand destroying things where it has no business. The goat, therefore,\npictures an unruly or disobedient class. Sheep are docile, submissive,\nand in Oriental countries they are led by the shepherd. They know his\nvoice and follow him. The Lord used this to illustrate the ones who are\nobedient to him. The goats, therefore, picture the wicked class; and\nconcerning them the Lord said: \"These shall go into everlasting\npunishment\"; whereas the sheep picture the obedient _class_, and of\nthem he says that they shall go into everlasting life.--Matthew\n25:41-46.\n\n[573]Punishment does not mean torture. The laws of the land provide for\nthe punishment of wrongdoers, and the duration of that punishment is\naccording to the enormity of the crime. If a man steals his neighbor's\nchickens, the duration of his punishment would probably be a few days in\nprison. If he burns his neighbor's house, the duration of his punishment\nwould probably be a term of years in prison. If he takes his neighbor's\nlife, the duration of his punishment is death. There is no limitation to\nthat punishment. It is a lasting one--one that does not end. So those\nwho go into destruction suffer a punishment that is everlasting;\ntherefore everlasting punishment.\n\n[574]This punishment the Apostle plainly describes as destruction.\n(2 Thessalonians 1:9) It is certain that they do not get life, because\nthe Lord plainly says in this statement that the righteous, the obedient\nones, go away into life eternal. The final fate of the wicked,\ntherefore, is an everlasting destruction; whereas the final state of the\nobedient and righteous ones is life everlasting in peace and in joy.\n\n\nALL MUST HAVE A \"CHANCE\"\n\n[575]The great ransom-sacrifice presented in heaven by the Lord Jesus is\na guarantee that every man must have one full and fair opportunity for\nlife. Life is pictured as a gift. In order for a gift to be effective\nthere must be a giver or donor, and a receiver or donee. The giver must\nbe willing to give; the receiver must have knowledge that the thing is\noffered and must be willing to accept. There must be two parties, the\ngiver and the receiver; and there must be knowledge on the part of both.\nFor this reason we read: \"This is good and acceptable before God, our\nSavior, who desires all men to be saved, and to come to an accurate\nknowledge of the truth\". (1 Timothy 2:3,4, _Diaglott_) The salvation\nhere mentioned is effected by the great ransom-price which constitutes\nthe price of deliverance. Then all must come to a knowledge of this fact\nand either accept it or reject it, just as one who is offered a gift\nmust either receive or reject. Hence the Apostle writes: \"Therefore as\nby the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even\nso by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto\njustification of life\". (Romans 5:18) \"The wages of sin is death; but\nthe gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.\"--Romans\n6:23.\n\n[576]As further proof that all must have an opportunity, St. John wrote:\n\"He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also\nfor the sins of the whole world\". (1 John 2:2) The word \"our\" as used in\nthis text means the class to which St. John belonged, namely, the\nchurch, the Christ; whereas _the world_ includes all the race of\nmankind. The statement, then, is that the ransom was provided for all.\nFurthermore, when Jesus was born, it was announced by the angel of\nheaven: \"Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be\nto _all_ people\". (Luke 2:10) Furthermore, God's promise to Abraham was\nthat in him and his seed _all_ the families and nations of the earth\nshould be blessed. (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8) Hence all must have an\nopportunity for such blessing.\n\n[577]That those who are to be saved are not confined to the ones who go\nto heaven Jesus proved when he said: \"Other sheep I have, which are not\nof this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice\".\n(John 10:16) \"This fold\" means the church; and after this class is\nselected, then all must have an opportunity to come into the fold of\nChrist. And this is true because he bought them all with his precious\nblood.\n\n[578]God caused the prophet David to write: \"All nations whom thou hast\nmade shall come find worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy\nname\". (Psalm 86:9) This is further corroborative proof that all must\nhave an opportunity.\n\n[579]A highway is a means of travel. For instance, we have built across\nthe United States what is known as the Lincoln Highway. A highway is\nused to illustrate the way that the Lord will provide for the return of\nthe people to him through the terms of the new covenant. The prophet\nIsaiah thus wrote: \"A highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be\ncalled, The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it, but it\nshall be for those; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err\ntherein\". (Isaiah 35:8) It will be noticed that there is a way to go\nover this highway, and it shall be called \"The way of holiness\". In\nother words, those who pass over it will be made holy. The highway\npictures the whole journey from the beginning to the end of the\nMillennial reign of Christ. The unclean shall not pass over it, because\nunless a man will be cleaned up before he progresses a great way, he\nwill be permitted to go no further. But as he strives to cleanse himself\nand be obedient to the Lord, he will be helped. There shall be nothing\nthere to hinder him, because Satan's influence will be restrained.\n(Revelation 20:1-4) The way shall be so plain and clear that any and all\nmay see it. The Lord, therefore, has graciously provided a way for the\noppressed and sin-sick to be led back over the highway of holiness into\na condition of perfection and happiness.\n\n[580]Because Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the other faithful prophets\ndescribed by the apostle Paul in Hebrews 11 are promised a better\nresurrection; because of the statement of the Prophet that they shall be\nprinces or rulers in all the earth (Psalm 45:16), it is to be expected\nthat they will be the first ones raised under the terms of the new\ncovenant. Therefore it is reasonable to expect them to be back on earth\nat the beginning of the restoration blessings. Hence these faithful men\nmay be expected on earth within the next few years. They will constitute\nthe legal representatives of the Christ in the earth. They will be the\nvisible representatives of the kingdom of heaven. These are the ones who\nshall administer the affairs of earth under the direction of the Lord.\n\n[581]We therefore see that there are two phases of God's kingdom: the\nheavenly, which is invisible; and the earthly, which is visible, the\nfaithful prophets of old, namely, the ancient worthies, representing the\nLord in this regard.\n\n[582]The Lord through his prophet Zechariah gives a wonderful picture of\nthe establishment of this kingdom and of the blessings that will come.\nThe prophecy is written in highly symbolic phrase. It reads: \"His feet\nshall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before\nJerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst\nthereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very\ngreat valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north,\nand half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the\nmountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea,\nye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of\nUzziah king of Judah; and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints\nwith thee.\" (Zechariah 14:4,5) \"His feet\" in this prophecy represent\nJehovah's feet; while mountain symbolizes kingdom. The olive is a symbol\nof light, peace, and divine blessing; hence the picture is that\nJehovah's authority, represented by his feet, will be established upon\nearth, by a kingdom of light, peace, and blessing. The cleaving of this\nmountain in the midst, showing a part on the north and a part on the\nsouth, pictures the two phases, heavenly and earthly, of the Messianic\nkingdom; and the valley between represents the valley of blessings. Into\nthis valley the sin-sick, sore, feeble, oppressed, yea all, shall flee\nand there receive the blessings of the Lord, which will make them rich\nin health and peace and happiness for ever.\n\n[583]Every one, then, who believes God's Word and who confidently\nexpects the kingdom to bring blessings to mankind and who sees it now\nbeing established should watch for the return of Abraham and the other\nfaithful prophets and get into communication with them as soon as\npossible after their return. And acting under their advice, all such\nwill doubtless find early many opportunities of service, which will\nbring to them blessings and happiness.\n\n[584]The Psalmist gives us another picture of this kingdom of blessing,\nsaying: \"The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the\nearth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof\". (Psalm\n50:1) The earth here represents the new organized government. The rising\nof the sun means the beginning of the Messianic reign; while its going\ndown pictures the completion of that reign. Therefore, throughout the\nwhole Millennial reign the Lord will be calling to the peoples of earth\nto come into this valley of blessing and receive life, peace, and\nhappiness. \"He shall call to the heavens [the spiritual, invisible part\nof the kingdom] from above, and to the earth [the new organized\ngovernment], that he may judge his people.\" (Psalm 50:4) To judge means\nto give opportunity for blessings by means of a trial; and this is in\nharmony with the other statements of the Scriptures that every one must\nhave a fair trial for life.\n\n\nTHE DEAD TO RISE\n\n[585]The first few years of restitution blessings will find multitudes\nof people diligently seeking to be restored to health and strength; and\nas they grow strong themselves and prepare homes for themselves and\ntheir families, they will be thinking of their beloved dead. Naturally\nthey will want to see them again, and they will pray to the Lord to\nrestore them. And the Lord will hear their prayers and answer them. \"It\nshall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they\nare yet speaking, I will hear.\" (Isaiah 65:24) Jesus declared that \"all\nthat are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they\nthat have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have\ndone evil, unto the resurrection of judgment\". (John 5:28,29) \"They that\nhave done evil\" here means the entire human race aside from the church.\nThey were born evil, born sinners. (Romans 5:12) They are coming forth\nto judgment, to a trial; and this is the great trial time spoken of by\nthe Apostle, in which all men shall have an opportunity. (Acts 17:31)\n\"There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and\nunjust.\"--Acts 24:15.\n\n[586]St. Paul then produces his wonderful and beautiful argument on the\nresurrection, saying, \"If the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised;\nand if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your\nsins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If\nin this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most\nmiserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the\nfirstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man\ncame also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so\nin Christ shall all be made alive.\" (1 Corinthians 15:16-22) Then the\nApostle shows that after the resurrection of the church in the beginning\nof the kingdom every man must come forth in his own order. Jesus\ndeclared: \"Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be\nfirst\". (Matthew 19:30) This principle may be properly applied to the\nresurrection of the dead. Those who died last will be the first to be\nawakened; while those who died centuries ago will be among the last to\nbe awakened.\n\n[587]In the World War millions of men died upon the battlefield. That\nwas indeed the land of the enemy, the land of death. The Lord gives us a\npicture through the Prophet as to the coming days of blessing, saying to\nthe woman who wept for her children, and thus illustrating all who weep\nfor their dead: \"Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from\ntears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall\ncome again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end,\nsaith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.\"\n--Jeremiah 31:16,17.\n\n[588]As the dead come back from the tombs, provision will be made for\nthem by their friends who are living on the earth. Families long broken\nup will be again united; and sadness will give way to joy. The whole\nhuman race, ransomed by the Lord, will have this opportunity; and the\nProphet describes it thus: \"The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and\ncome to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall\nobtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away\".\n(Isaiah 35:10) Gradually, throughout the thousand years of Messiah's\nreign, will the human race march up over the highway of holiness, until\nall will have had a full and fair opportunity, the willfully wicked\ndestroyed and the obedient ones restored to perfection of body and mind\nand heart.\n\n[589]The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire. It does\nnot mean, however, that they went into an endless torture, as we have\nheretofore been led to believe. On the contrary, the Lord plainly states\nthat they shall be brought back to their former estate; that is, as\nhuman beings on the earth, for the purpose of being given a trial. \"When\nthy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former\nestate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former\nestate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.\"\n(Ezekiel 16:55) While the Lord will rule with an iron hand, compelling\nobedience, yet his rule will be a righteous one, and he will reprove\nwith justice. He is pictured by the Prophet as ruling in faithfulness\nand righteousness, thus: \"With righteousness shall he judge the poor,\nand reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite\nthe earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips\nshall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his\nloins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.\"--Isaiah 11:4,5.\n\n[590]The beneficial effect of his righteous reign is also pictured by\nthe Prophet, in the passage which shows how that the wild beasts of the\nearth will become subject to man, and how a little child shall direct\nthem. \"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall\nlie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling\ntogether; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear\nshall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall\neat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of\nthe asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice'\nden.\"--Isaiah 11:6-8.\n\n[591]All must come to a knowledge of the truth; and those obeying it\nwill have their sins and iniquities wiped out for ever. Thus says the\nProphet: \"They shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man\nhis brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the\nleast to the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their\niniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.\" (Jeremiah 31:34) When\nthe Lord remembers their iniquities and sins no more, then it must be\nthat they are restored. When John the Baptist announced the approach of\nJesus, he exclaimed: \"Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin\nof the world\". When the sin of the world is gone, when there is a world\nwithout sin, then it must be a world with perfect people.\n\n[592]That the people will be brought to a condition of health and be\ncured of their sickness the Lord assures us through his Prophet.\n\"Behold, I will bring in health and cure, and I will cure them, and will\nreveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.\" (Jeremiah 33:6) \"And\nthe inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; the people that dwell therein\nshall be forgiven their iniquity.\"--Isaiah 33:24\n\n\nPARADISE RESTORED\n\n[593]The restoration means the bringing back to earth of the Edenic\ncondition for man's benefit. Some may think there will be not sufficient\nroom upon the earth for all the restored ones. According to the best\nauthority, there have lived and died about 20,000,000,000 people. There\nare now on earth approximately 1,700,000,000 persons. This is a total of\n21,700,000,000. In order to be liberal, let us suppose that all the\nhuman race will total 50,000,000,000. As a suggestion that there will\nbe ample room for all on the earth, let one take his pencil and divide\nthe area of the state of Texas by 50,000,000,000; and he will find that\nthat number of people could be placed in the state of Texas alone,\ngiving each one about 146 square feet of land upon which to stand. Of\ncourse it is not to be expected that the earth will be crowded thus; but\nwhen we remember that only a small portion of the earth's surface is now\ninhabited, that a great portion of it is desert, and when this desert\nshall become productive and all parts of the earth habitable, then we\nmay see that 50,000,000,000 of people could comfortably be taken care of\nin the earth and have plenty of room to spare.\n\n[594]But will the earth produce sufficiently to feed this multitude? The\nScriptures answer: \"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad\nfor them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It\nshall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the\nglory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and\nSharon: they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our\nGod.... And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land\nsprings of water.\" (Isaiah 35:1,2,7) \"The desolate land shall be tilled,\nwhereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they\nshall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of\nEden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced,\nand are inhabited.\" (Ezekiel 36:34,35) When the whole earth's surface is\nbrought up to a condition of high cultivation like unto the garden of\nEden, then indeed the earth will be a fit habitation for man. The\nreclamation of desert land such as the Imperial Valley of California has\nnow begun. Only a few years ago that valley was a desolate wilderness in\nwhich no animal or human being could live; and now it produces abundant\ncrops because it has been watered. When all the vast deserts of Sahara,\nArabia, and America are fully irrigated and blossom as the rose, they\nwill produce abundantly for man's needs.\n\n[595]The reign of Christ will result in the destruction of all man's\nenemies. The weeds, the thistles, the thorns, the pests that destroy\ncrops, shall all be destroyed. Everything that produces sickness shall\nbe destroyed. The Apostle plainly says; \"He [Christ] must reign, till he\nhath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be\ndestroyed is death.\"--1 Corinthians 15:25,26.\n\n[596]We can well imagine great multitudes of people assembling in\ndifferent parts of the earth to celebrate their deliverance from Satan\nand his wicked organizations; and as the people witness the passing away\nof ignorance, crime, superstition; and see knowledge, goodness, loving\nkindness taking their place, they will fill the earth with joyful song.\nThe Prophet describes some of the effects of these restitution blessings\nthus: \"In this mountain [kingdom] shall the Lord of hosts make unto all\npeople a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat\nthings full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will\ndestroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people,\nand the vail that is spread over all nations [taking away ignorance,\netc,]. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe\naway all tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he\ntake away from off the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it.\"--Isaiah\n25:6-8.\n\n[597]St. John on the Isle of Patmos had a vision of the great Messianic\nkingdom and described it in symbolic phrase. The word \"heaven\"\nsymbolically means the invisible ruling power; while the \"earth\" means\norganized society. The old heaven has been wicked, because Satan, the\nwicked one, has been ruling. The old earth has been wicked, because the\norganizations of men have been under the dominion of Satan. St. John,\nobserving the Messianic kingdom and the blessings that would follow,\nwrote: \"I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the\nfirst earth were passed away; and there was no more sea\". Thus he shows\nthe new heaven (the Messianic kingdom) and the new earth (society\norganized on a righteous basis in the earth). _Sea_ is symbolic of\nrestless humanity, thus picturing the fact that there will be no more\nstrikes, lock-outs, revolutions, or anarchy. Continuing, he describes\nthe kingdom as a holy city, the new Jerusalem, in this beautiful phrase:\n\"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out\nof heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a\ngreat voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with\nmen, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God\nhimself shall be with them, and be their God\"--picturing here the\ndwelling place of the Lord. The place of meeting between Jehovah and\nmankind is through the Christ. The results will be the destruction of\nthe enemy death, and the full restoration of the obedient ones; and thus\nhe describes it: \"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and\nthere shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall\nthere be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. And he\nthat sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he\nsaid unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.\"--Revelation\n21:1-5.\n\n[598]Let the reasonable person ask himself these questions:\n\n[599]Why would God outline such a marvelous plan as this?\n\n[600]Why would he establish a new heaven and a new earth?\n\n[601]Why would he awaken the dead out of their graves unless he intended\nto give them an opportunity to be restored to the perfection enjoyed by\nAdam before he sinned?\n\n[602]God has invited us to use our reasoning faculties (Isaiah 1:18);\nand if we believe these great truths taught in the Bible, we can reach\nno other reasonable conclusion than that restitution is the great\nobjective of God's plan relative to the human race, and that restitution\nblessings are near because the kingdom of heaven is at hand, even at the\ndoor. Let those who are cast down look up now; let the sorrowful be\nglad; let the sad hearts be comforted, and the broken hearts be bound\nup. Lift up your heads and rejoice in the fact that the day of\ndeliverance for mankind is at the door!\n\n[603]Call to mind for a moment the great amount of suffering in the\ndensely populated cities. Old men and old women, young men and young\nwomen, children, infants in arms, all crowded into foul tenements, with\nnot sufficient food, impure air, and improper clothing; and everything\ntending to degrade their morals. Call to mind the countries devastated\nby the war, the homes destroyed, families broken up, the crippled,\nblind, deaf, dumb, and insane. Imagine for a moment the intense\nsuffering of the millions of people throughout the earth; and then know\nthat this dark vail of suffering and death will shortly be lifted and\nthe sunlight of God's love will shine in upon all. Like the sun, the\ngreat Messianic kingdom, shining forth with healing beams, shall dispel\nthe darkness, drive away the sickness, clean up the bodies and clean up\nthe minds and morals, point the people to proper food--what to eat and\nhow to eat it, what to think upon and how to conduct themselves; and\nabove all, to give them a full knowledge of the loving kindness of our\ngreat God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, the dearest Friend of all. And\nknow, then, that these blessings will bring eternal happiness in the\nearth. Men and women will not only grow strong, but they will reach that\nstate in which they will not even fear, think, or expect, to be sick.\n\n[604]With the establishment of the new order under the Messiah wars and\nrevolutions shall cease, because he has promised that then \"they shall\nbeat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks;\nnation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn\nwar any more\"; and thus there shall be no more restless humanity,\nsymbolically called _sea_.--Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3; Revelation 21:1.\n\n[605]The profiteers will no longer be permitted to prey upon the people,\nbecause God's promise is that under the righteous reign none shall be\npermitted to injure another nor defraud his neighbor.--Isaiah 11:9;\n65:25.\n\n[606]Then shall famines vanish away and no more shall be hungering for\nfood nor vainly striving for sustenance of life, because then the earth\nshall yield her increase and there shall be plenty for all.--Psalm 67:6.\n\n[607]Then shall disease and sickness be destroyed, because God has\npromised under this new order to bring in health and strength and to\nbless the people with all favors incident thereto. \"The inhabitant shall\nnot say, I am sick.\"--Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 21:4.\n\n[608]Funerals now are the order of the day, and the family and loved\nones left behind assemble in sorrow to pay the last tribute to their\nbeloved dead. But under the new order of things funerals will cease,\nundertakers will seek a more pleasing employment, and the hearses will\nbe changed from vehicles of sorrow to equipages of pleasure. \"There\nshall be no more death.\"--Rev. 21:4.\n\n[609]Families have been torn asunder and each member has borne his or her\nsorrow until claimed by the grave; but under the new order families will\nbe reunited, parents will be brought back to the children, and children\nto the parents, and they shall dwell together in happiness.--1 Corinthians\n15:22,23.\n\n[610]No more will the poor be vainly hunting for a habitation or fleeing\nfrom greedy landlords, because then, as God has promised, the people\nshall 'build houses and live in them; they shall not build for another\nto live in but then every man shall have his own habitation and every\nman shall sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall make them\nafraid'.--Isaiah 65:21-23; Micah 4:4.\n\n[611]At that time there will be full liberty to do right, because right\nwill always be encouraged. Every one will have the liberty to do all the\ngood he can. There will be no secret service men nor espionage laws\nunder the reign of Messiah. This will result in the development and\nexhibition of the beauty of character. Justice will prevail amongst men;\nthey will become wise concerning the things pertaining to their welfare\nand happiness. Love will be the motive directing their actions and their\nevery power shall be exercised for good.--Revelation 21:24-27.\n\n[612]Life, that which has been the desire of men in all ages, will be\ncompletely realized--life in fullness, when men and women will be strong\nand vigorous, and there shall be no more pain, no suffering, no sorrow,\nno death; when all obedient ones shall return to the days of their youth\nand enjoy life as perfect human beings through endless ages.--Job 33:25;\nRomans 6:23; Revelation 21:4.\n\n[613]Praise then shall take the place of sorrow. No longer will the\npeople assemble in cemeteries on Decoration Day to pay tribute to their\nhero dead, because then their dead will be restored to them; and the one\nwho shall be the greatest hero in their minds and hearts will be the\ngreat Messiah, who has brought the people the unspeakable blessings.\nThen will the people assemble, not to discuss politics, nor to wrangle\nover who shall hold the offices, but to improve their minds and to study\nthe beauties and wonders of God's creation and to sing songs of gladness\nto his praise.--Isaiah 35:10; 51:11; Philippians 2:10,11.\n\n\nCONSOLATION TO CHRISTIANS\n\n[614]Death is a cruel enemy of the human race. Its sting has been felt\nfor ages. It takes away beloved ones and leaves a burning dagger in the\nheart of the surviving friend. It has filled the earth with sadness, and\nthe people with grief. But the sweet music from the harp of God has\ncheered some sad hearts who have learned of the divine arrangement to\nrestore their dear ones whom they have loved and lost awhile. By faith\nthe Christian sees that in his own good time and way God will bring back\ntheir beloved dead and give them an opportunity for endless life and\nhappiness, because he has promised thus to do. The Christian knows that\nGod's promises are certain of fulfillment and that his power to perform\nis unlimited. Such faith, based upon the precious promises, helps now in\na measure to allay the sting of death.\n\n[615]Beside the tossing billows of the mighty ocean one walks in silent\nmeditation. Her mind turns to a beloved one who during the World War was\ntaken away to serve in the navy. For a time he sailed the seas and\nreturned, only to sicken and die, leaving behind a bleeding heart, which\nonly time and the Lord can heal. As her feet silently tread the soft\nsands recently caressed by the waves, her mind is filled with thoughts\nof happy days spent with her beloved brother, whose laughter is now\nhushed in death and who sleeps in Jesus, waiting for the time of\nresurrection. The former joyful days were turned into sorrow because of\nDeath's wicked hand. But the great Burden-Bearer lightens her load and\nhelps her to bear her sorrow as there come to her mind the words spoken\nthrough his messenger: \"Sorrow not as others, who have no hope; for if\nwe believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep\nin Jesus will God bring by him.... Comfort one another with these\nwords.\"--1 Thessalonians 4:13,14,18.\n\n[616]Gazing far out to sea, she observes a mighty ship being tossed by\nthe power of the waves as though it were an empty shell. What marvelous\npower is thus displayed by those waves! Yet it is but a semblance of the\npower of God. He who made the great ocean and caused the moon to kiss\nits bosom at nightfall; he who hung the stars in the heavens, which\nserve to guide the weary and wave-tossed mariner in his stormy course,\nand who holds back the winds until he has reached his desired haven--he\nit is who is clothed with all power and authority in heaven and in\nearth, and has promised to bring back the beloved dead from the grave.\nHis promise he will faithfully keep.\n\n[617]Her meditations for a time sad, are now turned into silent joy\nbecause of the hope planted in that once troubled bosom by the precious\npromises of God. By faith she sees the blessed day, not far distant,\nwhen back to life shall come that beloved brother. By faith she sees him\nhurrying over the highway of holiness, until he is made strong,\nvigorous, and returns to the days of his youth, and shall dwell in peace\nand happiness for ever.\n\n[618]Oh! what sweet and consoling music the restoration string of God's\nharp brings to the heart of the Christian now! What great joy will fill\nthat heart when, as a member of the glorified body of Christ, the\nblessed privilege will be had of awakening out of death that beloved one\nand marking his gradual restoration to perfect manhood! Then both the\nblesser and the blessed will praise God for his boundless love. Until\nthat happy day, blessed is the one who claims the promise: \"Thou wilt\nkeep him in perfect peace whose mind [meditation] is stayed on thee,\nbecause he trusteth in thee\".--Isaiah 26:3.\n\n[619]For centuries Christians lost sight of the beautiful doctrine of\nthe restoration pictured by the tenth string of the harp of God. This\nwas due to the fact that the consecrated were in captivity to the\nreligious systems formed by man and into which Satan injected false\ndoctrines, thereby blinding the understanding of even the honest-hearted.\nBut with the second presence of the Lord his people have been released\nfrom such Babylonian captivity. The eyes of their understanding opening\nbecause of the brightness of his presence, they have learned of the\nrestoration string of the harp of God; and its sweet melody has cheered\ntheir hearts so much that they could not keep back the singing. God\nforeknew this, of course; and for the further encouragement of such\ncaused his Prophet to write these appropriate words relative to the\nrestoration blessings coming to the nations and peoples and kindreds of\nearth: \"When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like\nthem that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue\nwith singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great\nthings for them.\"--Psalm 126:1,2.\n\n[620]Truly, as God's Prophet said: \"I will incline mine ear to a\nparable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp\". (Psalm 49:4) All of\nGod's plan has been stated in parabolic language, and is appreciated\nonly by the consecrated follower of Jesus; but when understood, it is\nindeed a harp that yields the most entrancing music that ever fell upon\nhuman ears. Strike now the chord of restitution and hear how beautifully\nit responds and harmonises with all the other strings upon the divine\nharp! Know, then, that as the people come to learn of God's wonderful\narrangement, all whose hearts are right will praise him. The Psalmist\nthus appropriately says:\n\n  \"O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness:\n  Fear before him, all the earth.\n  Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth;\n  The world also shall he established that it shall not be moved;\n  He shall judge the people righteously.\n  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;\n  Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof.\n  Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein;\n  Then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord;\n  For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth:\n  He shall judge the world with righteousness,\n  And the people with his truth.\"--Psalm 96:9-13.\n\n[621]Finally, at the end of the Millennial reign of the Messianic\nkingdom, all the obedient ones of the human race will have been restored\nto perfect conditions. The harp of God, the great doctrinal truths, will\nbe magnified in the hearts of all the people. But even now the fully\nconsecrated Christian is pictured as standing above the kingdoms of this\nworld, having the harp of God, and singing the song of Moses and the\nLamb, saying: \"Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty;\njust and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear\nthee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?\" And with the close of the thousand\nyears \"all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments\nare made manifest\". (Revelation 15:3,4) These are looking to the\nfinished work of Christ.\n\n\nHALLELUJAH CHORUS\n\n[622]By faith looking up through the corridor of the Millennial age now\nopening, we see standing at the further end thereof a perfect race of\nhuman beings. Every vestige of wickedness, selfishness, and wrong has\nbeen eliminated. During the thousand-year reign of Christ that old\nserpent, the devil and Satan, has been restrained, that he might not\ndeceive the nations and peoples during the Messianic reign. (Revelation\n20:1-3) Being released for a little season at the end of that period, he\nhas put forth his efforts again to deceive; but now these have ended and\nSatan is destroyed, because God has decreed it thus. (Revelation\n20:7-10; Hebrews 2:14) Abraham, the father of the faithful, and his\ncolleagues of like faithfulness, who have, under the supervision of the\nChrist, directed the people through their Millennial trial, have\nfinished their earthly career and have been raised to a higher plane as\nspirit beings. Having during that reign turned many to righteousness,\nthey shine forth as the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:3) The earth\nhas been brought to a condition of Edenic Paradise. In it there are no\nweeds, thistles, or wicked thorns. It is a fit habitation for perfect\nman, pleasing to the eye. All men and women have been perfected in\norganism, mind, and character; and gracious words are upon their lips.\nEach one, granted a perfect voice, possesses the ability to sing\nperfectly; and a song of joy is upon all lips. All the creation of earth\nis now subjected to man; and the chief joy of every one is and will be\nto contribute to the happiness of his fellow men and to glorify God and\nChrist.\n\n[623]By faith behold this happy picture for a moment, and then turn\nyour vision to the things heavenly. There angels, who for ages have\nfaithfully performed service as messengers to the Lord, are assembled;\nline upon line, tier upon tier of these glorious beings. In their\nrespective positions of honor stand forth the cherubim and seraphim; and\nin the midst of all stands the Christ. Jesus Christ the blessed and\nfaithful one, as the great victor now looks back over his work and 'sees\nthe travail of his soul and is satisfied' with the happy results.\nStanding by his side is his glorious bride, who for a thousand years has\nbeen the recipient of the exceeding riches of the grace of God through\nher beloved Head, and who will now enjoy these favors to endless ages.\nHer bridesmaids, 'the virgins her companions who follow' and serve her,\nare there, performing their divinely assigned functions. Above all\nstands the great Jehovah God, whose wisdom planned it all and whose\nloving kindness has been showered upon the multitude of his creatures.\nJoy fills his blessed heart. His plan, as he foreknew it would be, is a\ngrand success.\n\n[624]It is an entrancing scene! It is the appropriate time for the\nHallelujah chorus. The stage is set. The trumpeters with their trumpets\ntake their places, and the psaltery and the harp are brought forth. The\ntimbrel, the stringed instruments, the organ, the cymbals, and every\nconceivable instrument of praise is in the hands of the heavenly host.\nThere is a breathless silence. Then the trumpeters peal forth their\npaeans of praise, and all the other players and singers of the heavenly\nhosts join in. This entrancing music is caught up by the multitudes of\nearth and wafted back to heaven again (because communication has been\nestablished between the perfect men and the perfect heavenly creatures),\nuntil every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the\nearth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, are\npraising God, saying: \"Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be\nunto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and\never\". (Revelation 5:13) Every knee is bowing and every tongue is\nconfessing that Jesus is the Christ, to the glory of God the Father.\nEvery creature that has breath is now joining in the song. It is the\nHallelujah chorus, and this is what they sing:\n\n  \"Praise ye the Lord!\n  Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in the firmament of his power.\n  Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him according to his excellent\n          greatness.\n  Praise him with the sound of the trumpet;\n  Praise him with the psaltery and harp.\n  Praise him with the timbrel and dance;\n  Praise him with stringed instruments and organs.\n  Praise him upon the loud cymbals; praise him upon the high sounding\n          cymbals.\n  Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.\n  Praise ye the Lord!\"--Psalm 150.\n\n\n\n\nHow will the restoration string of the harp affect the world? \u00b6 535.\n\nWhat does the tenth string of the harp represent? \u00b6 535.\n\nWhat two great doctrines were lost sight of for a long time by\nChristians? \u00b6 535.\n\nWhat did the harp with eight strings, sometimes used by the Jews,\nrepresent? \u00b6 535.\n\nDefine restoration. \u00b6 536.\n\nWhat did Adam lose for himself and his offspring? \u00b6 536.\n\nGive the Scriptural proof as to the nature of the first man. \u00b6 536.\n\nWhat was God's purpose in creating the earth and putting man upon it?\n\u00b6 536.\n\nIs any one warranted in denying the doctrine of the restoration of\nmankind? \u00b6 537.\n\nIf there is to be no restoration of man, what effect would that have\nupon the purpose, for which God created man and the earth? \u00b6 537.\n\nCan the purposes of God fail? Give Scriptural reason for answer. \u00b6 537.\n\nIf there is to be no restoration of man, then the manifestation of\ndivine justice meant what? \u00b6 538.\n\nWhat is the meaning of God's promise to Abraham to bless all the\nfamilies of the earth if there is to be no restoration? \u00b6 539.\n\nHow did Jehovah bind this promise? and what assurance does that give\nconcerning its fulfillment? \u00b6 539.\n\nWhy did Jesus come to earth? \u00b6 540.\n\nWould his coming, death, and resurrection accomplish anything if there\nis no such thing as restoration of the human race? Give Scriptural\nreason for answer. \u00b6\u00b6 541, 542.\n\nDoes the ransom-sacrifice guarantee an opportunity for restoration to\nall? Give Scriptural reasons for answer. \u00b6 543.\n\nWhat guarantee is given to man by the resurrection of Jesus? Give\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 543.\n\nIf the doctrine of restoration is not true, then what shall we say about\nthe words of the Apostle as recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:20-26? \u00b6 543.\n\nThe mystery being the seed of promise, what, then, is the work of the\nmystery class when glorified? \u00b6 544.\n\nIf there be no restoration of the human race, why would Jehovah devote\nso much time to the development of the mystery class? \u00b6 544.\n\nWhat relationship has the second coming of Christ to restoration? Give\nScriptural statement relating to this point. \u00b6 545.\n\nDid the prophets foretell the days of restoration? Give Scriptural\nproof. \u00b6\u00b6 546, 547.\n\nWould it be reasonable to suppose that God would provide a new creation\nand not give it some specific work to do relative to man? \u00b6 548.\n\nWhat do the Scriptures say about the judging and blessing of the\nfamilies of the earth? \u00b6 548.\n\nCould there be a judgment without a trial? \u00b6 548.\n\nWhat did Jesus say about the regeneration of the human race, and those\nwho would participate in this work? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 548.\n\nDefine regeneration. \u00b6 548.\n\nWhat promise is given to the church with reference to reigning with\nChrist? \u00b6 549.\n\nWhat is the purpose of the thousand-year reign with Christ Jesus? \u00b6 549.\n\nWhat did St. Paul say about the saints judging the world? \u00b6 550.\n\nWhat did Jesus say about the gathering the nations before him at his\nsecond appearing? \u00b6 550.\n\nWould not the purpose of God concerning the new creation fail if there\nis no restoration of mankind? \u00b6 550.\n\nWhat did God's Prophet say concerning the bringing out of the dead from\nthe prison-house of death? \u00b6 551.\n\nWhat did the prophet Isaiah state with reference to the church\nestablishing the earth and causing the people to inherit it? \u00b6 551.\n\nTo what does every vital doctrine of the divine plan point? \u00b6 552.\n\nWith what do all the other strings of the harp harmonize? \u00b6 552.\n\nWhy could not the Jews get life under the law covenant? \u00b6 553.\n\nFor what purpose was the law covenant made? \u00b6 553.\n\nIs there to be a new covenant made for the benefit of man? Give\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 553.\n\nWhen will the new covenant be sealed? \u00b6 554.\n\nState the terms of the new covenant as set forth by St. Paul. \u00b6 554.\n\nWhat opportunity will be granted to the human race under the terms of\nthe new covenant? \u00b6 555.\n\nWhat do the Scriptures say that God will put into their minds and hearts\nunder the terms of this covenant? \u00b6 555.\n\nWhat prominent characters will be resurrected immediately following the\nmaking of the new covenant? \u00b6 556.\n\nWhat official positions will these prominent characters occupy in the\nMessianic kingdom? \u00b6 556.\n\nWhat will the Lord do for the people in the way of instructing them and\nleading them under the terms of the new covenant, as indicated by the\nprophets? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 557.\n\nWhat does the Apostle say about whom the Lord will judge when he comes?\n\u00b6 558.\n\nWhat is meant by the word \"quick\" as used in the Scriptures above\nreferred to? \u00b6 558.\n\nWith whom will the Lord deal, first when the new covenant is made? \u00b6 558.\n\nWould we expect that he would first awaken the dead and judge them\nbefore dealing with the living? \u00b6 558.\n\nWill any people be brought through the great time of trouble now on the\nearth and have an opportunity for restoration blessings? Give the\nScriptural reason for this answer. \u00b6 558.\n\nAre there many people now living on the earth who sincerely desire a\nrighteous government? \u00b6 559.\n\nWhat is the extent of their knowledge of the Lord and his arrangement?\nand what effect has this lack of knowledge had upon them? \u00b6 559.\n\nWhat message has the Lord given to such through his Prophet? Give the\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 560.\n\nWhy do the words of Isaiah 35:4-6 apply to these who are living and not\nto those in the graves? \u00b6 560.\n\nWill the dead be resurrected minus arms or legs? \u00b6 560.\n\nWhat do the Scriptures say about the body they will have when raised\nfrom the dead? \u00b6 560.\n\nHaving in mind the great number of cripples, deaf, dumb, and lame on the\nearth now, what will restoration blessings do for them? \u00b6 560.\n\nWhat effect may the beginning of restoration be expected to have on\nthose who observe it? \u00b6 561.\n\nFor what is the whole creation waiting while it groans in pain? Give the\nScriptural reason. \u00b6 562.\n\nFor what do these hope and long? \u00b6 562.\n\nWhat effect will the restoration blessings have on those who were\ncrippled during the war? \u00b6 563.\n\nDoes the Lord indicate the kind of people that will be carried through\nthe time of trouble? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 564.\n\nHow many people, approximately, are now living on the earth? \u00b6 565.\n\nHow soon may we expect the present evil order to pass away? \u00b6 565.\n\nWhat catastrophe caused the first world to end? \u00b6 566.\n\nHow many persons were saved or carried over from that first world to\nthe new order? \u00b6 566.\n\nWhat did Noah and his family represent? \u00b6 566.\n\nWhat promise did God make to Noah immediately following the flood? Quote\nthe promise. \u00b6 566.\n\nWhat assurance do we gather from this divine promise with reference to\nthose now living on the earth? \u00b6 566.\n\nWhy can it now be said that millions now living will never die? \u00b6 566.\n\nQuote Jesus' words in John 11:26. \u00b6 567.\n\nWhen will this opportunity of life come to mankind? \u00b6 567.\n\nWhat will be the results to those then living who believe and obey the\nLord? \u00b6 567.\n\nWhat is meant by believing? \u00b6 567.\n\nQuote the words of Jesus in John 8:51. \u00b6 567.\n\nDo the Scriptures show that all men must hear and gain a knowledge of\nthe truth? \u00b6 567.\n\nIs it possible for any one to keep the sayings of Jesus before he knows\nthem? \u00b6 567.\n\nWhat is the condition of the majority of mankind? \u00b6 568.\n\nWhat promise has God made that will be beneficial to those now\nunrighteous? \u00b6 568.\n\nShall the unrighteous ones in the earth have an opportunity to live?\nGive the Scriptural proof. \u00b6 568.\n\nWhat picture does Job give with reference to restoration in his\nprophecy, chapter 33, verses 16 to 25? \u00b6 569.\n\nQuote these verses of Scripture and explain them. \u00b6 570.\n\nDo the Scriptures indicate that some will refuse to obey the righteous\nrule of the Lord? \u00b6 571.\n\nWhat will be the punishment of those who disobey? \u00b6 571.\n\nHow long will the Lord permit them to have a trial? \u00b6 571.\n\nWhen the Lord speaks of dividing the people as a shepherd divides his\ngoats and sheep, what is meant? \u00b6 572.\n\nWhat class do the goats represent? \u00b6 572.\n\nWhat class is pictured by the sheep? \u00b6 572.\n\nWhat is meant by everlasting punishment? \u00b6 573.\n\nWhat is meant by everlasting life? \u00b6 573.\n\nDoes the Apostle define everlasting punishment? If so, how? \u00b6 574.\n\nWho is guaranteed a full opportunity for life? \u00b6 575.\n\nWhat is meant by a gift? \u00b6 575.\n\nWhat things are necessary to make a gift effective? \u00b6 575.\n\nQuote the Apostle's words in 1 Timothy 2:3,4. \u00b6 575.\n\nWhat is meant in this passage by being saved? and what is meant by being\nbrought to a knowledge of the truth? \u00b6 575.\n\nQuote two Scriptures showing that life is a gift. \u00b6 575.\n\nTo whom is this free gift offered? \u00b6 576.\n\nQuote 1 John 2:2. \u00b6 576.\n\nWhat is meant by the word \"our\", and also by the word \"world\"? \u00b6 576.\n\nWhat does this Scripture prove with reference to the ransom-sacrifice\nand its benefits to mankind? \u00b6 576.\n\nWhat message was delivered by the angel to the shepherds at Jesus'\nbirth? \u00b6 576.\n\nDoes this guarantee that anything shall be given to all the people? and\nif so, what? \u00b6 576.\n\nWhat does the promise made to Abraham prove as to an opportunity for\nlife everlasting? and to whom will this opportunity be given? \u00b6 576.\n\nWhat did Jesus say about other sheep, indicating that not all would be\nsaved in heaven? \u00b6 577.\n\nWhat did he mean by \"this fold\"? \u00b6 577.\n\nWhy will he have another fold? \u00b6 577.\n\nQuote Psalm 86:9, and state what proof this is relative to restoration\nblessings. \u00b6 578.\n\nWhat is meant by the word \"highway\"? Describe a highway. \u00b6 579.\n\nA highway is used in the Scriptures to illustrate what? \u00b6 579.\n\nQuote Isaiah 35:8. \u00b6 579.\n\nWhat is the way over that highway called? \u00b6 579.\n\nThe entire highway pictures what? \u00b6 579.\n\nWill the unclean go up on the highway? and will they pass over it? \u00b6 579.\n\nIf one upon the highway refuses to do right, what will be the result?\n\u00b6 579.\n\nWhat favor will be granted to those who strive to be obedient while on\nthe highway of holiness? \u00b6 579.\n\nShall any wicked influence be brought to bear against one on the highway\nof holiness? Give the Scriptural reason for the answer. \u00b6 579.\n\nHow will that way compare with the narrow way that is journeyed by the\nchurch? \u00b6 579.\n\nWhy should we expect Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to be among the first\nones resurrected under the new covenant? \u00b6 580.\n\nWhen should we expect them back on the earth? \u00b6 580.\n\nWhat will be their positions of honor and responsibility in the earth?\n\u00b6 580.\n\nWhat will be their administrative duties in the earth? \u00b6 580.\n\nHow many phases are there of the kingdom of God? \u00b6 581.\n\nDescribe the picture of the Messianic kingdom as given in Zechariah\n14:4,5. Quote the Scripture. \u00b6 582.\n\nWhat is meant in this prophecy by the words \"his feet\"? \u00b6 582.\n\nWhat is symbolized by the mountain and by the olive? \u00b6 582.\n\nWhat is represented by the cleaving or dividing of the mountain into two\nparts? \u00b6 582.\n\nWhat is pictured by the valley between? \u00b6 582.\n\nWhat will the people do with reference to this symbolic valley? \u00b6 582.\n\nWhy should those on earth get in communication with Abraham and the\nother faithful ones as soon as possible after their resurrection? \u00b6 583.\n\nQuote Psalm 50:1. \u00b6 584.\n\nIn this text what is represented by the earth? \u00b6 584.\n\nWhat is pictured by the sun? \u00b6 584.\n\nWhat is pictured by the rising of the sun and the going down thereof?\n\u00b6 584.\n\nQuote Psalm 50:4. \u00b6 584.\n\nWhat is meant by judging the people? \u00b6 584.\n\nWhen the peoples living on earth begin to be restored to health and\nstrength, of whom will they then think? \u00b6 585.\n\nWhat will they do toward having their beloved dead restored to them?\n\u00b6 585.\n\nWhat Scriptural proof have we that the Lord will hear their prayers? \u00b6 585.\n\nWhat Scriptural proof have we that the dead will arise from their\ngraves? \u00b6 585.\n\nQuote and analyze St. Paul's argument concerning the resurrection in\n1 Corinthians 15:16-22. \u00b6 586.\n\nIn what order will the dead be resurrected? that is, will those who\nhave died last or those who have died centuries ago be the first to come\nforth? \u00b6 586.\n\nQuote Jeremiah 31:16,17. \u00b6 587.\n\nWhat is meant in this text by the \"land of the enemy\"? \u00b6 587.\n\nAs the dead return from the grave, what will the living do for them?\n\u00b6 588.\n\nWhat effect will the resurrection have in uniting families? \u00b6 588.\n\nQuote Isaiah 35:10. \u00b6 588.\n\nWho is there meant by the \"ransomed of the Lord\"? \u00b6 588.\n\nHow were the people of Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed? \u00b6 589.\n\nWhat will be their final end? \u00b6 589.\n\nQuote a Scripture showing that they will return to their former estates\nas human beings on the earth. \u00b6 589.\n\nIn what manner will the Messiah rule? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 589.\n\nWhat will be the beneficent effects of this righteous rule, both upon\nanimals and human beings? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 590.\n\nQuote Jeremiah 31:34. \u00b6 591.\n\nWhen the Lord remembers their iniquities and sins no more, what will be\nthe condition of the people? \u00b6 591.\n\nQuote John 1:29. \u00b6 591.\n\nWhen the sin of the world is gone, what effect will that have upon\nmankind? \u00b6 591.\n\nWhat Scriptural proof have we that the people will be brought to a\ncondition of health and be cured of sickness? \u00b6 592.\n\nWill the peoples of the earth then have ailments and complaints as they\ndo now? \u00b6 592.\n\nWhat effect upon the earth itself will the times of restoration have?\n\u00b6 593.\n\nWill there be room for all the people that are restored to life? \u00b6 593.\n\nHow many people have lived on the earth and died and gone into their\ngrave? \u00b6 593.\n\nHow many are now living? \u00b6 593.\n\nGive an illustration showing that the earth's surface will be ample to\naccommodate all of these. \u00b6 593.\n\nWhat Scriptural evidence have we that the earth will produce sufficient\nfood to sustain the restored ones? \u00b6 594.\n\nWhat Scriptural proof is there that the desolate land of the earth will\nbecome like the garden of Eden? \u00b6 594.\n\nWhen will the earth be a fit habitation for man? \u00b6 594.\n\nIs any part of earth's surface being reclaimed now that illustrates the\nrestoration of the earth? If so, give an instance. \u00b6 594.\n\nWhat will be the effect when all the desert land is made habitable? \u00b6 594.\n\nIn the times of restoration, what will become of the weeds, thistles,\nand thorns, and pests that destroy crops? \u00b6 595.\n\nWhat will become of the poisonous things that produce sickness? \u00b6 595.\n\nHow will the reign of Christ affect man's enemies? \u00b6 595.\n\nWhen, the people witness the disappearance of ignorance, crime, and\nsuperstition, and the establishment of goodness, loving kindness, etc.,\nwhat effect will this have upon them? \u00b6 596.\n\nWhat Scriptures indicate that the people will have a joyful time in the\ndays of restoration? \u00b6 596.\n\nWhat effect will the restoration have upon tears and sorrow? \u00b6 596.\n\nDescribe St. John's vision upon the Isle of Patmos relative to a new\nheaven and a new earth. \u00b6 597.\n\nIn that picture what is symbolized by heaven, earth, and sea? \u00b6 597.\n\nWhat effect will restoration have upon strikes, revolutions, and\nanarchy? \u00b6 597.\n\nHow is the meeting place between God and man described in this prophetic\nutterance of St. John? \u00b6 597.\n\nWhat does St. John say about the effect of the kingdom blessings upon\nmankind? \u00b6 597.\n\nUnless God intends to give opportunity for man to be restored, why\nprovide such an intricate and marvelous plan, create a new heaven and a\nnew earth, and bring the dead out of their graves? \u00b6\u00b6 598-601.\n\nHas God invited us to use our reasoning faculties? \u00b6 602.\n\nIf we believe the Bible testimony, then to what inevitable conclusion\nare we forced with reference to restoration? \u00b6 602.\n\nWhat should be the attitude of mind of those who now believe the Bible?\n\u00b6 602.\n\nCompare present conditions of suffering with the conditions the\nMessianic kingdom will bring. \u00b6 603.\n\nWill man come to the state where he will no longer fear sickness? \u00b6 603.\n\nWhat will be the results of Messiah's reign as far as wars are\nconcerned? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 604.\n\nHow will the Messianic reign affect profiteers? \u00b6 605.\n\nWhat will be the effect as far as famines are concerned during the\nMessianic reign? \u00b6 606.\n\nWhat shall be the effect of Messiah's reign upon disease and sickness?\n\u00b6 607.\n\nWill there be any undertakers and hearses used when man is restored? and\nif not, why not? \u00b6 608.\n\nWhat will the effect of Messiah's reign be concerning the union of\nfamilies? Give Scriptural proof. \u00b6 609.\n\nWill the people have trouble with landlords and difficulty in finding a\nplace to live under Messiah's reign? and if not, why not? Give the\nScriptural proof. \u00b6 610.\n\nWhat effect will the Messiah's kingdom have upon liberty? \u00b6 611.\n\nUnder Messiah's kingdom will there be any espionage laws? \u00b6 611.\n\nWill there be any secret service men under Messiah's reign? \u00b6 611.\n\nWhat will be the motive directing the actions of men? \u00b6 611.\n\nWill the people have Decoration Day services during the Millennial reign\nof Christ? \u00b6 613.\n\nWill they assemble to discuss politics and fight over who shall hold the\noffices? or what will be the condition? Give Scriptural reasons. \u00b6 613.\n\nWhat is the great enemy of the human race? and how long has its sting\nbeen felt? \u00b6 614.\n\nDescribe its effect upon human beings who survive. \u00b6 614.\n\nWhat has been the one consoling thing that has cheered the hearts of\nsome? \u00b6 614.\n\nWhat hope has the Christian concerning his beloved dead? \u00b6 614.\n\nRelate an experience showing why the Christian sorrows not as those who\nhave no hope. \u00b6 615.\n\nWhat does the power of the ocean illustrate to the Christian? \u00b6 616.\n\nHow does this compare with the One who created the moon and the stars\nand the sun? \u00b6 616.\n\nHow will this power be used in behalf of the dead? \u00b6 616.\n\nBy faith the Christians see what in the near future for their beloved\ndead? and what effect does this have upon the mind of such? \u00b6 617.\n\nIs the restoration string of the harp of God a consolation to the\nChristian? and if so, why? \u00b6 618.\n\nWhy does the Lord keep such in perfect peace, notwithstanding the\nturmoil in the earth? \u00b6 618.\n\nWhat two great doctrines of the divine plan were obscured for many\nyears? and by what strings of the harp are they represented? \u00b6 619. (See\nback reference)\n\nWhy have these doctrines been obscured? \u00b6 619.\n\nIf they have been revived or discovered in recent years, what has been\nthe cause? \u00b6 619.\n\nWhat effect upon Christians does the knowledge of restitution have? \u00b6 619.\n\nWhat Psalm pictures this joyful effect? \u00b6 619.\n\nIn what kind of phrase has the plan of God been stated? \u00b6 620.\n\nWho have been able to understand God's plan? \u00b6 620.\n\nWhat did the Psalmist mean when he said: \"I will incline mine ear to a\nparable; I will open my dark sayings upon the harp\"? \u00b6 620.\n\nWhat kind of music does this harp yield when understood? \u00b6 620.\n\nHow does the chord of restitution respond to the other strings of the\nharp? \u00b6 620.\n\nHow did the Psalmist picture the effect of Messiah's reign upon the\npeople? Quote the Psalm. \u00b6 620.\n\nWhat will be the condition of the obedient ones at the end of the\nMillennial reign? \u00b6 621.\n\nHow will the harp of God appear to them? \u00b6 621.\n\nHow is the consecrated Christian pictured at this time relative to the\nkingdoms and the harp of God? Give Scriptural reason for the answer.\n\u00b6 621.\n\nTo what are these Christians looking? \u00b6 621.\n\nWhat is meant by the Hallelujah chorus? \u00b6 622.\n\nBy faith looking to the end of the Millennial reign, describe the\nconditions that will then prevail. \u00b6 622.\n\nWhat will be the condition of Satan at that time? \u00b6 622.\n\nWhat will be the condition of Abraham and the other faithful prophets?\n\u00b6 622.\n\nDescribe the condition of the earth at that period. \u00b6 622.\n\nWhat will be particularly pleasing about men and women then? \u00b6 622.\n\nWhat will be their ability to sing? \u00b6 622.\n\nWhat will be their chief joy of every creature at that time? \u00b6 622.\n\nWhat mental vision do the Scriptures give of the heavenly kingdom at\nthat time? \u00b6 623.\n\nDescribe the angels, the cherubim, and seraphim, and their positions.\n\u00b6 623.\n\nWhat will be the position of the Christ? \u00b6 623.\n\nWho will be there as the servants of the Christ? \u00b6 623.\n\nWho will stand above all? \u00b6 623.\n\nWhen will Christ Jesus see the travail of his soul and be satisfied? and\nwhy? \u00b6 623.\n\nWhat particular song will be appropriate at that particular time? \u00b6 624.\n\nName the musical instruments represented in the prophetic picture. \u00b6 624.\n\nDescribe the beginning of the Hallelujah chorus. \u00b6 624.\n\nWhat will the creatures of heaven and earth be doing then with reference\nto Christ Jesus? \u00b6 624.\n\nRepeat the Hallelujah chorus. \u00b6 624.\n\n\n\n\nEARTH'S HAPPY SMILE\n\nCreation, which had groan'd in travail-pangs\nTogether with her children until now,\nCeased from her groaning. Long-forgotten smiles,\nThe smiles of her sweet childhood's innocence,\nStole o'er her happy face. The wilderness\nRejoiced, and blossom'd as the rose. The curse,\nWhich for six thousand years had sear'd the heart\nOf nature, was repeal'd. And where the thorn\nPerplex'd the glens, and prickly briers the hills,\nNow, for the Word so spake and it was done,\nThe fir-tree rear'd its stately obelisk,\nThe cedar waved its arms of peaceful shade,\nThe vine embraced the elm, and myrtles flower'd\nAmong the fragrant orange-groves. No storms\nVex'd the serene of heaven: but genial mists,\nSuch as in Eden drench'd the willing soil,\nNurtured all lands with richer dews than balm.\nEarth breathed her thanks. Rivers of living waters\nBroke from a thousand unsuspected springs;\nAnd gushing cataracts, like that call'd forth\nOn Horeb by the rod of Amram's son,\nGladden'd the mountain slopes, and coursed adown\nThe startled defiles, till the crystal wealth,\nGathered in what was once an arid vale,\nA lake of azure and of silver shone,\nA mirror for the sun and moon and stars.\n\n--_Bickersteth_\n\n\n\nINDEX OF SCRIPTURE CITATIONS USED IN THE FOREGOING PAGES\n\n\nFigures on left side of columns indicate Bible chapters and verses;\nfigures to right, paragraph numbers.\n\n\n\nGENESIS\n1:1 ............................ 10\n1:2 ............................ 14\n1:20 ....................... 31, 58\n1:27,28 ........................ 30\n2:7 ....................31, 55, 162\n2:8,9,15 ....................... 32\n2:16,17 ........................ 33\n2:17 ........................... 59\n2:21-25 ........................ 34\n3:15 ...... 147, 185, 219, 470, 547\n3:16-19 ........................ 46\n4:21 ............................ 1\n7:21-23 ........................ 93\n8:21,22 ....................... 566\n12:1-3 ......................... 94\n12:3 ........... 539, 547, 550, 576\n13:15 ......................... 547\n15:18 .......................... 94\n17:1 ............................ 9\n17:2,4,8 ....................... 95\n18:1,2 ........................ 170\n18:1-14 ........................ 95\n18:18 ......................... 547\n19:1 .......................... 170\n21:1-3 ......................... 96\n22:2 ........................... 96\n22:15 ......................... 256\n22:15-18 ....................... 98\n24 ............................ 455\n25:11 ......................... 105\n25:22,23 ...................... 107\n25:26 ......................... 105\n25:27-34 ...................... 108\n26:3,4 ........................ 106\n26:34 ......................... 109\n27:1,2 ........................ 110\n27:29 ......................... 112\n28:11-15 ...................... 115\n28:14 ......................... 539\n31:11 ......................... 256\n35:10-12 ...................... 117\n37:35 .......................... 86\n42:38 .......................... 87\n49:9,10 ....................... 119\n49:10 ......................... 547\n49:28 ......................... 304\n\nEXODUS\n3:2 ........................... 256\n6:3 ............................. 9\n7:11 .......................... 151\n12:3-17 ....................... 188\n20:2-5 .......................... 9\n21:23-25 ...................... 205\n33:20 ......................... 292\n\nLEVITICUS\n8:12 .......................... 339\n16:1-34 ....................... 194\n18:5 .......................... 553\n24:17-21 ...................... 205\n\nNUMBERS\n31:28 ...................... 31, 58\n\nDEUTERONOMY\n18:15 ..................... 19, 122\n18:15,19 ...................... 547\n19:21 ......................... 205\n26:5 .......................... 304\n30:15 ......................... 547\n32:4 .................. 32, 38, 179\n34:6 .......................... 292\n\n1 SAMUEL\n2:6 ........................... 547\n\n2 SAMUEL\n23:2 ........................... 13\n\n1 KINGS\n2:10 ........................... 63\n11:4,9-13 ..................... 126\n19:5 .......................... 256\n\n1 CHRONICLES\n28:2-7 ........................ 124\n28:9 .......................... 125\n\nJOB\n14:13 .......................... 85\n14:13-15 ...................... 547\n14:21 .......................... 85\n17:13,16 ....................... 85\n19:25 ......................... 247\n30:31 .......................... 51\n32:8 ........................... 14\n33:16-25 ...................... 570\n33:19-30 ...................... 547\n33:25 ......................... 612\n38:4-7 ......................... 37\n38:35 .......................... 18\n\nPSALMS\n2:9 ........................... 454\n6:5 ............................ 63\n14:3 ...................... 75, 160\n16:10 ................. 19, 88, 263\n16:10,11 ...................... 247\n16:11 ......................... 503\n17:15 ......................... 248\n19:1-4 .......................... 8\n19:7 .......................... 327\n21:1-6 ........................ 515\n22:27 ......................... 547\n27:4 .......................... 514\n30:5 .......................... 547\n34:7 ..................... 159, 526\n34:20 .......................... 19\n37:9,10,20,22,28,34,38 ......... 90\n37:11 ......................... 547\n40:7,8 ........................ 229\n41:1,2 ........................ 564\n41:13 ......................... 164\n45:10,11 ................. 457, 477\n45:13,14 ...................... 532\n45:16 .................... 556, 580\n45:17 ......................... 510\n46:10 ......................... 547\n49:4 .......................... 620\n49:7 .......................... 206\n49:12 .......................... 66\n50:1 .......................... 534\n50:2 .......................... 503\n50:4 .......................... 584\n50:5 ..................... 335, 425\n51:5 ..................... 183, 568\n67:1-7 ........................ 547\n67:6 .......................... 606\n68:18 ......................... 248\n69:8,9 ........................ 481\n72:3,4,6,10 ................... 547\n82:7 .......................... 517\n86:9 ..................... 547, 578\n87:5,6 ........................ 510\n89:14 .......................... 39\n89:48 .......................... 69\n90:2 ...................... 10, 164\n93:2 .......................... 547\n96:9-13 ....................... 620\n96:11-13 ...................... 547\n98:4-9 ........................ 547\n104:5 ......................... 547\n104:29 ......................... 64\n111:10 ........................ 325\n115:16 ........................ 446\n115:17 ......................... 63\n119:105 ....................... 460\n126:1,2 ....................... 619\n132:11,12 ..................... 123\n132:13 ........................ 503\n145:20 ......................... 82\n146:4 .......................... 64\n148:1,2 ....................... 256\n150 ........................... 624\n\nPROVERBS\n2:21 .......................... 547\n11:31 ......................... 547\n17:17 ......................... 504\n22:11 Leeser .................. 504\n\nECCLESIASTES\n1:4 ................. 427, 547, 566\n3:19,20 ........................ 58\n9:5,6 .......................... 65\n9:10 ........................... 65\n\nCANTICLES\n5:16 .......................... 506\n\nISAIAH\n1:18 ................ 176, 353, 602\n2:2,3 ......................... 132\n2:2-4 .................... 547, 557\n2:4 ........................... 604\n6:1-4 ......................... 497\n9:6,7 ............... 132, 249, 355\n9:7 ........................... 547\n11:4,5 ........................ 589\n11:4-9 ........................ 547\n11:6-8 ........................ 590\n11:9 .......................... 605\n14:7 .......................... 547\n14:12-15 ....................... 42\n19:19 ......................... 317\n19:22 ......................... 547\n25:6-8 ........................ 596\n25:6-12 ....................... 547\n26:3 .......................... 618\n26:4 ........................... 10\n28:17,18 ...................... 547\n29:17,18 ...................... 547\n32:1 .......................... 556\n33:24 ............... 547, 592, 607\n34:1-4 ........................ 454\n35:1,2,7 ...................... 594\n35:4-6 ........................ 560\n35:8 .......................... 579\n35:10 .................... 588, 613\n40:28 .......................... 10\n42:6,7 ........................ 202\n42:1 .......................... 516\n42:6,7 ........................ 551\n42:7 .......................... 241\n42:8 ........................... 10\n45:12,18 ...................... 427\n49:8 ..................... 330, 551\n49:9 .......................... 202\n51:1 .......................... 516\n51:6 .......................... 454\n51:11 ......................... 613\n52:7,8 ........................ 443\n53 ............................ 201\n53:1-3 ......................... 19\n53:6-11 ....................... 250\n53:8,9,11 ...................... 19\n53:12 ..................... 19, 227\n55:11 ......................... 537\n60:8 ........................... 18\n61:2 .......................... 330\n62:2,3 ........................ 344\n62:3 .......................... 500\n65:20 ......................... 571\n65:21-23 ...................... 610\n65:24 ......................... 585\n65-25 ......................... 605\n\nJEREMIAH\n3:17 .......................... 547\n19:5 ........................... 89\n23:5,6 ........................ 129\n24:7 .......................... 547\n31:16,17 ...................... 587\n31:16,29,34 ................... 547\n31:34 ......................... 591\n32:35 .......................... 89\n32:39,40 ...................... 547\n33:6 .......................... 592\n33:8,9 ........................ 547\n46:27 ......................... 547\n50:4,5 ........................ 547\n\nEZEKIEL\n1:5,6 .......................... 10\n4:6 ........................... 397\n11:19 ......................... 547\n16:55 ......................... 589\n16:55,61-63 ................... 547\n18:2,31,32 .................... 547\n18:4 ........................... 59\n18:27,28 ...................... 568\n21:24-27 ...................... 429\n21:25-27 ................. 127, 356\n21:27 ......................... 507\n28:13 .......................... 36\n28:14,15 ....................... 36\n28:14-18 ....................... 43\n28:26 ......................... 547\n34:25-28 ...................... 547\n36:26,27,29,30,35 ............. 547\n36:34,35 ...................... 594\n37:24 ......................... 547\n39:29 ......................... 547\n\nDANIEL\n2:44 ........... 358, 433, 465, 547\n7:7,8 ......................... 396\n7:14,27 .................. 465, 507\n7:27 .......................... 547\n9:26 ........................... 19\n11:40,41 ...................... 394\n12:1 .......................... 452\n12:2 ....................... 69, 70\n12:3 ..................... 502, 622\n12:4 ................. 18, 401, 402\n12:5-7 ........................ 397\n12:8-10 ....................... 394\n12:9 .......................... 401\n12:12 ......................... 398\n\nHOSEA\n2:18,21 ....................... 547\n3:5 ........................... 547\n13:14 .......... 197, 229, 541, 547\n\nJOEL\n2:22,32 ....................... 547\n2:28,29 ....................... 320\n\nAMOS\n3:2 ............................. 2\n9:11,12 ....................... 547\n\nOBADIAH\nVerse 21 ...................... 547\n\nJONAH\n4 ............................. 547\n\nMICAH\n4:1-4 ......................... 557\n4:1-5,8 ....................... 547\n4:3 ........................... 604\n4:4 ........................... 610\n5:2 .................. 19, 137, 145\n\nNAHUM\n1:15 .......................... 547\n2:1-6 ......................... 406\n2:3-6 ..................... 18, 547\n\nHABAKKUK\n2:14 .......................... 547\n\nZEPHANIAH\n2:11 .......................... 547\n3:9,13 ........................ 547\n\nHAGGAI\n2:7 ...................... 453, 547\n\nZECHARIAH\n2:11 .......................... 547\n3:1-7 ......................... 256\n3:10. ......................... 547\n8:3,8,12,15,21,22 ............. 547\n9:9 ............................ 19\n9:10,17 ....................... 547\n11:12 .......................... 19\n13:8,9 ........................ 558\n14:4,5 ........................ 582\n14:9,11,20 .................... 547\n14:16,17 ...................... 133\n\nMALACHI\n1:11 .......................... 547\n3:6 ...................... 100, 197\n3:11 .......................... 547\n3:16 .......................... 527\n3:17 .......................... 500\n4:2 ...................... 385, 547\n\nMATTHEW\n1:18 .......................... 161\n1:18-24 ....................... 149\n1:20,23 ....................... 161\n1:21 .......................... 540\n2:1,2 ......................... 152\n2:4-6 ......................... 145\n2:5,6 ......................... 137\n2:13 .......................... 156\n2:16 .......................... 156\n3:16,17 ....................... 339\n5:21 .......................... 435\n6:10 .......................... 359\n7:14 .......................... 489\n11:9,11 ....................... 547\n11:12 ......................... 491\n11:28 ......................... 327\n13:10,11 ...................... 299\n13:24-30 ................. 391, 413\n13:30 ......................... 424\n13:37-39 ...................... 392\n13:43 ............... 344, 385, 502\n16:24 ......................... 329\n17:22,23 ...................... 251\n18:10 .................... 256, 526\n19:28 ......................... 548\n19:30 ......................... 586\n20:28 .................... 215, 540\n21:1-11 ....................... 251\n22:14 ......................... 474\n23:2 .......................... 219\n23:13-33 ...................... 219\n24:3 ..................... 372, 427\n24:7,8 ........................ 432\n24:9 .......................... 434\n24:14 ......................... 438\n24:21,22 ................. 452, 558\n24:25,26 ...................... 384\n24:27 ......................... 384\n24:28 ......................... 423\n24:31 ......................... 413\n24:36 ......................... 388\n24:37-39 ................. 373, 426\n24:42 .................... 388, 442\n24:43 ......................... 388\n24:45-47 ...................... 416\n25:1-13 ....................... 460\n25:14 ......................... 361\n25:31,32 ...................... 361\n25:31-46 ...................... 550\n25:41-46 ...................... 572\n26:57 ......................... 222\n26:59,60 ...................... 223\n26:62,63 ...................... 223\n27:57 ......................... 252\n27:57-61 ...................... 261\n27:62-64 ...................... 262\n27:65,66 ...................... 262\n28:1-10 ....................... 265\n28:5-8 ........................ 254\n28:9,10 ....................... 280\n28:11-15 ...................... 266\n28:16-28 ...................... 286\n28:18 .................... 359, 388\n\nMARK\n10:43,44 ...................... 216\n13:9 .......................... 434\n13:37 ......................... 442\n16:1-7 ........................ 268\n\nLUKE\n1:30,31 ....................... 145\n1:30,35 ....................... 130\n1:31 .......................... 256\n1:35 .......................... 161\n1:46-52 ....................... 131\n1:70 ........................... 13\n2:8-11 ........................ 142\n2:8-18 ........................ 157\n2:9-11 .............. 173, 256, 540\n2:10 .......................... 576\n2:40,52 ....................... 173\n3:21-23 ....................... 173\n3:31-34 ....................... 122\n4:1-18 ........................ 471\n4:1-14 ........................ 178\n12:32 ......................... 460\n14:28 ......................... 328\n19:12-15 ...................... 381\n20:50,51....................... 289\n21:12,13 ...................... 434\n21:24 .................... 281, 439\n21:25-27 ...................... 450\n21:28 ......................... 439\n22:29 ......................... 465\n22:29,30 ...................... 507\n22:30 ......................... 359\n22:66-71 ...................... 223\n23:1,2 ........................ 224\n23:4,5 ........................ 225\n23:22-24 ...................... 225\n24:1-10 ....................... 269\n24:6,7 ........................ 251\n24:13-21 ...................... 282\n24:21 .................... 245, 309\n24:34 ......................... 281\n24:39 ......................... 291\n\nJOHN\n1:1 ............................ 28\n1:1,3 ......................... 163\n1:14 ..................... 213, 214\n1:29 ................ 189, 226, 547\n3:3 ........................... 342\n3:4-8 ......................... 369\n3:15 ........................... 67\n3:16,17 ....................... 217\n3:29 .......................... 455\n3:35 .......................... 166\n4:14 .......................... 511\n6:22,23,26 .................... 166\n5:26 ..................... 275, 511\n5:28,29 .............. 69, 297, 585\n6:35 .......................... 165\n6:37 ..................... 330, 332\n6:44 .......................... 326\n6:48,50,55,57 ................. 230\n6:53,54 ....................... 512\n8:17,18 ....................... 166\n8:42 .......................... 165\n8:43,44 ....................... 219\n8:44 ........ 44, 60, 153, 218, 470\n8:51 .......................... 567\n8:58 .......................... 165\n10:10 .................... 229, 540\n10:16 ......................... 577\n10:29,30 ...................... 167\n11:26 ......................... 567\n11:47-51,53 ................... 221\n12:27,28 ...................... 168\n12:31 ......................... 360\n14:1-3 ........................ 362\n14:2,3 ................... 458, 503\n14:6 .......................... 328\n14:15-19 ...................... 456\n14:19 ......................... 367\n14:28 ......................... 169\n15:13 ......................... 348\n15:20 ......................... 437\n\n16:13 ......................... 299\n16:28 ......................... 185\n17:5 ..................... 183, 165\n17:17 ......................... 342\n17:20-22 ...................... 167\n17:24 ......................... 505\n18:33,36 ...................... 360\n19:12 ......................... 225\n20:1-8 ........................ 270\n20:9 .......................... 245\n20:11-18 ...................... 279\n20:17 ......................... 363\n20:19-25 ...................... 283\n20:19-26 ...................... 290\n20:26-29 ...................... 284\n20:27-29 ...................... 290\n21:1-13 ....................... 285\n\nACTS\n1:6-9 .................... 289, 309\n1:7,8 ......................... 389\n1:9-11 ........................ 363\n2:1-4 ......................... 300\n2:27-31 .................. 247, 292\n2:36 ..................... 274, 275\n3:19 .......................... 326\n3:19-21 ....................... 364\n3:20-24 ....................... 545\n3:22 ..................... 122, 304\n3:23 .......................... 571\n4:12 .......................... 176\n7:59 .......................... 274\n9:1-19 ........................ 292\n10 ............................ 474\n13:35-37 ...................... 247\n15:14-18 ...................... 547\n15:18 .......................... 11\n17:27 ......................... 326\n17:31 .......... 297, 543, 549, 585\n24:15 ......................... 585\n\nROMANS\n2:6,7 ......................... 496\n2:7 ............................ 61\n3:10 .......................... 325\n5:1 ........................... 332\n5:3-5 ......................... 493\n5:9 ........................... 332\n5:12 ....... 82, 160, 183, 325, 585\n5:18 .......................... 575\n3:3,4 ......................... 338\n6:23 ....... 81, 231, 539, 575, 612\n8:3 ...................... 236, 553\n8:16,17 ............. 340, 463, 494\n8:17 .......................... 506\n8:18 .......................... 493\n8:19-22 ............. 346, 350, 526\n8:29 ................ 341, 473, 489\n8:33 ..................... 331, 332\n9:23,24 ....................... 499\n12:2 .......................... 337\n15:3 .......................... 481\n\n1 CORINTHIANS\n1:7 ........................... 364\n1:21-25 ....................... 475\n1:26-29 ....................... 476\n2:9,10 ........................ 389\n2:14 ..................... 251, 320\n4:5 ........................... 453\n6:2 ........................... 550\n10:1-13 ......................... 2\n10:11 ......................... 409\n10:20 ..................... 89, 151\n12:12,27 ...................... 314\n15-3 .......................... 235\n15:3-8 ........................ 271\n15:6 ...................... 68, 287\n15:7 .......................... 288\n15:8 .......................... 292\n15:12-26 ...................... 296\n15:16-22 ...................... 586\n15:20-26 ...................... 543\n15:21,47 ...................... 174\n15:22,23 ...................... 609\n15:23 .................... 364, 374\n15:25,26 ...................... 595\n15:38 ......................... 560\n15:41-44 ...................... 517\n15:45 ......................... 368\n15:47 .................... 162, 536\n15:49 ......................... 497\n15:50,51 ...................... 291\n15:51,52 ...................... 499\n15:53 .......................... 61\n15:54,55 ...................... 518\n\n2 CORINTHIANS\n1:7 ........................... 491\n1:20-22 Weymouth .............. 542\n3:17 .......................... 369\n3:18 .......................... 489\n4:3,4 ............... 360, 370, 431\n4:4 ............................ 60\n4:17,18 ....................... 495\n5:16 .......................... 368\n5:17 ..................... 336, 468\n5:21 .......................... 235\n8:9 ............ 165, 174, 213, 540\n10:3,4 ........................ 435\n10:4 .......................... 488\n11:2 .......................... 455\n\nGALATIANS\n1:4 ...................... 235, 428\n3:8 ........................... 576\n3:8,16 ........................ 104\n3:8,16,27,29 .................. 544\n3:16 .......................... 315\n3:16,27,29 .................... 550\n3:19,24 ....................... 195\n3:22 .......................... 197\n3:24 .......................... 533\n3:26,27,29 .................... 315\n4:3,4 ......................... 211\n4:22-28 ....................... 103\n4:25-29 ....................... 470\n\nEPHESIANS\n1:4-9 ......................... 472\n2:6,7 ......................... 509\n3:7-11 ........................ 345\n4:8 ........................... 248\n4:12 .......................... 341\n4:16 .......................... 529\n\nPHILIPPIANS\n\n1:29 ...................... 52, 485\n2:6,7 ......................... 165\n2:7 ........................... 213\n2:7-11 ........................ 510\n2:8 ........................... 174\n2:8-11 ........................ 276\n2:9 ........................... 369\n2:9-11 ........................ 471\n2:10,11 ....................... 613\n3:14 .......................... 333\n3:20 .......................... 364\n\nCOLOSSIANS\n1:9 ........................... 337\n1:12 .......................... 341\n1:13 .......................... 359\n1:15-17 ....................... 164\n1:17-19 ....................... 313\n1:18 ................. 52, 295, 468\n1:24-27 ....................... 312\n1:26,27 ....................... 544\n3:3 ........................... 337\n3:3,4 ......................... 513\n3:4 ........................... 341\n3:14 .......................... 529\n\n1 THESSALONIANS\n2:19 ..................... 364, 375\n3:13 .......................... 376\n4:13,14 ........................ 68\n4:13,14,18 .................... 615\n4:15 .......................... 377\n4:15-17 ....................... 461\n4:16,17 ....................... 498\n5:1 ........................... 443\n5:1-4 ......................... 389\n5:2 ........................... 383\n5:5,6 ......................... 389\n5:23 .......................... 378\n\n2 THESSALONIANS\n1:7,8 ......................... 454\n1:9 ....................... 82, 574\n2;1 ........................... 379\n2:2 ........................... 364\n2:7 ........................... 323\n\n1 TIMOTHY\n2:3,4 Diaglott............ 229, 575\n2:3-6 ......................... 245\n2:5,6 ..... 174, 290, 354, 541, 667\n2:14 ....................... 41, 45\n6:15,16 ....................... 367\n6:16 ........................... 51\n\n2 TIMOTHY\n2:18 ........................... 32\n3:16 ........................... 14\n4:1 ........................... 558\n4:6-8 ......................... 364\n4:8 ........................... 460\n\nHEBREWS\n1:1,2 ......................... 165\n1:2 ...................... 248, 506\n1:3 ................. 368, 497, 506\n1:3,4 ......................... 275\n1:14 .......................... 526\n2:5 ........................... 428\n2:9 ................. 174, 230, 541\n2:10,11 ....................... 492\n2:11 Wey ...................... 342\n2:14 ....... 43, 149, 174, 258, 622\n2:14,15 ....................... 213\n3:1 ........................... 338\n3:13 .......................... 332\n4:14-16 ....................... 293\n5:8 ........................... 469\n5:8,9 ......................... 471\n6:17,18 ....................... 539\n6:18 ...................... 46, 100\n7:26 ..................... 175, 213\n8:5 ........................... 553\n8:6 ........................... 553\n8:8-12 ........................ 554\n9:14 .......................... 175\n9:15 .......................... 558\n9:22,23 ....................... 237\n9:24 ................ 234, 237, 293\n10:1 .................. 2, 195, 553\n10:7-10 ....................... 229\n11 ............................ 556\n11:1-6 ........................ 326\n11:6 ............................ 6\n11:9,39 ........................ 86\n12:2 .......................... 311\n12:2-11 ....................... 494\n12:9,10 ........................ 16\n12:18-21 ...................... 520\n12:18-28 ...................... 453\n12:22-24 ...................... 521\n\nJAMES\n1:12 .......................... 512\n1:17 .......................... 187\n1:18 .......................... 335\n5:7 ........................... 380\n5:7,8 ......................... 364\n5:8 ........................... 381\n5:10 .......................... 490\n\n1 PETER\n1:2 ........................... 316\n1:3,4 .......................... 61\n1:3-5 ......................... 335\n1:10,12 ........................ 21\n1:11 .......................... 308\n1:19 .......................... 175\n2:2 ........................... 483\n2:3-8 ......................... 484\n2:5-7 ......................... 317\n2:9 ........................... 468\n2:9,10 .................... 52, 318\n       ............... Diaglott 464\n2:21 ..................... 319, 471\n3:18 ..................... 275, 368\n3:20 ...................... 93, 428\n4:5 ........................... 558\n4:12-14,16 .................... 492\n\n2 PETER\n1:4 ........ 61, 319, 334, 468, 512\n1:5-7 ......................... 488\n1:10,11 ....................... 487\n1:11 .......................... 359\n1:16 .......................... 364\n1:21 ........................... 13\n3:4 ....................... 68, 382\n3:3,4 ......................... 426\n3:6 ........................... 428\n3:10 .......................... 383\n3:10,12 ....................... 446\n3:13 .......................... 370\n\n1 JOHN\n1:1-4 ......................... 272\n1:5 ........................ 38, 78\n2:2 ........................... 676\n3:2 ............ 291, 365, 506, 528\n3:3 ........................... 489\n3:4 ........................... 231\n3:5 ........................... 175\n4:16 ........................... 78\n5:19 ..................... 337, 431\n\nJUDE\n9 ............................. 222\n14,15 ......................... 547\n24 ............................ 530\n\nREVELATION\n1:18 .......................... 294\n2:10 ............ 61, 319, 335, 512\n2:26 .......................... 308\n2:27 .......................... 454\n3:3 ........................... 383\n3:12 .......................... 501\n3:14 .......................... 185\n3:21 ................ 389, 455, 487\n5:11,12 ....................... 258\n5:13 .......................... 624\n7:4 ...................... 313, 468\n11:17,18 ...................... 431\n12:9 ........................... 43\n13:8 .......................... 189\n14:1 .......................... 460\n14:2,3 .......................... 5\n14:15,16 ...................... 440\n15:2,3 ..................... 5, 534\n15:2-4 ........................ 444\n15:3 ........................... 52\n15:3,4 ........................ 621\n15:6 .......................... 454\n16:15 ......................... 383\n17:5 .......................... 323\n18:4 .......................... 425\n19:6,7 ........................ 531\n19:8 .......................... 532\n20:1-3 ................... 454, 622\n20:1-4 ........................ 579\n20:6 ................ 463, 499, 549\n20:7-10 ....................... 622\n21:1 .......................... 604\n21:1-5 .............. 370, 534, 597\n21:4 ................ 607, 608, 612\n21:9 .......................... 455\n21:24-27 ...................... 611\n22:16 .......................... 35\n22:20 ......................... 365","title":"The Harp of God: Proof Conclusive That Millions Now Living Will Never Die","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":110748}