"At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem; neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart." Jer. 3:17
Awake, Jerusalem, awake! The Lord will comfort thee! Now from the dust thy garments shake, Arise in majesty!
Thy light is come, thy sun shall rise With healing in his rays; Thy land shall be a paradise, And echo ceaseless praise.
Isa. 52:1-3; Isa. 60:1-6; Isa. 61:4-6; Jer. 30:10-11; Jer. 31:28-37; Eze. 36:8-38
REFRAIN: Jerusalem! O Jerusalem! The world thy King shall own, When God restores thy diadem, And Shiloh takes the throne.
Gen. 49:10; Psa. 2:6-8; Rev. 11:15; Psa. 149:5-9; 1 Cor. 6:2; Dan. 7:13,14,22,27; Rev. 2:26,27; Isa. 24:23; 62:1-3; Psa. 82:8; 86:9
The blindness that has veiled with night The lost of Israel's fold, Will be replaced by gospel light, When Gentile times are told.
When "God's elect" in Zion reign, Thy morning shall begin; Their mercy will remove the stain Of Jacob's crimson sin.
Luke 21:24; Rom. 11:25,26; Jer. 31:10-12; Eze. 39:23-29; Eze. 37:22-28; Eze. 16:53-63; Psa. 49:14; Isa. 42:1-4; Rom. 8:29-33; Dan. 2:44; Jude 14,15; Luke 12:32; John 17:14,24; Matt. 19:28; Jer. 3:12-16; Heb. 8:7-13; Heb. 12:18-25; Isa. 61:1-3; Rom. 11:27-32; 2 Cor. 3:14-16; Acts 3:17-26; Mal. 3:3-6; Isa. 1:25-27
The cup of trembling from thy hand Jehovah will remove; And spread o'er thy forsaken land The mantle of his love;
The barren plain shall bloom again, And famine flee thy shores; For peace will aid thy husbandmen, And fill thy threshing floors.
Isa. 51:17-23; Isa. 30:18-26; Isa. 25:6-8; Amos 9:11-15; Isa. 65:17-25
Thy watchmen eye to eye shall see, When God shall Zion bring; Good news of good shall swiftly fly On everlasting wing;
The voice of crying there shall cease, While praises thrill the skies; For health and gladness will increase, As vanquished error dies.
Isa. 52:7-8; Luke 2:10; Rev. 14:6,7; Zeph. 3:8-20; Isa. 52:13-15; Psa. 67; Mic 7:16-20; Rev. 21:3,4; Psa. 98
Redeemed, redeemed, but not with gold, Thy ransomed ones return; With awe the Gentiles shall behold Thy holy incense burn;
Unto thy palaces, restored, All nations soon shall flow, To seek and serve thy royal Lord, In homage bowing low.
Isa. 52:9,10; Isa. 54:5-13; Isa. 49:18-23; Isa. 51:11; Mal. 1:11; Isa. 19:19-25; Zech. 8:20-23; Psa. 72; 1 Tim. 2:3-6; Isa. 2:1-5; Isa. 45:22-25; Rev. 20:4-9; *Heb. 10:26-29; Heb. 6:4-8; Acts 3:23; Isa. 60:8-22; Rev. 22:3-5
*In Rev. 20:5, the words "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" are spurious. They are not found in the oldest and most reliable Greek MSS., the Sinaitic, Vatican Nos. 1209 and 1160, nor in the Syriac MS. We must remember that a few passages found in the modern copies are additions which do not properly belong to the Bible. Since commanded not to add to the Word of God, it is our duty to repudiate such additions as soon as their spurious character is established. The words indicated probably crept into the text by accident, in the fifth century; for no MS. of earlier date (either Greek or Syriac) contains this clause. It was probably at first merely a marginal comment made by a reader, expressive of his thought upon the text, and copied into the body of the text by some subsequent transcriber who failed to distinguish between the text and the comment. |
The fulfillment of Scripture prophecy by the return of Israelites to Palestine is awakening considerable thought amongst those who believe God's Word and search it. We are frequently asked for a tract upon the subject, but a tract is quite insufficient for the presentation of the vast amount of testimony bearing directly and indirectly upon this subject. We must refer the interested reader to a book entitled, Thy Kingdom Come , 384 pages (post free'25 cents), published by the Tower Publishing Co., Allegheny, Pa. The same volume contains a treatise on the 1260, 1290, and 1335 days of the Prophet Daniel and a review of the harmony between the teachings of Scripture and the symbolic teachings of the Great Pyramid in Egypt.
After reading the above with interest, and Bible in hand, you will want to read another book, The Time is at Hand .( Same address and same price) It shows the typical significance of Israel's Jubilees or Sabbath years; it proves that the period of Israel's favor exactly corresponds to the period of their disfavor; it shows also the general typical significance of the Temple and its services, and that Israel's favor will fully return in, or shortly after, A. D. 1915.
This poem can be found in Reprint R402 – November, 1892, Poems of Dawn, Page 8, and Overland Monthly, Page 426.
This 119 page booklet can be found in the following articles:
Reprint R2169-R2175'June 15, 1897, entitled, "What Say the Scriptures About Spiritism?" [pages 3-35]
Reprint R2178-R2181'July 1, 1897, entitled, "What Say the Scriptures About Spiritism?" [pages 35-55]
Reprint R2185-R2189'July 15, 1897, entitled, "What Say the Scriptures About Spiritism?" [pages 55-82]
Reprint R1677-R1678'July 15, 1894, entitled, "Angels which Kept not their First Estate." [pages 101-107]
Reprint R1678-R1679'July 15, 1894, entitled, "The Spirits in Prison." [pages 109-112]
[HG322] Reprint R1679-R1680'July 15, 1894, entitled, "The Probation of Angels." [pages 113-119]
With the exception of the section entitled, "Later Reports," [pages 83 to 100] the Poem, "The Truth Shall Make You Free," [page 108] and two paragraphs immediately preceding "The Probation of Angels," [Reprint R1679] all of which are reprinted below.
The foregoing was published in ZION'S WATCH TOWER in parts in several issues in June and July, '97. Since then, many who read it have sent in confirmatory reports. Among those of sufficient interest for publication are the following.
A camp-meeting of Spiritists and Theosophists is reported in the Allegheny Record of Sept. 9, '97, by an Allegheny lady who says: "I am frank to confess that two more delighted weeks I never enjoyed than the past fortnight, spent in that so-called 'hot-bed of Spiritualism, Cassadaga Camp, Lily Dale, N. Y. '"If we as Christians could or would open our hearts to the truth as presented there this season by such giant intellects as Lyman C. Howe, of Freedonia; Judge Richmond, of Meadville; Dr. Hicks, New York; Mrs. Carrie E. Twing, of Westfield, N. Y.; Mrs. Sheets, from Michigan; Annie Besant and others, if, I repeat, the teachings of all such representatives of faith could be received into honest, unbiased hearts, then would there be such soul-expansion as would burst the narrow confines of the average orthodox intelligence, and Spiritualism, instead of being shunned as a freakish, uncanny something, unworthy the thought and attention of intelligent minds, would at least be given the advantage of a fair trial.
"I wonder how many bound down by orthodox prejudices know that this belief is founded upon principles immutable as time itself, and that honest investigators will find these disciples of Spiritualism far and away beyond the ken of their Christian (?) critics in matters pertaining to the unfoldment of the higher life?"
Of Theosophist teachers present she says: "Among the most noted instructors were Se'or and Madame de'Ovies, Julian Segunda de'Ovies, delegate to America of the Order of Bhagavat-Gita, better known as the 'Order of Eighty' the most ancient order of occult adepts in the world, who is supreme master of the order, Cairo, Egypt. It teaches practical psychology, purity, temperance in all things, love for humanity and sincerity; to know ourselves, that we may attain the perfect manhood and womanhood, and approach nearer the cosmic light, of which we are but sparks; to develop the divinity within us, that we may heal the sick and comfort the sorrowing, even as did the great psychic, Jesus of Nazareth.
"By meditation and concentration to see visions and receive impressions that one may be divinely inspired and guided in all things by wisdom. The Spanish Mahatma de'Ovies teach meditation, concentration, psychometry, magnetism and healing art, character-reading, hypnotism, clairvoyance, science of breathing, science of eating and every other branch of occult philosophy. Circles for the development of these powers are formed after each course of lessons. This science dispels the error of blindness, so man can see without eyes, Se'or de'Ovies can prove this at any time and under all conditions. The Mahatma claims that his powers are universal, every man and every woman, except an imbecile or degenerate, possesses these occult gifts. The Bhagavat Gita has at present over 2,000 members in the United States. Se'or de'Ovies has founded several research societies in America, the last at Buffalo, N. Y."
Thus are the "babes in Christ" lured to evil, by those who "know not the depths of Satan," and his schemes to entrap them.
A Press Dispatch respecting another Spiritist camp-meeting, published in the Toledo Blade , reads as follows: "Anderson, Ind., Aug. 2'Statistics which have just been received at the Indiana Spiritualists' state camp at Chesterfield, show the growth of Spiritualism in the United States during the past four years. It has been very rapid and is represented now by 52 state associations with an active membership of 235,000 and 400 recognized mediums. The states in which the associations are located are Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Maine, Oregon, California, Florida, Louisiana, Vermont, New York and New Hampshire. Spiritualists claim 2,000,000 believers."
A ZION'S WATCH TOWER reader, after perusing the articles on Spiritism, writes as follows: "After my mother's death my father married a woman who was a spirit medium, and has since tried to convince me of Spiritism. He has given me, repeatedly, accounts of materializing seances which he
[HG323] has attended both in his own home and in other places. He says he has seen as many as fifteen spirits developed at one time, both adults and infants while the medium sat in her cabinet in view of her audience. He says that sometimes he has seen a misty cloud appear near the ceiling and gradually descend to the floor, taking form as it came down, until it stood upon the floor as solid, tangible human being, and would clasp his hand. The hand felt as tangible in his grasp as my own would feel. He says his dead daughters (my sisters) and other friends who are dead have thus appeared to him robed in pure white. Sometimes they would materialize a sparkling lace shawl and hold it up and shake it before him; they would sit down by his side or in his lap and put their arms around his neck and converse with him of their heavenly home, its beauties, its lovely flowers, etc., and of his own future, and of their care for him. Finally they would say, 'Well, I must go, ''and the hand clasped in his, and which he was holding tightly, would begin to sink out of his grasp, the body would grow thin until objects across the room could be discerned through the almost transparent body; then it would disappear, sometimes going down through the floor. His father (my grandfather) who was a physician in life, he says, has, through mediums, written prescriptions for medicines for him, etc.
"My father has told us things which his medium wife has told him, matters about our family, which really surprised us, as we knew she had no means of knowing except through supernatural agency, but we saw by years of observation of Spiritism sufficient of its abominations to convince us of its Satanic origin, and hence I never had much faith in it, and finally learned to abhor it. And since seeing the light of present truth, as we now see it, we realize its wickedness and its demon-nature more fully than ever. I have repeatedly seen mediums 'under control, 'and have noted how fully they are made the victims of the demons who possess them at such times, being unaware of their conditions or at least unable to control their words and actions. Their facial expression at such times is very peculiar."
"The WATCH TOWER speaks in several past numbers of Spiritists and mentions Clairudiant mediums. I have been living alone as a bachelor missionary in Burma for some years, and ever since my wife and little boy fell asleep in '89 and '90, I have been alone: and I pursued somewhat an inquiry into animal magnetism with reference to telegraphing thought at a distance and, I am sorry to add, 'transfer of sensation. 'After practicing this (and abhorring Spiritism, tho not knowing why, and not connecting the two together) I found suddenly one afternoon voices all round me which have continued ever since more or less: and I now write to you to beseech Jehovah to have mercy on my body and make it 'the sanctuary of God through the spirit, 'taking away any unclean spirit which may inhabit it, and giving me grace and power to resist, or flee, or get free from, any and every influence, or power, or control, that Satan may have over me."
Rev. W. H. Clagett, President of the Board of Trustees of the Texas Presbyterian University, who was once a Spiritualist, lectured recently in Association Hall of Brooklyn, N. Y., to a large audience. The Brooklyn Eagle gives the following report of the lecture: "Dr. Clagett said he had not come simply to amuse his audience nor to tell them stories. He wanted to go deeper than that. 'Frankly, 'he went on, 'I have no hope of converting the confirmed Spiritualist. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it has been my lot to see a great deal of Spiritualism. I was a firm believer in it for years, often acting as a medium in private seances. There is a deeper interest in this question than many Christians think. Spiritualism is one of the greatest powers for evil in the world. Most of you will be surprised when I tell you that it has between 900,000 and 1,000,000 followers in the United States. We cannot get rid of this incipient evil by denouncing it; we must instruct the people. I believe there is such a thing as communication between men and spirits. I believe that there are real spirits connected with modern Spiritualism. A great many people have wondered at the power of Spiritualism to mislead intelligent people. Some of you will remember that some years ago Dr. Kettles, the superintendent of all the public schools in New York, avowed his belief in Spiritualism. It appeals to one of the strongest feelings in the human heart, our love for our dead. Where are these loved ones? Do they still exist? What is the nature of that existence? To the man who rejects the Bible no answer comes to these questions. All is dark, and as the soul tries to penetrate the gloom, it cries out with the most intense longing, 'Where are you? 'Satan, in the form of Spiritualism, offers to bring the loved one back again so that we can hear his voice and actually see his face."
"Then, again, Spiritualism comes to us as a new religion. It proposes to be a system of religious philosophy. It undertakes to solve the question: 'If a man die shall he live again? 'By attacking the soul in this subtle and plausible manner it is not strange that
[HG324] Satan in the form of Spiritualism leads many astray... "Dr. Clagett characterized Spiritualism as alike silly and degrading. 'To think, 'he said, 'of a wife or mother, even if she could communicate with us on earth, going to a woman whom she never knew and with whom she would not have associated if she had, and telling her the most sacred things, the idea is degrading and a dishonor! Spiritualism is a fraud, two thirds of it being devil at second hand and the rest of it devil at first hand. '"
In a book recently published, entitled "The Powers of the Air," the author, formerly a medium, relates some strange experiences with spirits. We give his account of his experiences with a spirit which professed to be the Lord, and which gave him to understand that he, the medium, was to be greatly used in converting the world; and that he would occupy a very similar position to that of the Lord at his first advent, except that he would be blessed with marvelous and miraculous success. We quote: "I felt happy, very happy, with Jesus at my side, as I verily believed. As the writing progressed, I felt the more certain that it was true, because the style and diction indicated a pure mind and heart." Later on the spirit said, "I am your Father and your God... I am the Almighty, the Creator of all things. In this manner I spake to the patriarchs of old, to Adam, to Noah, to Abraham, Moses and others." This communication caused the medium to tremble with fear. The spirit then said, "Be not afraid, . . . I am your Maker and your Father, and you are my child, my very dear child; child by creation and also by redemption; therefore you need not fear." The spirit then went on to say, "I have chosen you to be my second Christ; I have appointed Jesus, my son, to instruct you and make you wise in all things, to do my will in the great work of man's salvation."
The spirit then instructed his medium to become associated with a certain clerical friend as an assistant in the great work of saving souls; and said, "As the Anglo-Saxon and German races have grown so sensitive that spirits can impress their minds, and in many instances control their bodies, so I have determined to introduce a new dispensation, and for this purpose I have called you and your friend to open and prepare the way for its introduction. Be humble, prayerful and faithful, and all will be well. Let me say to you again, be humble as a child before God." The evil spirit endeavored to make him believe in "the conversion of the world to God," through his instrumentality, and at once, himself being the representative of Christ to do the second advent work of saving the world. To throw him off his guard it cautioned him, saying: "The evil spirits are all around you. Their abiding place, until the judgment, is the air, or atmosphere of the earth; and they work in the children of disobedience by impressing, or infusing, into their minds thoughts and desires which are wicked and selfish; and also by inflaming their passions, thus leading them often to commit the most atrocious deeds.... There is in this world a continual conflict, as you are aware, between the powers of darkness, so called, and the powers of light.... The slow progress made by my Gospel in the world since my ascension may be inferred from what has been said.... My beloved servant Judson spent many years in heathen lands before a single convert was rescued and brought to God."
The medium thought that none but a good being would talk in this way; hence the spirit must be what it claimed to be, or else it would be a great deceiver, and a very bad being. Still he was troubled with doubts about the remarkable communications that he was receiving. The spirit then went on to say: "You seem to be in doubt about your calling; you need not be for a moment.
Launch your little barque into the broad ocean of God's infinite love, and you will find aid and comfort. The true secret of success in any enterprise is to be fired with zeal. You need not fear to commence. You now understand the law of control in reference to moral forces, which may be brought to bear on the children of men.
"In conclusion, I will say that I design, first, to call in the Jews; then afterward the Gentiles. So you will first proceed to New York. There you will be aided by Mr. Beecher and others, and then proceed to Palestine, where I will meet you and give you success.
"While meditating on these things that 'still small voice' came to me again, saying, 'I am the Lord your God, and have a work for you to perform. I must call in my people, the Jews, preparatory to that great event which is soon to transpire, and I have arranged for you to go to New York, and there meet Mr. Beecher, who will greatly aid you in your work of assembling my ancient people at Jerusalem, preparatory to their being converted and made meet for the kingdom of heaven.
You will leave your home unknown to your family, and proceed to a place that I will direct you to. ' "' I am the Judge of all the earth; I, the Lord, have called you to warn all men to flee from the wrath which is to come. The judgment day is approaching, when all men, small and great, shall stand before my throne. Therefore be diligent, be faithful, and do as I command you, and great shall be your reward. You
[HG325] have left those you loved, many of whom are in the bonds of iniquity. Now, therefore, fix your mind upon those whose conversion you so desire, and while you pray I will seal conviction upon their hearts, and they shall be converted for your sake, even while you are speaking. '"With emotion deep and overwhelming, I fixed my mind upon one for whom I had felt unusual interest. I prayed until sobs and tears choked my utterance, when that still, small, solemn whisper came to me with distinctness again, saying, 'Your prayer is answered: your friend is converted, and is now rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory. ' "'My child, 'said the solemn voice again, 'fix your mind upon another, and I will bless again even for your sake. 'I commenced then again with the same childlike simplicity of prayer as before, fixing my mind distinctly on the person I desired converted, and after a few moments of earnest pleading I heard again the voice, saying, 'Child, thy prayer is heard, and thy friend is now happy in my love. '"Thus I continued for many hours, my heart becoming more and more interested in the work, and swelling with the love of God, as I continued to fix my mind on one after another of those whose souls' salvation was near and dear to me. At length the solemn voice said, 'Have you no other relations and friends on whom you can fix your mind in prayer? 'I replied by saying, 'I can think of no more. 'Then, 'said the voice, 'fix your mind upon any ungodly man you choose, and I will hear and bless him for your sake. '"With tearful eyes I then renewed my prayer, fixing my mind upon one and then another of those whom I knew to be worst in wickedness. At the end of each petition the answer came: 'Your petition is heard, and he for whom you supplicated is among the redeemed. 'This continued perhaps an hour longer, when, growing weary from exhaustion and fatigue, I retired and slept as sweetly as a child upon the bosom of its mother.
"As the soft light of morn stole into my window, I heard again the still, small voice, saying, 'Arise, my child, and hear the good news. Those for whom you prayed are happy in my love, are rejoicing in hope and have heard of your mission, and are coming to rejoice with you and bid you God-speed. '"Having arranged my toilet and kindled the fire, I ordered breakfast to be served in my room. When seated at the table, and about to commence my repast, the voice said in the kindest and sweetest manner, 'You need feel no embarrassment in my presence; have I not always been present with you? do I not know your every thought, your every word, and your every deed? Ask the blessing on your repast in your usual way, just as if I were not personally present, for though I am not present everywhere in person, yet I am present everywhere in my omnipotent power and wisdom. '"The repast being over, the voice of the Almighty, as I believed, said 'This day will be a day to this place such as they never experienced before. God is in this place, and they know it not. I will now whisper to every man's mind, as I whispered to you in the still small voice, saying, 'Prepare to meet thy God in judgment, 'and, hearing this, they will assemble in two different churches for prayer; at the same time the converted ones for whom you prayed in the night will have arrived in the place, and will join in the general rejoicing, and crying for mercy, and thus the wave of salvation, so astonishingly begun in this place, shall roll over the whole earth, because that day is approaching, that great and terrible day, when all men shall receive according to the deeds done in the body. In the meantime you may go up and call on Mr. A –, who is my servant, and a godly man. You will find him at his church preparatory to the great assembling of people. '"I was so moved by this good news, and the promise of salvation to such multitudes of perishing souls that tears flowed freely from my eyes. In this condition of mind, I passed down the main entrance of the hotel to the street.
Looking around, I saw no unusual stir; but, thinking that God worked silently with every heart, I passed on with the certain expectation that I should find the minister at the church designated, and many assembled for worship.
"On arriving at the church, I found, to my astonishment, the doors closed, and not a single person in or about the building. I soon found the minister at his residence, and to my still greater astonishment he informed me that there was to be no meeting there that day. I returned to the hotel, expecting that by this time those for whom I prayed, and who, I believed, were rejoicing in a conscious hope of sins forgiven, had arrived, but in that, again, was sorely disappointed.
"Passing up to my room, I inquired of the Lord why this strange failure. To which the voice replied in the same distinct and well-defined whisper, 'The failure is caused by the mischievous conduct of wicked spirits, who have of late been whispering in the ears of the people, which has confused them, and they do not recognize in my whisper the still small voice of the Almighty. ' "' But, 'said I, 'what will become of thy great name? '"The voice replied by saying, 'I will take all remembrance of this failure from their minds; and they shall know that I am the Lord; that with me there is no variableness or shadow of turning. But you, my child, will proceed on your mission of calling in the
[HG326] Jews, the same as though this seeming failure had not occurred. ' "' But, 'said I, in reply, 'I have not the wherewithal to convey me to New York. ' "' Yes, my child, but I have provided against all contingencies of that kind by impressing a wealthy man in the city of New York to telegraph the bank in this place to furnish you all necessary funds. Be therefore not faithless, but believe. '"This calmed my mind, reassured my confidence, and I immediately left for the bank. Stepping up to the counter, I inquired of a certain man, calling him by name, now living in New York, had telegraphed to this bank to place money to my credit. The banker assured me that no telegram had been received.
"Again I inquired the cause of the failure. The same mysterious voice replied by saying, 'The cause of this failure is the same that produced the others; but, 'continued the voice, 'I am the Almighty. I have power to kill and make alive, and those who have interfered with my purposes I will judge; therefore rest in hope, and all shall be made right. '"I yet had confidences in my senses. I was certain that I had heard the voice, and I could not force myself to believe that any creature above or beneath could be found who would dare to personify or assume to be the Almighty himself. I also thought back over the communications I had received. I reminded myself of the deep-toned piety which pervaded them, and of the kind assurances given me; and, summing it all up, I felt deeply impressed that I could not be deceived.
"While thus meditating, the voice uttered these words, 'Return to your home and all will be well. 'Obedient to the command, I immediately set out for the place of my former residence.
"My sudden disappearance from home had caused no small stir among the friends and relatives, but my presence soon reassured them. How little, thought I, did they understand the real cause of my absence."
The medium finally reached the conclusion that he had been deceived by evil spirits. He continues: "The reader might suppose that the would-be Divine intelligence who had followed me so long and had so grossly deceived me would, upon having been discovered to be but devils clothed as angels of light, have left me, never to appear again. But this was not the case. So far as ability to impress my mind with their thought was concerned, I found that they possessed even more power, and that it was every day increasing.
[This is a part of the danger: the will which at first is strong and well able to resist such approaches gradually loses its power and becomes weaker each time it yields.] "As soon as it was really apparent that I had been deceived, I sank into the very grave of disappointment. My hopes, which had been raised up to the seventh heaven, were dashed down to the lowest pit. My invisible deceiver for several days continued to flatter me at times that all was well, that God was as really in the darkness of this disappointment as in the light of the brightest hopes of former days."
At last becoming fully convinced of the deceitfulness of these communicating spirits, he refused to be under their control any longer. They then, in answer to the subjoined questions, made the following confession and admissions: "You were first led into a belief that Spiritualism was but the harbinger of the Millennial glory by the few first communications. They were certainly grand, and were given with the express design of leading you to believe they were from Jesus Christ and God himself. You ought to have suspected this. All hooks are baited with a very guilded bait."
"Question: Are not the doctrines taught generally by Spiritualists denominated in the Scripture the doctrines of devils or demons?
"Answer: Yes, they are, in very deed, the doctrines of devils or demons, because they generally reject the teachings of Jesus Christ and his apostles and followers.
A. J. D. was inspired to my certain knowledge by the prince of demons, or, in other words, the most intellectual demon belonging to the powers of the air. His 'Harmonial Philosophy' was all written under inspiration of demoniac influence.
There is no Jesus Christ or any other doctrines taught by Jesus in his works, they are Christless or Antichrist... Spiritualism was conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity. It is a dead carcass, a carcass that will be a stench to the good of the whole earth."
"Q.: But do you never expect to be better?"
"A.: Never. We are the debris of God's moral creation, cast off as far as we know only to be destroyed."
"Q.: But do not the pious dead surround those who are still in the body as guardians from the influences of evil?"
"A.: They are never seen by us, if they do. We see nothing around the pious, any more than around the wicked. But we are often around them ourselves, infusing into their minds some infidel or atheistic thought, to see how they will receive it.
We take delight in disturbing and irritating them, just as we do you."
"Q.: How do the inhabitants of your world mostly spend their time?"
[HG327] "A.: We spend the time mostly, since the discovery of the mediumistic communications, in developing mediums; in making psychological experiments with them, and in communicating through them."
"Q.: Do you not think that good spirits develop mediums and communicate through them as well as yourselves?"
"A.: I think not: we think we are warranted in the conclusion that no pious dead, nor the spirits of just men made perfect, nor angels have anything to do with controlling mediums at the present day."
"These spirit manifestations are clearly prophesied of by the Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians: 'And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming; even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 'This passage sets forth the signs of these times so clearly that all the righteous or pious can clearly understand.
"We have been provoked to reveal to you the fact that all the revelations through mediums to the effect that all men are progressing to a state of holiness and happiness are false, totally and absolutely false. We have as good an opportunity to know the facts connected with all the modern revelations as any spirits can know in this world, and we certainly know that they are not of God, but from spirits, some of them guilty of greater abuses, if it were possible to inflict any greater, than we have inflicted upon you.
"You ask us how we know that modern spiritual demonstrations are not of God?
We answer that we know it from the following reasons: These spirit demonstrations are made by spirits who hate God, and have no fellowship with that which is good, ... they universally reject the Bible as the Word of God, denounding it as a fable and unworthy of belief. All the revelations yet made by spirit manifestations have not so much Gospel truth in them as has yet resulted in the regeneration of one soul, in the sense that Jesus Christ taught regeneration.
The revelations of these spirits are just what you might expect from beings who have not the love of God in them.
[Here we have an exemplification of our Lord's words, "If Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?" (Matt. 12:26; Mark 3:23-27.) Similarly the cures done by Spiritists, Theosophists and Christian Scientists we believe are evidences that Satan's kingdom is being hard pressed and is soon to fall before our King Immanuel.] "Q.: The Bible speaks of the prince of the power of the air, or in the air; what may we understand by this?
"Spirit: You will understand that the prince is the name of the ruling spirit of evil.
There are many spirits in the air who are rulers, just as Indian chiefs rule the tribes to which they belong.
"Q.: To what extent have the powers of the air dominion and rule over the children of men?"
"A.: They have the power to produce lifelike images in the minds of impressible mediums. This is often understood by them to be an actual sight of a real object.
This leads to a great variety of delusions.
"Those who are called leaders of Spiritualism, and who know the fallacy of those impressions, allow the deceptions to go on, and are therefore participators in the swindle. This stamps them with infamy. The spirits have the power of using the human body, with all its organs and faculties. This is done in the case of trance speakers and personating mediums. Perhaps they enter the body by means of electrical and galvanic influences, and, having entered, they use the vocal organs.
"They also possess power to move ponderous objects, such as tables, chairs, etc.
This is generally accomplished by the agency of scores and hundreds of the invisible workers."
This writer further explains: "They could imitate the manner of speech peculiar to my relatives and acquaintances, and so exactly did they give the particular intonation and inflections of voice, that I would have been compelled to believe the imitation to be the real had they not also imitated the voices of some whom I knew to be living. Upon one occasion that occurs particularly to my mind, the voice, style of address, and intonation were so exactly personified that for the moment I felt positive that the gentleman and lady represented had deceased, and that their disembodied spirits were before me. But when I knew by the evidences of my physical senses that it was not the case, I was then convinced that the spirits were presenting assumed characters.
"That the reader may be fortified at every point, and never be drawn into the belief that any communication from the spirit world can in any sense be from God (though it may breathe what seems like heaven itself, and be characterized by lofty sentiment, and the most elegant phraseology, and classic purity of style), let him remember that if such are given through yourself as a medium, or through any other medium, it will only be but the prelude or introduction to something monstrous and absurd. All my experiences
[HG328] with these beings who surround us in the air sum up this distinct conclusion: that they delight in evil as their chief object, and especially that branch of evil called deception. If any one thing pleases them more than any other, it is to make those in the earth-life believe the most monstrous and absurd theories. I would exhort the reader, as did the Apostle Paul, in these words: 'Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, let him be accursed. '"The most subtle method which these powers of the air use to induce belief in their monstrous absurdities consists in making friendly allusions to Jesus Christ and his gospel, and in speaking very highly of its doctrines; they may even give a grand dissertation upon one of them, and in the meantime weave into the framework of this dissertation a subtle philosophy which would undermine the consistency of the whole, and render it delusive."
___________ How evident it is from the foregoing that God's people need more and more to rely upon their Father's Word, and not upon feelings and impressions and "voices" which generally, if not always, deceive. While the spirit of the Truth is to be sought, and not merely its letter, yet the careful study of the letter of God's Word is needful, together with an honesty of heart that delights to know and do the will of the Lord, at any cost, at any sacrifice of prejudice, human preference, etc.
The Word of God is sufficient that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished.
2 Tim. 3:16,17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy Word is truth." John 17:17
The following beautiful verses, by Charles Mackay, well illustrate the fact that there can be no proper Christian growth in the darkness of sin, superstition and Satanic influence; that the True Light and the inspired Word through which it reaches us are absolutely necessary to our proper development.
The Ivy in a dungeon grew, Unfed by rain, uncheered by dew, Its pallid leaflets only drank Cave moisture foul, or odors dank.
But through the dungeon grating high There fell a sunbeam from the sky, It slept upon the grateful floor In silent gladness evermore.
The Ivy felt a tremor shoot Through all its fibres to the root, It felt the light, it saw the ray, It longed to blossom into day.
It grew, it crept, it pushed, it clomb, Long had the darkness been its home; For well it knew, though veiled in night, The goodness and the joy of light.
It reached the beam, it thrilled, it curled, It blessed the warmth that cheers the world It grew towards the dungeon bars, It looked upon the moon and stars.
Upon that solitary place Its verdure threw adorning grace, The mating birds became its guests, And sang its praises from their nests.
By rains and dews and sunshine fed, Upon the outer wall it spread, And in the day beam roaming free, It grew into a stately tree.
Would'st know the moral of the rhyme?
Behold the heavenly light and climb.
To every dungeon comes a ray Of God's illimitable day.
"THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE."
"The entrance of thy Word giveth light."
Psa. 119:130 If we knew that 'neath the snow-flakes, O'er the wintry landscape strewn, Joyous buds of Spring were swelling To dispel the Winter's gloom, Could the season's darksome shadows That along our pathway lie E'er obscure the beams of brightness That betoken Summer's nigh?
If we knew that every shadow Heralds but the coming light, That the sunshine seems the brighter When compared with shades of night, Would the troubles that oppress us, Making mind and spirit sore, Be as now so soul-distressing?
Could we not endure the more?
[HG329] Tho today the soil be thirsty, 'Tis the morrow brings the rain; And the showers so refreshing Bid the flowers live again.
So it is with human sorrow, Parched with trouble's fiercest glow; Leading to, though hard the lesson, Joys we else could never know.
Let us humbly learn the lesson Taught by landscape, shower and tomb.
That tho skies be overshadowed, Sunbeams may disperse the gloom; For no matter what the sorrows That may hide the sun today, Still behind the clouds, concealing, Shines his warmest, brightest ray.
A clear distinction should be borne in mind, as between Satan and these angels.
Satan evidently sinned against great light, so that infinite wisdom finds no place to do more for him, and his ultimate destruction is clearly predicted. Heb. 2:14 But did not the Lord, in Matt. 25:41, declare eternal torment to be the punishment awaiting these fallen spirit beings? No: this scripture cannot be used as an argument against a hope for a probation for the bound or imprisoned spirits; for though, by force of circumstances and restraint from any other service, they are now Satan's angels, messengers or servants, yet they may not always continue such, if an opportunity be granted them to return to God's service and be angels of God. This passage relates to the "lake of fire" or destruction (Rev. 20:10), * into which, at the close of the Millennial age, are to be cast all who are out of harmony with God. Satan will be of those cast into that everlasting destruction , and with him all who do unrighteousness or have pleasure therein; all of whom, angelic spirits or men on his side, are reckoned to be his angels or messengers. All evil-doers shall be cut off from life. To cut off such, and such only, was God's plan from the beginning. The willfully wicked and not the merely ignorant, mislead, blinded or deceived are meant when it is said, "All the wicked will God destroy."
Some one will possibly say, Ah! No one believes in the immortality of the body.
Everybody knows that the body dies, that it needs resupply continually and that hence it cannot be immortal. But the Scriptures speak of souls. May it not be that the soul is indestructible? that God having made a soul cannot destroy it?
Reason tells us that, unless there is absolute proof to the contrary, the life of every creature is subject to the will of the Creator. Now notice that the Scriptures nowhere speak of the immortality of the soul, as some people seem to suppose, neither in the translations nor in the original text. Take a Concordance and try to find the expression "immortal soul," and thus you can quickly convince yourself that no such expression is found in the Scriptures. On the contrary, the Scriptures declare that "God is able to destroy both soul and body ;" and again, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." As we have already seen* that which can die, which can be destroyed, not immortal, is not proof against death, destruction. Hence the Scriptures cited prove that neither souls nor bodies are immortal.
*Tract The Hope of Immortality. *See "What Say the Scriptures About Hell?" |
The general idea of the soul is that it is an indefinable something in us, but what it is or where it is located few attempt to explain. This unknown something is claimed to be the real, intelligent being, while the body is merely its house or tool.
A Methodist bishop once defined a soul, thus: "It is without interior or exterior, without body, shape or parts, and you could put a million of them into a nutshell;" a very good definition of nothing we should say!
The body is not the soul, as some affirm: this is proved by our Lord's statement that "God is able to destroy both soul and body." And now, in view of the foregoing, if our minds be freed from prejudice, we ought to be able to learn something further on this subject by examining the inspired record of man's creation. Turning to Gen. 2:7, we read: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed [Heb. blew] into his nostrils the [HG330] breath [Heb. wind] of life [Heb. lives plural' i. e., such as was common to all living animals]; and man became a living soul [ i. e., a sentient being]."
From this account it appears that the body was formed first, but it was not a man, soul or being , until animated. It had eyes, but saw nothing; ears, but heard nothing; a mouth, but spoke nothing; a tongue, but no taste; nostrils, but no sense of smell; a heart but it pulsated not; blood, but it was cold, lifeless; lungs, but they moved not. It was not a man, but a corpse, an inanimate body.
The second step in the process of man's creation was to give vitality to the properly "formed" and in every way prepared body; and this is described by the words "blew into his nostrils the breath of life." When a healthy person has been drowned and animation is wholly suspended, resuscitation has, it is said, been effected by working the arms and thus the lungs as a bellows, and so gradually establishing the breath in the nostrils. In Adam's case it of course required no labored effort on the part of the Creator to cause the perfect organism which he had made to breathe the life-giving oxygen of the atmosphere.
As the vitalizing breath entered, the lungs expanded, the blood corpuscles were oxygenized and passed to the heart, which organ in turn propelled them to every part of the body, awakening all the prepared, but hitherto dormant, nerves to sensation and energy. In an instant the energy reached the brain, and thought, perception, reasoning, looking, touching, smelling, feeling and tasting commenced. That which was a lifeless human organism had become a man , a sentient being: the " living soul " condition mentioned in the text had been reached.
In other words, the term "living soul" means neither more nor less than the term "sentient being;" i. e., a being capable of sensation, perception, thought.
Moreover, even though Adam was perfect in his organism, it was necessary for him to sustain life, soul or sentient being, by partaking of the fruits of the trees of life. And when he sinned, God drove him from the garden, " lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree [plural trees or grove] of life, and eat, and live forever [ i. e., by eating continuously]." (Gen. 3:22) How the fogs and mysteries scatter before the light of truth which shines from God's Word!
Thus, also, we see why it is that the Scriptures speak of "souls" in connection with the lower animals. They, as well as man, are sentient beings or creatures of intelligence, only of lower orders. They, as well as man, can see, hear, feel, taste and smell; and each can reason up to the standard of his own organism, though none can reason as abstrusely nor on as high a plane as man. This difference is not because man has a different kind of life from that possessed by the lower animals; for all have similar vital forces, from the same fountain or source of life, the same Creator; all sustain life in the same manner, by the digestion of similar foods, producing blood and muscles and bones, etc., each according to his kind or nature; and each propagates his species similarly, bestowing the life, originally from God, upon his posterity. They differ in shape and in mental capacity.
Nor can it be said that while man is a soul (or intelligent being) beasts are without this soul-quality or intelligence, thought, feeling. On the contrary, both man and beast have soul – quality or intelligent, conscious being. Not only is this the statement of Scripture, but it is readily discernible as a fact, as soon as the real meaning of the word soul is comprehended, as shown foregoing. To illustrate: suppose the creation of a perfect dog; and suppose that creation had been particularly described, as was Adam's, what difference of detail could be imagined? The body of a dog created would not be a dog until the breath of life would be caused to energize that body; then it would be a living creature with sensibilities and powers all its own, a living soul of the lower order, called dog, as Adam, when he received life, became a living creature with sensibilities and powers all his own, a living soul of the highest order of flesh beings, called man.
If the great difference between man and beast is not in the life which animates both, and not from lack of soul-power which both possess, can it be that the difference is in their bodies? Yes, assuredly, the natural difference is physical, in addition to which is the fact that God has made provision for man's future, as expressed in his promises, while no such provision for a future life is made for beasts, nor are they organically capable of appreciating metaphysics. Other things being equal, the size and weight of the brain indicates capacity and intelligence.
In this respect man has been more highly endowed than the brute, by the Creator.
The brute has less brains than man, and what it has belongs almost exclusively to the selfish propensities. Its highest conception of right and wrong is the will of its master, man; it cannot appreciate the sublime in morals or in nature: the Creator did not give it a brain-capacity for such things.
But altho, because of his fall into sin and death, man's condition is far from what it was in its original perfection when pronounced "very good" by the highest Judge; so that some, by the cultivation of the lower organs of thought and a failure to use the higher, intellectual faculties, have dwarfed the organs of the brain representing these higher faculties, yet the organs are still there, and are capable of development, [HG331] which is not the case with the most nearly perfect specimens of the brute creation.
So then it is in that the Creator has endowed man with a higher and finer organism , that he has made him to differ from the brute. They have similar flesh and bones, breathe the same air, drink the same water, and eat similar food, and all are souls or creatures possessing intelligence; but man, in his better body , possesses capacity for higher intelligence and is treated by the Creator as on an entirely different plane. It is in proportion as sin degrades man from his original likeness of his Creator that he is said to be "brutish"'more nearly resembling the brutes, destitute of the higher and finer sensibilities.
To this the Scripture testimony agrees. We read (Gen. 1:30) "To you it shall be for meat, and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life [Heb. "nephesh chazyah" – a living soul]." Again (Gen. 1:20) "Let the waters bring forth the moving creature that hath life [Heb. a living soul]." See marginal readings.
The same lesson, that the life principle is no different in mankind from what it is in all other creatures whose breath is taken through the nostrils, as distinguishing them from fish, is taught in the account of the destruction wrought by the Deluge. (Gen. 6:17; 7:15,22) This is in full accord with King Solomon's statement that man and beast have all "one breath" [Heb. ruach , spirit of life]'one kind of life; and that "as the one dieth, so dieth the other." (Eccl. 3:19) When he asks (Eccl. 3:21), "Who knoweth the spirit of man that [it] goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that [it] goeth downward to the earth?" he is controverting the heathen theory, which even at that time had begun to speculate that man had some inherent quality which would prevent his death, even when he seemed to die. The wise man challenges any proof, any knowledge , to such effect. This challenge to others to produce proofs, or admit that they have no such knowledge, follows his statement of the truth on the subject in verses 19 and 20.
The distinction between man and beast is not in the kind of breath or life, but in that man has a higher organism than other animals; possessing moral and intellectual powers and qualities in the image or likeness of those possessed by the Creator, who has a still higher organism, of spirit, not of flesh. And, as already shown, man's hope for a future life lies not in his inherent powers, but in his Creator's gracious provision which centered in the redemption of every soul of man from death, by the great Redeemer, and the consequent provision that whosoever will may have everlasting life by resurrection , subject to the terms of the New Covenant.
Our Redeemer "poured out his soul [being] unto death," "he made his soul [being] an offering for sin" (Isa. 53:12,10); and it was the soul of Adam (and his posterity) that he thus bought with his precious blood, by making his soul (being) an offering for sin. Consequently it is souls that were redeemed, and that are to be awakened, resurrected.
Many suppose that the bodies buried are to be restored atom for atom, but, on the contrary, the Apostle declares, "Thou sowest [in death] not that body which shall be." In the resurrection God will give to each person (to each soul or sentient being) such a body as his infinite wisdom has been pleased to provide; to the Church, the "bride" selected in this age, spirit bodies; to the restitution class, human bodies, but not the same ones lost in death.* 1 Cor. 15:37,38
| *Inquire for further reading matter on Resurrection. |
As in Adam's creation, the bringing together of an organism and the breath of life produced a sentient being or soul , so the dissolution of these, from any cause, puts an end to sentient being, stopping thought and feelings of every kind. The soul ( i. e., sentient being) ceases; the body returns to dust as it was; while the spirit or breath of life returns to God, who imparted it to Adam, and to his race through him. (Eccl. 12:7) It returns to God in the sense that it is no longer amenable to human control, as in procreation, and can never be recovered except by divine power. Recognizing this fact, the Lord's instructed ones commit their hope of future life by resurrection to God and to Christ, his now exalted representative. (Luke 23:46; Acts 7:59) So, then, had God made no provision for man's future life by a ransom and a promised resurrection, death would have been the end of all hope for humanity. 1 Cor. 15:14-18 But God has thus made provision for our living again; and ever since he made known his gracious plan, those who speak and write intelligently upon the subject (for instance, the inspired Scripture writers), as if by common consent, speak of the unconscious interim between death and the resurrection morning, in which sentient being is suspended, as a "sleep." Indeed, the illustration is an excellent one; for the dead will be totally unconscious of the lapse of time, and the moment of awakening will seem to them like the next moment after the moment of their dissolution. For instance, we read that speaking of Lazarus' death our Lord said, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, I go that I may awake him out of sleep." Afterward, because the disciples were slow to comprehend, he said, "Lazarus is dead." (John 11:11) Were the theory of consciousness in death correct, is it not remarkable that [HG332] Lazarus gave no account of his experience during those four days? None will claim that he was in a "hell" of torment, for our Lord calls him his "friend;" and if he had been in heavenly bliss our Lord would not have called him from it, for that would have been an unfriendly act. But as our Lord expressed it, Lazarus slept and he awakened him to life, to consciousness, to his sentient being , or soul returned or revived; and all this was evidently a favor greatly appreciated by Lazarus and his friends.
The thought pervades the Scriptures that we are now in the night of dying and sleeping as compared with the morning of awakening and resurrection. "Weeping may endure for a night , but joy cometh in the morning." Psa. 30:5 The apostles also frequently used this appropriate, hopeful and peaceful figure of speech. For instance, Luke says of Stephen, the first martyr, " he fell asleep ; " and in recording Paul's speech at Antioch he used the same expression, "David fell on sleep." (Acts 7:60; 13:36) Peter uses the same expression, saying, "The fathers fell asleep." (2 Pet. 3:4) And Paul used it many times as the following quotations show: "If her husband be dead [Greek, fall asleep]."1 Cor. 7:39 "The greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep." 1 Cor. 15:6
"If there be no resurrection, ... then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." 1 Cor. 15:13-18 "Christ is risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept." 1 Cor. 15:20 "Behold, I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep." 1 Cor. 15:51 "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep."
1 Thess. 4:13 "Them that sleep in Jesus, will God bring [from the dead] with [by] him." 1 Thess. 4:14 When the Kingdom, the resurrection time, comes, "we who are alive and remain unto the presence of the Lord shall not precede them that are asleep." 1 Thess. 4:15
They "fell asleep" in peace, to await the Lord's Day, the Day of Christ, the Millennial Day, fully persuaded that he (Christ) is able to keep that which they committed unto him against that day. (2 Tim. 1:12) This same thought runs through the Old Testament as well, from the time that God first preached to Abraham the Gospel of a resurrection: the expression, "He slept with his fathers," is very common in the Old Testament. But Job puts the matter in very forcible language, saying, "Oh that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thy wrath be [over] past!" The present dying time is the time of God's wrath, the curse of death being upon all, because of the original transgression. However, we are promised that in due time the curse will be lifted and a blessing will come through the Redeemer to all the families of the earth; and so Job continues, "All the days of my appointed time will I wait, until my change come; [then] thou shalt call [John 5:25] and I will answer thee; thou shalt have a desire unto the work of thine hands." (Job 14:14,15) And we of the New Testament times read our Lord's response, All that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God (calling them to awake and come to a full knowledge of God and to a full opportunity of everlasting life). John 5:25,29 Let us illustrate the human and animal body, soul and spirit by something less complex and better understood generally; for instance, an unlighted candle would correspond to an inanimate human body or corpse, the lighting of the candle would correspond to the spark of life originally imparted by the Creator; the flame or light corresponds to sentient being or intelligence or soul quality; the oxygenized atmosphere which unites with the carbon of the candle in supporting the flame corresponds to the breath of life or spirit of life which unites with the physical organism in producing soul or intelligent existence. If an accident should occur which would destroy the candle, the flame, of course, would cease; so if a human or animal body be destroyed, as by consumption or accident, the soul , the life, the intelligence, ceases.
Or if the supply of air were cut off from the candle flame, as by an extinguisher or snuffer, or by submerging the candle in water, the light would be extinguished even tho the candle remained unimpaired. So the soul , life, existence, of man or animal would cease if the breath of life were cut off by drowning or asphyxiation, while the body might be comparatively sound. As the lighted candle might be used under favorable conditions to light other candles, but the flame once extinguished the candle could neither relight itself nor other candles, so the human or animal body while alive, as a living soul or being can, under divine arrangement, start or propagate other souls or beings, offspring: but so soon as the spark of life is gone, soul or being has ceased, and all power to think, feel or propagate has ceased. In harmony with this we read in the Scriptures of Jacob's children: "All the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls." (Exo. 1:5) Jacob received his spark of life as well as his physical organism, and hence the united product of these, his soul or intelligent being ," from Isaac, and thence from Adam, to whom alone God ever directly imparted life. And Jacob passed on [HG333] the life and organism and soul to his posterity, and so with all humanity.
A candle might be relighted by any one having the ability; but by divine arrangement the human body, bereft of the spark of life, "wasteth away," "returneth to the dust from which it was taken," and the spark of life cannot be re-enkindled except by divine power, a miracle. The promise of resurrection is therefore a promise of a relighting, a re-enkindling of animal existence or soul; and since there can be no being or soul without a body and restored life-power or spirit, it follows that a promised resurrection or restoration of soul or being implies new bodies, new organisms. Thus the Scriptures assure us that human bodies which return to dust will not be restored , but that in the resurrection God will give such new bodies as it may please him to give. 1 Cor. 15:37-40 The Apostle here declares that in the resurrection there will be a special class accounted worthy of a new nature, spiritual instead of human or fleshly: and, as we should expect, he shows that this great change of nature will be effected by giving these a different kind of body. The candle may here again serve to illustrate: suppose the fleshly or human nature to be illustrated by a tallow candle, the new body might be illustrated by a wax candle of a brighter flame or indeed by an electric arc-light apparatus.
With any power and wisdom less than that of our Creator guaranteeing the resurrection, we might justly fear some break or slip by which the identity would be lost, expecially with those granted the great change of nature by a share in the first (chief) resurrection to spirit being. But we can securely trust this and all things to him with whom we have to do in this matter. He who knows our very thoughts can reproduce them in the new brains so that not one valuable lesson or precious experience shall be lost. He is too wise to err and too good to be unkind; and all that he has promised he will fulfil in a manner exceedingly abundantly better than we can ask or think.
The terms body, soul and spirit may be used of the Church collectively. For instance, the Apostle says: "I pray God [that] your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thess. 5:23) This prayer must be understood to apply to the Church as a whole, the elect church whose names are written in heaven. The true spirit has been preserved in the little flock. Its body is discernible today, also, notwithstanding the multitudes of tares that would hide as well as choke it. And its soul , its activity, its intelligence, its sentient being, is in evidence everywhere, lifting up the standard of the people, the cross, the ransom.
In no other way could we apply the Apostle's words; for, however much people may differ respecting the preservation of the individual spirits and souls of the people addressed, all will agree that their bodies have not been preserved , but have returned to dust, like those of others. Besides, the words body, soul and spirit are in the singular, not in the plural.
Our Lord in contradicting the Sadducees (who denied that there would be a resurrection or any future life), said that the resurrection (and hence a future life) was proved by the fact that God, in speaking to Moses, declared himself the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Our Lord suggests that this of itself is a proof "that the dead are [to be] raised," because God would surely not refer thus to beings totally and forever blotted out of existence. Our Lord then shows that God's plan for a resurrection is fixed, and that those whom men call "dead" "all live unto Him;" and from his standpoint they only "sleep." God's Word, therefore, speaks of them as "asleep" and not as destroyed. Tho the original sentence was to destruction it is now offset by the ransom. So Moses says: "Thou turnest man to destruction, and sayest, Return, ye children of men." (Psa. 90:3; 103:4) In saying, "I am the God of Abraham," God speaks not only of things past as still present, but also of things to come as if already come to pass. Rom. 4:17
Question. Are the promises to the saints of the Gospel age heavenly or earthly promises?
Answer." As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." We are "partakers of the heavenly calling." 1 Cor. 15:49; 2 Tim. 4:18; Heb. 3:1; 6:4; Philip. 3:14; Eph. 2:6,7; 2 Thess. 1:11,12; 2 Tim. 1:9,10
Question. Will the elect Church, the "overcomers," the "saints," continue to be human beings, "of the earth earthy?"
Answer." God hath given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we might become partakers of the divine nature "'" new creatures." 2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Cor. 5:17, Rom. 8:17,18
Question. When will the full change (begun in us by a change of heart, called the begetting of the spirit) be completed? When shall we be made like Christ our Lord?
Answer." We [saints] shall all be changed." ..." The dead [saints] shall be raised incorruptible , and we shall be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye ... this mortal shall put on immortality." "Sown a natural [animal] body, it is raised a spiritual body." "Thus is the [special] [HG334] resurrection of the [special, elect] dead." 1 Cor. 15:50-53, 1 Cor. 42:44; Philip. 3:11
Question. Are full recompenses, either rewards or punishments, to be expected before the resurrection?
Answer. "Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." Luke 14:14; Rev. 11:18; Matt. 16:27
Question. What is the hope held out for all except the elect Church of the Gospel age?
Answer. "The whole [human] creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now, waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God [the saints]." Then shall follow "times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began," in which "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" through the elect "seed" of Abraham. Rom. 8:22,19; Acts 3:19-21; Gal. 3:16,29
Question. Are the dead conscious or unconscious?
Answer. "The dead know not anything." Eccl. 9:5; Psa. 146:4; Isa. 38:18,19
Question. Have the departed saints been praising the Lord all along during the past ages?
Answer. "The dead praise not the Lord." Psa. 115:17; Psa. 6:5; Ec 9:6
Question. Did the prophets receive their reward at death? or was it reserved in God's plan to be given them at the beginning of the Millennium, the age of judgment?
Answer." The time of the dead , that they should be judged , and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the PROPHETS," is at the beginning of the sounding of the last trumpet, the seventh trumpet at the end of the Gospel age. Rev. 11:15,18; Psa. 17:15
Question. Were the apostles promised translation to heaven at death? or must they wait for the Lord's second coming?
Answer." As I said to the Jews, Whither I go ye cannot come; so now I say TO YOU [apostles]." "I will come again and receive you unto myself." John 13:33; John 14:3
Question. Was it proper for the saints of the Gospel age, except such as would be living at the time of the Lord's return, to expect to be crowned at death?
Answer." When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1 Pet. 5:4; 2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 1:4,5
Question. Did the Apostles expect glory at death or at the second coming of Christ?
Answer." When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear, with him in glory." Col 3:4; 1 John 3:2
Question. Were the saints to " shine " in death?
Answer." Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, ... and they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament [as the sun]." Dan. 12:2,3; Matt. 13:40-43
Question. Were the ancient worthies rewarded at death?
Answer." These all died in faith, not having received the promises; ... that they without us should not be made perfect." Heb. 11:13,39,40
Question. David was one of the holy prophets: Was he rewarded by being taken to heaven?
Answer." David is not ascended into the heavens." Acts 2:34
Question. How many had gone to heaven up to the time of our Lord's ascension?
Answer." No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man." John 3:13
Question. Can he who created man destroy him? Can the soul be destroyed by its Creator?
Answer." Fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna [the Second death]." "He spared not their souls from death." "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Matt. 10:28; Psa. 78:50; Eze. 18:4,20; Psa. 22:29; Josh. 10:35; Isa. 38:17; Psa. 56:13; Psa. 30:3; Psa. 119:175; Matt. 26:38; Isa. 53:10,12
Question. How great importance did the Apostle Paul attach to the doctrine of the resurrection?
Answer." If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is not Christ risen. ... Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." 1 Cor. 15:13-18
Question. Are the unjust now being tormented in some unknown hell? or do they always meet the full penalty of their unrighteousness in the present life?
Answer." The Lord knoweth how to ... reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment [the Millennial day] to be punished." 2 Pet. 2:9; Job 21:30
Question. What will be the end of those who when tried are found incorrigible, willfully wicked?
Answer. They shall "go away into a cutting off from life," "be punished with everlasting destruction [a destruction which will never be terminated by a resurrection];" for still "The wages of sin is death," "the second death;" and still the gift of God, eternal life, is to be had only in Christ. "He that hath the Son hath life;" he that hath not the Son shall not receive that gift. Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:14,15; Matt. 25:46; 1 John 5:12; 2 Thess. 1:9
Reader, reflect upon and endeavor to answer for yourself the questions which follow. Should you need help in searching for the Scriptural answers, it will be found in our " Hell " pamphlet.
Question. Why did Job (a just man that feared God and eschewed evil) desire to go to hell ( sheol , the [HG335] "grave"), there to be hidden until the day of divine wrath against sin is past, and the glad sun of Millennial and restitution glory shall shine forth? Job 14:13; Acts 3:21
Question. Why did Jacob (a man approved by our Lord; Matt. 8:11; Heb. 11:21,39) expect nothing else than to go to hell ( sheol '" the grave") at death? And why was he confident that he would find there (if dead) his model son Joseph? Gen. 37:35; Gen. 42:38; Gen. 44:29,31
Question. Why did the good king Hezekiah, whom God specially favored, expect and declare at death that he was about to go to hell ( sheol '" the grave")? Isa. 38:10,18
Question. Why did king David expect on dying to go to hell ( sheol '" the grave")? Psa. 88:3
Question. Why did he expect the same of all mankind and declare that all go to hell ( sheol '" the grave")? Psa. 89:48
Question. If hell ( sheol) is a place of living torture, lighted with flames and hideous with the curses of its occupants suffering torture, either mental or physical, why do the Scriptures declare it to be a place or state of silence, darkness, forgetfulness, and absolute unconsciousness? Psa. 88:3-12; Psa. 6:5; Job 10:21,22; Eccl. 9:10; Psa. 146:4; Isa. 38:18
Question. If God is able to destroy both soul and body in the Second Death, and if he declares that he will destroy the willfully and intelligently wicked, will not this prove that there will be no such thing as everlasting sin and everlasting agony?
And does not this clear God's character from charges of injustice?
Question. Are not these propositions intimately associated with all the doubts which have troubled you since you became a Christian, and perhaps before? And would not their Scriptural solution greatly assist in rooting, grounding and establishing your faith in the Bible as the inspired. Word of God? This has been the blessed result with many who in their confusion were doubtful, skeptical and unsettled Christians, as well as with many open and even blasphemous Infidels. It is the key * which opens to the honest seeker the treasures of divine wisdom and grace.
Pages 1 to 5 of this article can be found in Reprint R2313-R2314 'June, 1898, entitled, "Must We Abandon Hope of a Golden Age?"
Pages 6 to 8 are reprinted below.
PARTIAL LIST OF SCRIPTURES Which We Understand to Teach "Restitution of All Things" and Future Probation Acts 3:19-21.
Note that the inspired Apostle declares that all God's holy prophets spoke of these times (Acts 3:21, 24). We should therefore expect to find something concerning Restitution in the writings of each prophet of the Old Testament. Gen. 12:2,3; Gen. 18:18; Gen. 22:17,18. All the families of the earth are here mentioned as beneficiaries. Observe that St. Paul explains that the Seed which will confer the blessing is Christ and his Church (the mystical body of which Jesus is the Head). Gal. 3:16,29; 1 Cor. 12:12,27; Eph. 1:22,23 Leviticus 25:10. Israel's Jubilee was a type or shadow, the substance of which shall be realized in the world-wide Restitution which will follow the establishment of God's Kingdom at the second advent of our Lord Jesus. Heb. 10:1*
Question. Is there not danger of getting mixed up by taking the "say so" of men? and is it not our duty to demand and seek a "Thus saith the Lord" for all that we accept as truth on religious subjects? And will not the reader resolve to do this hereafter?
A flood of light on many Scriptural questions can be obtained from a pamphlet entitled, What Say the Scriptures About Hell? 'It examines every text of the Bible containing the word hell , and assists the Bible student in "rightly dividing the word of truth." Price 10 cents. Free to those too poor to purchase, who will ask for it. This should be followed by a studious reading of The Plan of the Ages , a veritable "Bible Key," opening to the consecrated children of God "hidden treasures" of divine grace, now meat in due season for such as are hungering and thirsting after righteousness. [HG336] Deut. 18:15,18,19.
So applied by St. Peter. Acts 3:22 1 Kings 17:22.
This restoration of life was a foreshadowing of the great Times of Restitution. Isa. 25:6-9; 2 Kings 4:33-36.
A figure, as the preceding. Psa. 46:9,10; Psa. 72:1,7-15; Psa. 96:10-13; Psa. 98:4,9. Isa. 35:10.
That we may know positively who are to be the blessed ones, who shall enjoy the privilege of Restitution by return to harmony with God, compare the words, "ransomed of the Lord" (vs. 10) with 1 Tim. 2:6, "a ransom for all." Jer. 30:18; 31:8,9. For comments on these words promising a Restitution blessing, see Rom. 11:12,15. Jer. 31:29,30,34. Compare Rom. 5:12; John 1:9; 1 Tim. 2:4. Eze. 16:44-63.
God saw fit (vs. 50) to slay the Sodomites; yet our Lord Jesus said (Matt. 11:23) that they would have repented under such a ministry as had been granted to Capernaum, which repented not. Does not this course on God's part indicate that, since he is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), and since it is his will that all shall come to a knowledge of the truth, the death-imprisoned Sodomites shall be brought forth (John 5:29) to their "former estate" (Eze. 16:55), and "in that day" be given an opportunity to believe in the "only name given under heaven or among men, whereby we must be saved?" (Acts 4:12) Our Lord's declaration that it would be more tolerable for Sodom in the Day of Judgment than for some who heard and rejected him, implies that that time will be tolerable for all in proportion as their sins had been sins of ignorance. (Matt. 11:24; Luke 12:47,48) And it would be difficult to foretell the restitution of the Sodomites more clearly and more definitely than is done in this chapter. And in selecting so extreme an example of clemency our Lord evidently intended that we should see that the sacrifice which he gave was unquestionably "a ransom for all."
Dan. 2:44; Dan. 7:13,14,27. This is a prophecy of Restitution. Because any prophecy of the Kingdom of Christ and his saints is a prophecy of Restitution; for the Kingdom is to be set up at the second advent of our Lord Jesus, "whom the heavens must receive until the times of Restitution of all things." Acts 3:21 Hos. 6:1-3; Joel 1:32; Joel 3:1,2,17,18.
Amos 9:11-13. For inspired comment on this prophecy of Restitution see Acts 15:13-18. The words of this apostle agree with those of Paul (Rom. 11), for he says that this blessing is to be brought to Israel in order that the rest of "men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles."
John 3:10; 4:11. Compare Matt. 12:41. Mic 4:1-4. Compare Isa. 2:2-4.
Hab 2:14; Zeph. 3:9; Hag 2:6,7; Zech. 8:20-23.
Mal. 4:2. Compare also Psa. 30:5; Matt. 13:43.
Matt. 25:31-46. It should be noted that when the Lord occupies his throne, the Church reigns with him. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Col 3:4) Christ will not reign over his glorified Church, nor the members of his glorified Church reign over each other, but the Church complete will reign over all nations, dead and living (Rom. 14:9), else their title "Seed of Abraham" (Gal. 3:29) is a misnomer. Luke 2:10,30-32.
John 3:17; John 5:25,30. Observe that our Lord's words in verse 30 indicate that the destiny of those who come up to judgment (vs. 29, R. V.) is not fixed beforehand. Testimony is to be taken, and "as I hear, I judge." And all this therefore refers to the "Times of Restitution."
John 17:9,20,21,23. Our Lord's last prayer was not on behalf of the world, but on behalf of his disciples and those who should believe through their word, and his prayer for the whole Church was made that the whole world might afterward have the opportunity to "believe and know that thou hast sent me;" in the times of Restitution. Rom. 5:18,19; Rom. 8:19-22.
1 Cor. 15:21-23. Note here that the expression "they [HG337] who are Christ's at his coming [ parousia , presence]" evidently does not refer to the Church, for they are Christ's before his second advent, and with him constitute the first-fruits first mentioned. (Note also Jas. 1:18.) "They who are Christ's at his coming"' during his presence 'during his Millennial reign, evidently refers to "all them that believe in that day ;" the day of Christ, the times of Restitution.'2 Thess. 1:10
2 Cor. 5:19-6:2. Some think that 1 Cor. 6:2 teaches that there will be no opportunity to exercise faith and repentance in the Millennial age, but a careful reading of Isa. 49:8-10, from which it is quoted, indicates that the body of Christ is helped and succored in its day of salvation, in order that it may be the instrument of God for the blessing and releasing of those who are in the prisonhouse of death. Here also Restitution is taught. Gal. 3:8; Eph. 1:10; Philip. 2:9-11; Col 1:20.
Titus 2:13. A "blessed hope," truly, when we realize that the event for which we hope is to usher in the "Times of Restitution." Heb. 6:13,14; Heb. 8:11.
1 Pet. 2:9. Since the Church is to be a royal Priesthood, there will doubtless be some for whom they will perform the priestly offices; and for whom, if not for the world of mankind, ransomed by the great High Priest and his "better sacrifices?"
Jude 14. A prophecy of Restitution, by Enoch, who "pleased God."
Rev. 20:11; Rev. 22:1,17; Rev. 20:12. All the events here mentioned, including the invitation to "whosoever will," are to be fulfilled after the second advent of Christ, after the Church has become the "Bride, the Lamb's wife," after the establishment of his Kingdom. Observe also, that the invitation is to be extended to "all the dead," before the throne.
Savior, thy dying love Thou gavest me, Nor would I aught withhold, Dear Lord from thee; In love my soul would bow, My heart fulfil its vow, Myself an off'ring now, I bring to thee.
Jesus our mercy-seat, Covering me, My grateful faith looks up, Savior, to thee; Help me the news to bear, Thy wondrous love declare, Spread thy truth everywhere, Dear Lord, for thee.
Give me a faithful heart, Likeness to thee, That each departing day Henceforth may see Thy work of love well done, Thy praise on earth begun, Some vict'ry for truth won, Some work for thee.
Lord, I would follow thee In all the way Thy weary feet have trod; Yes, if I may. Help me the cross to bear, All thy fair graces wear, Close watching unto prayer, Following thee.
All that I am and have' Thy gifts so free' All of my ransomed life, Dear Lord, for thee! And when thy face I see. Thy sweet "Well done" shall be, Through all eternity, Enough for me. [HG338]
False Christianity False Christianity "Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting."
"Thou art weighed in the balaces and are found wanting."
The Cross "Injustice Distorted, "Injustice or The Cross or False. Iniquity." Distorted, Iniquity." False I owe Christ nothing, but deserve heaven for my good works. Without faith it is impossible to please God."
"False teachers . . . even denying the Lord that bought them."
True Christianity The perfect balance.
"Freely ye have received, freely give."
FAITH-WORKS Mere Justice The True Or "Equity." Cross Christ died for me, I live unto him.
Justification (reconciliation) by the blood.