HARVEST GLEANINGS I [HG360]
Number 64, January, 1904 CRITICISMS OF MILLENNIAL HOPES AND PROSPECTS EXAMINED Miscalculations Corrected What 2000 years more would mean under Present Conditions See note on Old Theology Quarterly, No. 63.
"This Millennial doctrine encounters a very serious difficulty. If the world’s population had doubled each century for the past sixty—which seems a very reasonable estimate—the present population of the earth would be two and one third quintillions of people. That would cover over the fifty millions of square miles of land surface on this globe with people as thickly as they could stand, four thousand feet deep. If each were five feet high they would reach up into the sky nearly four miles. No doubt people enough have been born to make that number." The above remarks were addressed by Reverend E. L. Eaton, D. D., to the M. E. ministers of Pittsburg at a meeting held April 27, 1903. The address was favorably received by the learned gentlemen present and thought so highly of that it was printed for circulation.
Six months later, on Oct. 29, 1903, the same Rev. Dr. Eaton, in debate with Pastor C. T. Russell, at Carnegie Music Hall, Allegheny, Pa., repeated so much of the above as applied to his method of calculation, but revised his figures as to the total of humanity for the past six thousand years. As illustrating the large concession, we place his figures side by side:
First statement 2,333,333,333,333,333,333 Second statement 98,098,300,000,000 Shrinkage in six months 2,333,235,235,033,333,333 Let us hope that a man of so liberal a mind and so easy a pencil may yet get to see the question he was discussing in its true and reasonable light. Let us hope that the intelligent, thoughtful, educated clergymen who so innocently swallowed the first exaggeration will be as ready to receive the truth on the subject as they were to accept the error. It is not our thought to speak slightingly of any one’s honest endeavor to ascertain truth, however egregiously he may err in his attempts; neither is it our wish to make personal criticisms; but extravagantly erroneous statements have been so freely made by men of large reputation and deficient comprehension, that it is necessary in defence of the truth, and for the assistance of the unlearned and non-professional, that this matter be critically examined. Our statements, therefore, are not to be considered personal, but a general criticism of all the learned men who have talked so foolishly upon this subject. Dr. Eaton and his figures merely come in conveniently at the present time. Our criticisms apply equally to the thousands of other great heads which have similarly misapprehended the truth on this subject.
Before showing the reasonable figures for the total of humanity who have ever lived on this earth, let us give a simple illustration of the inaccuracy of Dr. Eaton’s computations that will be proof positive of the grossness of his error, even in his revised figures, to every one possessing a sufficiency of "gray matter" to be able to reason on any subject. Any one can demonstrate this matter, for the Doctor has told us his method of computation, namely, the doubling the population each century. Accordingly, the last century of the sixty would be the one-half of the entire sum. The demonstration follows:
According to Dr. Eaton’s largest figures the total population of the world at the present time would be 1,166,666,666,666,666,666 According to his second statement 49,049,150,000,000 According to the census taken the figures should be 1,600,000,000 We cannot suppose that Brother Eaton questions the accuracy of our last census returns, for he surely knows that at the present time the "50,000,000 sq. miles of land surface on this globe" are not covered "with people as thick as they could stand" two thousand deep—reaching up in the sky nearly two miles. Yet, above, he tells us that to him all this "seems a very reasonable estimate" and adds that he has "no doubt" on the subject. Evidently the Brother’s desire to make the doctrine of the Millennium "look like thirty cents" as he expressed it—" to strike that doctrine a blow between the eyes from which it would never recover"—blinded him to the antics of his pencil. But, [HG361] alas, Dr. Eaton, and many of those who applauded his ludicrous statements, are as far from the truth in their general understanding of the divine plan as they are in error on this simple mundane proposition. The secret of this unwisdom lies in rejecting the clear testimony of the Bible and opposing it—claiming that the Apostles and early Church in looking for a Millennium were misled by their ignorance of matters now well known (?) by modern theologians of the higher criticism school. Well says the Apostle that to these the teaching of the cross is foolishness—they have no use for the doctrine of the ransom, that we are bought back from destruction by the ransom price, even the precious blood of Christ. The words of the Prophet quoted by the Apostle are still applicable to such, and still explain why it is that worldly wisdom is to liable to err unguided by the letter the spirit of revelation. The quotation is—" I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" 1 Cor. 1:19,20
A CAREFUL ESTIMATE BASED ON FACTS We should reason of unknown things from the basis of that which is known. We know that the world’s population today is approximately 1,600,000,000. We know that the present rate of increase is eight per cent for the past ten years; this would give an eighty percent increase for a century. However, that the increase has not been so great in the past we are certain. This is easily demonstrated, for if we should reckon backward at this ratio of increase we would get back to the first pair (Adam and Eve) in about three thousand years, and we have Scriptural grounds for believing that it is fully six thousand years since the creation of our first parents.
We believe that every careful, thoughtful calculator, who with us will take Bible history and secular history, will come to close agreement with our conclusions on this subject.
Our figures for the whole number of people who have ever been born on this earth are 28,441,126,838 to date—including the present population. It is our conviction that these figures are probably double the actual number, but we desire to make them so generous that even opponents can find no fault with them. We arrive at these figures as follows: (See also "ANOTHER CALCULATION," in footnote below.)
During the first sixteen hundred and fifty-six years, down to the flood, the Scriptures show us that humanity lived longer and reached development more slowly than now, many of the children not being born until the parents were more than a hundred years old. Thus Seth, the son of Adam, was one hundred and five years old when Enos, his son, was born; Enos was ninety years old at the birth of his first son, Cainan; Cainan was seventy years old then he begat Mahalaleel; the latter was sixty-five when he begat Jered, who was one hundred and sixty-two when he begat Enoch. The latter when sixty-five begat Methuselah, who when one hundred and eighty-seven begat Lamech, the father of Noah. We are inclined to believe that the whole population in that time may not have exceeded one hundred thousand, but to be liberal we have placed it in the foregoing estimate at one million.
After the flood humanity began again with eight persons, and for a time evidently the increase in population was much more rapid than before the flood. In our liberal estimate we reckon the population to have multiplied five times in each century for the first five centuries, which would bring us down to about the time of Abraham, and show a population in Abraham’s day of under fifty-eight thousand, although it is our opinion that these figures are double the actual facts.
"Higher critics" are so in the habit of using wild unreason in respect to matters of ancient times, that we make this concession. They will declare, for instance, that Assyria was a great nation at this time, and that evidences have been unearthed mentioning the great King Chedorlaomer, whom they estimate as probably the ruler of millions—taking no thought of the flood and the impossibility of having more than fifty thousand in the world at that time.
The Scripture narrative, however, will save the Lord’s people from such errors of judgment, for this great King Chedorlaomer is distinctly mentioned in Gen. 14 in connection with three associated kings, who, joining their combined forces, attacked five other kings in the vale of Siddim. The great Chedorlaomer and his valiants conquered, and carried away the spoil, including Lot, Abraham’s nephew, and his goods. The narrative shows that these kings, [HG362] though great for their time, when there were few people in the world, had very small armies, for they did not venture to attack (King) Abraham, who was "very rich" in flocks, herds, etc. On the contrary, when (King) Abraham heard that his nephew Lot was taken prisoner, he armed his three hundred and eighteen servants and pursued after the four great kings and their armies, smote them hip and thigh, and brought back Lot and all his goods. To the Bible student, therefore, the biggest thing about King Chedorlaomer was his name, and such will not be confused by the exaggerated estimates of the higher critics respecting the millions of those days; for their figures are just as reliable as Dr. Eaton’s given above.
Continuing our liberal allowances, we have estimated that during the next five centruries the world’s population multiplied three times each century. This would give us as the world’s population at the time of the exodus 14,241,744.*
We now reach the time of wars and must reckon the increase of population more slowly than during the pastoral period. Proceeding, we group the next six centuries together and remember that the Israelites in Canaan were some eighteen times in bondage to their enemies during this period, and that a census taken near the close of David’s reign by Joab showed the numbers competent to serve in the army to be 570,000; the entire population of Palestine, therefore, at that time can not have been much, if any, above 2,000,000. The same warfaring spirit affected other nations and similarly hindered rapid propagation; hence our estimate is that the race doubled during those six centuries, which would show a population in Solomon’s time of over 37,000,000 throughout the world—again, a very liberal estimate according to all reliable information at our command, probably double the actual number.
We group the next twelve centuries together, concluding that the race doubled during those twelve centuries. To some this may appear too slow a ratio of increase, but we should consider the immense wars of that period, during which Assyria went down and Babylon rose and conquered the whole world, destroying many nations entirely; and that it subsequently fell before the Medes and Persians, who also shed blood in a wholesale manner, and who in turn fell before the Greeks; and that the latter, under Alexander the Great, conquered and dominated the world, but in turn fell before the Romans; and that these, at a cost of thousands upon thousands in the prime of life, did their share also in staying the rapid propagation of the race. These figures would give a world population of 82,000,000 in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, of 100,000,000 in the time of Christ, and of 113,000,000 at the time when the Roman Empire was at its zenith—its boundaries extending over Europe, Africa and a considerable portion of Asia. The historian estimates the population of the Roman world then at 50,000,000 and our estimate shows a surplus therefore of 63,000,000 for the known and unknown portions of the earth at that time—again, evidently, a very liberal reckoning.
We estimate the next four centuries as increasing the population twenty-five per cent each century; for the decrease of war resulting from the firm establishment of the Roman power must have had such an effect. This gives us at the time of Charlemagne, at the opening of the eighth century, a world population of over 227,000,000.
Following came the centuries of the Crusades, etc., [HG363] in which millions of the youth of the world perished. Our reckoning is that the world’s population doubled during these six centuries—from the year 800 to 1399, A. D. This gives us as the population of the world for the year 1400 the sum of 455,733,808.
The next four centuries were more favorable to the multiplying of the race, great battles and desolating plagues being fewer. The religious reformation belongs to this period. We reckon the population to have doubled during these four centuries, and this would give us the world population for the year 1700 of 911,467,606.
These figures, so far as we know, are very greatly in excess of any reliable statistics.
We reckon the period from 1700 to 1800, A. D., at a twenty per cent rate of increase, giving the population in the year 1800 at 1,093,759,939.
For the century just closed, from the year 1800 to the year 1900, we have estimated an increase of forty per cent, which shows the population for the year 1900, 1,531,163,915. Although, as already stated, the ratio of increase in population for the ten years of the last census was eight per cent, representing an increase of eighty per cent for the century, it is manifest that the increase during the earlier portion of the nineteenth century was at a much slower rate. Present conditions are increasingly favorable to the propagation of the race, as well as to its longevity; and it would not surprise us if the increase would show much greater in the near future.
The following tables of estimates of the world’s population, made during the nineteenth century, show clearly that the estimates we have given are exceedingly liberal; besides, in reckoning the total we have counted the entire century at the figures of its close.
Volney in 1804 estimated the population of the world at 437,000,000 Pinkerton in 1805 estimated the population of the world at 700,000,000 Malte-Brun in 1810 estimated the population of the world at 640,000,000 Morse in 1812 estimated the population of the world at 766,000,000 Graberg v. Hemso in 1813 estimated the population of the world at 686,000,000 Balbi in 1816 estimated the population of the world at 704,000,000 Balbi in 1843 estimated the population of the world at 739,000,000 We believe that the liberality of our figures will be conceded by all careful, thoughtful people, and in our opinion they are as a whole double the truth.
Our next step was to approximate the number that died each century. We have estimated that twice the number of the whole population died every century down to the time of Solomon; and that since then to the present time three times the number of the whole population have died each century. It is on the basis of this calculation that we have already stated the number 28,441,126,838. Be it remembered also that in this calculation we have nearly doubled the actual facts.
Take, for instance, the last century, which began with 1,093,759,939 and closed with 1,531,163,915. In estimating this we did not multiply by three the supposed number living in the middle of the century, 1850, but multiplied by three the total number living at the close of the century.
Now with this large allowance and liberal estimate everywhere of probably double, what can we say respecting the ability of the earth to furnish these habitation and food? Remembering the Lord’s promise that in that millennial period "the earth shall yield her increase" and that the desert and wilderness places of the earth shall become as a garden of Eden, we may safely estimate upon all the land—which we find, according to recent estimates, to be 57,000,000 square miles, or over 36,000,000,000,000 acres.
What would this mean as to space for each individual who has ever lived in the world according to this very large, liberal estimate? It means that there would be twelve hundred and seventy-five acres for each little village of two hundred families (one thousand persons). Quite a sufficiency of room, all will agree, under the new conditions promised; but if more space be necessary, let us have a little of the faith which father Abraham exercised when he counted that God, to keep his promise, was able to raise Isaac from the dead. With this faith we will see readily that it will be quite within the divine power to raise vast continents from the depths of the oceans, or indeed to give a literal as well as a symbolical fulfillment to the declaration, "There shall be no more sea."
Our conclusion then must be that those who hold to the teachings of the Lord and the faith of the Apostles and primitive Church have not been put to shame in any degree by the wisdom of this world.
Now let us look on the other side of the question, and see if it be not true respecting the worldly wise as was written nearly three thousand years ago, "The wise are taken in their own craftiness"—" They hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai." Esth. 7:10
The Other Side of the Question OPPOSERS OF THE MILLENNIUM SILENCED AND SHAMED
"Out of Thine Own Mouth Will I Judge Thee."[HG364] Those who stand loyally in support of the teachings of our Lord and his Apostles in respect to the coming Kingdom "under the whole heavens" have generally been content to be on the defensive. Those who trust fully in the promise of God to Abraham, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed," have too long endured the sneers of the worldly wise and refrained from pricking their bubbles of self-complacency, pride, sarcasm and folly set afloat by those who think themselves to be somebody, and discredit the inspired revelation and those who stick closely to the Book.
The time is come to forever silence these opposers of the divine word, and we shall now proceed to do so. Again we must use Brother Eaton’s words, but we again disclaim any personality and recognize that he is merely one of a class—a large class, an influential class, a D. D. class—whose minds and expressions on the subject are the same as Brother Eaton’s. We take his words rather than those of some one else because they were uttered recently and in public contention with this very subject of the Millennium, were heard by hundreds and read by thousands. We must have some positive statement to deal with, and his is the nearest and most suitable one; therefore, and not for any personal reasons, his words are criticized. Dr. Eaton’s words in his argument against the reasonableness of expecting a Millennium not only were as above quoted, and criticized, but additionally he said that he did not expect the second coming of our Lord until the conversion of the world and the end of this dispensation, which would not be for probably
"FIFTY THOUSAND YEARS YET" Brother Eaton by this time has gotten used to the treachery of his pencil, and we trust will conclude that while it may be safe to use the pencil ad lib on the subject of astronomy, where a few hundred thousand solar systems will not be noticed by the credulous public, it is nevertheless a very uncertain pencil to use in respect to earthly things.
Now let us weigh carefully this statement, made not only by Rev. E. L. Eaton, D.D., but by hundreds of other equally titled gentlemen, whose position before God’s people and before the world as teachers has been trusted too confidingly by their flocks. We hope that on the subject under discussion and on all subjects they will revise their methods of "foolish talking," and remember that those who pose as ministers of the gospel of Christ should, according to the exhortation of the Apostle Paul, "Speak as the oracles of God"-truthfully, accurately-in a manner to be depended upon. Meantime we hope their followers will give them no more credit for accuracy in other features of their religious teaching than in the one under consideration.
Let us do a little figuring; let us do it in a manner that any schoolboy can follow.
We want to inquire how many people will be living on the earth at the end of fifty thousand years-about the time Dr. Eaton estimates that Christ will come. We will take as the basis of our calculation the present population of the world as 1,600,000,000. We will take as the basis of our reckoning for increase the census returns for the last decade, namely, eight percent, which would mean eighty percent increase for the century. If the favorable conditions of the present continue, no doubt the increase will be far in excess of eighty percent, but let us confine ourselves to present conditions. A little figuring shows us that at the end of the first of these fifty thousand years the living population of the world would be over 3,491,000,000,000, and at the same ratio of increase the close of the second thousand years would find a living population on this earth of over 7,249,000,000,000,000.
What do these figures mean? They mean that if God’s Word is not true, if the great change of dispensation which we preach is not soon inaugurated, the whole world of mankind will be in great distress, not only for food to eat, but for standing room. We have only counted two of Dr. Eaton’s fifty thousand years!
What would the figures be if we were to run them up further?
ANTI-MILLENNIALISTS PUT TO CONFUSION Those who deny the teaching of a Millennium must of course ignore the promises which declare that "the wilderness will blossom as the rose and the solitary places be glad," and consequently any reckoning from their standpoint must exclude all the at present useless portions of the earth’s surface. Approximately estimating the habitable and tillable portion of the earth at 25,000,000 square miles, we find that this would give us 16,000,000,000 acres or 696,960,000,000,000 square feet.
Comparing these figures with the above reckoning as to population we find that at the close of the first thousand years there would be two hundred and eighteen people for each acre of the habitable earth. At the close of the second thousand there would be ten thousand four hundred persons for each square foot of the habitable earth, or in other words they would be standing on each other’s heads about twenty thousand persons high; or, if we include the polar regions and waste portions of the earth, they would be about ten thousand persons high on each other’s heads; or, if we include the water surface as well as all the land surface, there would be seventeen hundred persons for [HG365] each square foot. Allowing two square feet for each individual, the population would need to stand in piles thirty-four hundred deep, closely packed together all over the surface of land and sea.
What would the figures be at the end of fifty thousand years if each of the succeeding forty-eight were estimated on the reasonable basis of the two already calculated!
THE MILLENNIUM INDISPENSABLE-SOON Is it not time that those who do not believe in a coming Millennium should begin to pray that God would arrange for one? Is it not evident that if Christ’s Kingdom were delayed even three hundred years the world would be in terrible straits. The population at the present rate of increase would then be over 16,000,000,000 with less then two habitable acres apiece, and only by very "intensive farming" could they subsist at all.
Ah! says some one, You are neglecting to count that death will keep things balanced, about as they now are, always. No, we are not over-looking death, but averaging it as at present. We are merely reckoning the Increase of population on the basis of the last census reports.
Very evidently the facts, as we look backward and forward, all indicate that we are just at the right time for the establishment of "the Kingdom of God’s dear Son." The declaration of the Lord at the beginning was, that the earth should be filled, and according to our computations we have now reached a place where a sufficient number of people have been born into the world to about reasonably and properly fill it, if they were recovered from the tomb. On the contrary, looking into the future, we see not only an impossibility of long continuance under present conditions, but we see likewise that even three centuries more at the present rate of increase would add to the numbers of the dead 59,000,000,000, or over double the number of our above liberal estimate of all the past dead-making the total number 87,000,000,000. Add to this number of the dead, at the close of three centuries future, the number then living at present rate of increase, viz. 16,000,000,000, the total would be over one hundred and three thousand millions.
There would then be room for an argument on the possibility of God’s promise of "restitution of all things spoken." (Acts 3:19-21.) The awakening of such a host would furnish only one acre of at present useable land for six persons. Three centuries are not far ahead either!
The more we investigate this question upon a proper basis, the more strong our faith must become in the promises of the divine Word respecting the "times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began," and which are to commence with the second coming of our Lord. (Acts 3:19-21) They are surely nigh at hand: these facts agreeing well with the Bible testimonies. See Millennial Dawn, Vol. II.
In the light of the foregoing we find all of Brother Eaton’s figures quite erroneous.
His revised figures are more than three thousand times too large; while those first presented were more than seventy millions of times too large! Let us all the more closely stick to the Book-to God’s Word. "The Word of the Lord is sure making wise the simple. "-Psa. 19:7.
A FLESHLY KINGDOM INFERIOR TO A SPIRITUAL ONE Another objection that is frequently urged in opposing the Millennium is that it would be inconsistent for our Lord to reign on earth as a man in the flesh-to have an earthly court, to sit on a gold or ivory throne at Jerusalem or elsewhere, and to have men pay homage to him as they would to a kaiser or czar.
We agree that such a view of the Millennial Kingdom would be an unreasonable one. But no such objection can be urged against the Scriptural presentation of this matter.
According to the Scriptures our Lord Jesus, the great King, and his glorified Church, his Bride, will be as invisible to men as is the heavenly Father and the holy angels at the present time. The fact that Christ will be King over all the earth in that day does not involve the thought of his being seen by men with the natural eye. Is not Satan the prince of this world, as our dear Redeemer expresses the matter (John 14:30), or the god or ruler of this world, as the Apostle Paul explains? (2 Cor. 4:4) Is not Satan the prince of devils, the fallen angels being his associates in his present usurped dominion of the world? Has not Satan dominated the world in general for now thousands of years? Has he not used as his tools and dupes the majority of the human family, who, because of this relationship to him, are called "children of the devil," because his works they do?-John 8:44.
Seeing that Satan has thus wielded an evil influence, blinding mankind and deceiving the nations (Rev. 20:3), will it be any less possible for the Prince of Peace to rule the world, to open the blind eyes and to cause the knowledge of God to be generally appreciated throughout the world during his reign-without his appearing in the flesh? Let us note the Scriptural declarations, which clearly teach that God’s Kingdom will be invisible to mankind though all powerful in its blessed influence. [HG366]
"THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU." When our Master was proclaiming his Kingdom at his first advent the scribes and Pharisees opposed him. Desiring to show that he lacked both the money and the soldiers to establish a kingdom, and wishing further to show what they considered to be the unreasonableness of his pretensions as a king, they demanded of him when the kingdom that he preached would be manifested; -when they could see something tangible of his glory and power, and his disciples associated with him in that kingdom. Mark the Lord’s answer! Weigh every word of it! He said:" The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation [earthly show, display]: Neither shall they say, Lo, it is here; or Lo, it is there! for it will be in the midst of you." -Luke 17:20.
The beauty of this statement has been largely lost by a mistranslation, which has caused many to understand the Lord to have meant that the Kingdom of God would be established in the hearts of his questioners. Nor do those who take this view of the matter show creditable discernment, else they would perceive that there must be some mistake, for the Lord had already said, concerning these same opponents, that they were of their father the devil, that they were hypocrites, whited sepulchres, full of all manner of corruption. (Luke 11:44.) A very slight degree of perception is sufficient to show any one that the Lord did not mean that the Kingdom of God would be set up in their hearts in the midst of that corruption. The proper translation makes everything clear: the Kingdom of God will be in the midst of men, good, bad and indifferent. The Kingdom power will be exercised throughout the length and breadth of the world, an invisible but everywhere power, to correct sin and wrong doing and to reward righteousness and well doing, to lay "judgment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and sweep away the refuge of lies."-Isa. 28:17.
Take another statement by our Lord, speaking respecting the Kingdom class-respecting those who would be joint-heirs with him in the Kingdom. He said, "Ye must be born again"-" flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God."
Further in the same discourse he explained that "except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God;" "except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." (John 3:3,5,6) The explanation that our Lord gave to all these was, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit; fleshly beings cannot see spirit beings.
Here again a little confusion of thought interferes with many Bible students, hindering them from getting the scope of our Lord’s illustration. The natural birth is preceded by a begetting of the flesh; likewise the spiritual birth is preceded by a begetting of the Spirit; but unfortunately, in the Greek the one word genao stands for both thoughts, begetting and birth, and translators generally fail to make the proper distinction. Begetting of the Spirit should be understood whenever the word is used in connection with the present life, while birth of the Spirit should be understood as relating to the future life entered upon by a resurrection. Thus our Lord Jesus was the first born from the dead, and his Church will have a share with him in his resurrection to spirit conditions in due time.
That will be the birth of the Church to the spirit plane. It is to that time and condition that our Lord refers, saying, "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit," and that only these born-again ones of the spirit-resurrection can go and come like the wind, so that no man can know whence they come or whither they go. These born-again ones of the resurrection alone enter into the Kingdom, alone see the Kindgom. Mankind in general will not see the Kingdom members, the Bridegroom and the Bride, because, as the Apostle shows us, these will all be "changed." He explains that "We [the Church] must all be changed," because "flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God." 1 Cor. 15:50.
We remember our Lord’s words again, saying, "Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more-but ye shall see me." (John 14:19) The thought here is the same: That the faithful of the Gospel age as the Bride will be with the Bridegroom, and behold and share his glory, while mankind in general will neither see the Lord nor the Bride.
Again the Apostle says, "It cloth not yet appear what we shall be." Evidently, then, the Church is not to expect that they will be what they now are, men, fleshly beings. The Apostle proceeds to add, "but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him"-like our Lord Jesus, who is no longer a man, no longer in the flesh, but, as the Apostle says, "he was put to death in the flesh but quickened [made alive] in the Spirit." (1 Pet. 3:18) "Now the Lord is that Spirit." 2 Cor. 3:17 The declaration that we shall be like him signifies that, as he experienced a change of nature, lifting him from the human plane, far above angels, principalities and powers, and making him a partaker of the divine nature-the highest of all spirit planes of being-so the faithful of the Church, the overcomers, are promised not only a share of the dominion of earth, but a share of the Lord’s glory, honor and exaltation of nature. The Apostle Peter speaks of this, saying, that God has given to his Church "exceeding great and [HG367] precious promises, that by these we might become partakers of the divine nature." (2 Pet. 1:4.) The "change" from human to divine nature is not only enunciated by the Apostle Paul, but in the text we are now considering it is also clearly stated, for the Apostle continues, "We shall be like him and see him as he is." (1 John 3:2) Most evidently the Apostle’s thought is that our future honor and condition and nature will be so different from our present nature and condition that, although our Lord has described it to us, it is impossible for us to comprehend it; but we are sure it will more than meet our grandest expectations when we know that it means that we shall experience such a change as will permit us to see him-not as he was, but as he is; such a change as will make us like him-spirit beings, glorious, powerful and immortal.
Elsewhere we have shown that our Lord experienced his change from human conditions to spirit conditions at his resurrection. There he was born from the dead, born of the Spirit-a spirit being of the highest order, the divine nature. We have shown, too, that our Lord’s appearance to the Apostles after his resurrection was in various forms, as a gardener, as a wayfarer, etc., and that on these occasions the disciples did not recognize him either by the print of the nails in his hands and feet nor by the print of thorns in his forehead nor by facial expression nor by the garments he wore-all were different from what they had previously been accustomed to, and different each time from the other. Furthermore, we have shown that the few appearances at that time were brief, lasting but a few moments, when the Master would vanish from their sight as suddenly as he had appeared, remaining invisible for days at a time. We have shown that all these manifestations were intended to be lessons to the early disciples and to us-to teach that a great change took place at the time of our Lord’s resurrection: that he was no longer the man Christ Jesus, subject to the conditions of humanity, but was a spirit being, clothed with every power which permitted him to appear. and disappear, as did the holy angels on previous occasions when conveying messages from God to Abraham, to Manoah, to Jacob, to Mary and others. Gen. 18; #Jud 13; Gen. 32; Luke 1
True, our Lord did appear in a body bearing the marks of his crucifixion, but this evidently was in order to identify him to the minds of his disciples. They had not yet been begotten of the Spirit, and could not therefore comprehend clearly spiritual things. One such appearance seemed absolutely necessary to convince the Apostles that the Lord was no longer dead; the other, the second appearance in this manner, was particularly to convince the Apostle Thomas, who declared that he would not otherwise believe. But even in these manifestations, in a body like to the one crucified, the circumstances were such as to prove to the disciples that they were not beholding the body that had been crucified; for the doors were shut and securely fastened for fear of the Jews when the Lord appeared to them in the upper room and showed them his hands and his feet. In other words he materialized before their eyes, the body of flesh no less than the clothing being miraculously produced inside the room before their very eyes; and when he left them, instead of going out of the room and going to some place to lodge, the flesh and clothing merely vanished out of their sight as mysteriously and miraculously as they had appeared. This materializing* in a body of flesh, with clothing, was neither more nor less than the Lord and the holy angels previously had done-for instance, at the appearance to Abraham.
As a man our Lord could not and did not appear and disappear; but because he had been changed again to a spirit nature in his resurrection, therefore to be seen at all by humanity would involve a miracle-appearance in flesh, in a burning bush or in some miraculous manner. Our Lord chose the method of appearing which would least alarm his disciples, most convince them of his change, and best permit him to give them the needed lessons for their future guidance.
Thus the Scriptures teach us conclusively that the Lord and the glorified Church will be invisible to men but yet present with them, their spiritual rulers, overseers, helpers and guides, who, as God’s Kingdom class will so order the affairs of earth as to bring every member of the race into touch with the grace of God, and to assist as many as will to profit by the general uplifting which will then be inaugurated in those times of restitution of all things spoken by all the holy prophets since the world began. Acts 3:19-21
THE KINGDOM OF GOD MERELY HOLY LIVING This is another objection raised by the opponents of the Millennium. They consider that there is to be no future Kingdom; that every thing in the Scriptures relating to the Kingdom of God’s dear Son, etc., refers to the present experiences of those who are fully consecrated to God. A favorite text with these is: [HG368] "The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Spirit." Rom. 14:17
Our critics should examine this text in its connection and see its true meaning, as shown by the Apostle’s entire argument, namely, that the privileges and advantages of belonging to God’s Kingdom class consist not merely in our freedom from the restrictions of the Jewish Law in respect to what we may eat and drink and what we may not eat and drink. The Jews under the Law Covenant had no discretion. Christians, under the arrangement of grace during this Gospel age, have all questions left in their own hands with merely the general guidance that they must conscientiously seek to honor God and to do good unto all men in their bodies and spirits which are his. If then this liberty we have respecting our food and drink is not the chief blessing in the present time, what is the chief blessing? We answer, with the Apostle, that the chief blessings which are ours through Christ in the new arrangement are our righteousness, our justification before God, and the peace of God which this brings to our hearts, and the joy of the holy Spirit resulting from the new arrangement.
The Apostle touches the same thought in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 8:8), saying, "Meat commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we eat not are we the worse."
The Church in the present time is the prospective royal family, even though by divine arrangement left subject to the trials and difficulties and mutations of this present evil world or dispensation. "I have said ye are gods, all of you sons of the Most High: yet, ye shall die like men, ye shall fall like one of the princes"-like Christ our Head and forerunner. (Psa. 82:6,7) Amongst these sons of God, prospective heirs of the Kingdom, of course the royal law will govern-the law of love. Meantime the trials and difficulties will test and prove the sincerity of the consecration of each, and those found insincere will lose their relationship as members of the body of Christ, members of the Kingdom class. Only the very elect, the "little flock," will inherit the joint-heirship with their Lord in the coming Kingdom.
THE COMING KINGDOM TAUGHT BY OUR LORD AND ALL THE APOSTLES We have already called attention to many of our Lord’s parables illustrating the condition of his Church during this Gospel age and the progress it is to make and its final glory. All will call to mind how many of the parables were respecting the Kingdom of heaven, likened to this, that, and the other thing, and the declaration that the Kingdom now suffers violence and the violent rule it by force, yet not the violent but the meek shall inherit eventually. We have called attention to the prayer which our Lord taught us to pray, "Thy Kingdom come," and to his assurance that at his coming he will call his servants and reckon with them first, and that to the overcomers he will appoint the dominion of the new dispensation, one to have rule over two cities, one over five cities, etc. Let us now notice a few expressions by the Apostles indicating that their hope was still in the future Kingdom, that in no sense of the word did they consider that the Kingdom had been set up at Pentecost in any but its embryo or preparatory form. We quote:
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not Inherit the. Kingdom of God." 1 Cor. 6:9, 10 "They which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God." Gal. 5:21 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. "Eph. 5:5 "Ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father cloth his children, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called YOU unto his Kingdom and glory. "2 Thess. 2:12 "That ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer." 2 Thess. 1:5 "The Lord Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom."-2 Tim. 4:1.
"Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs a/ the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" Jas. 2:5 "The rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be administered to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. 1:10,11 ‘To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne."-Rev. 3:21.
"He that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers."-Rev. 2:26,27.
"If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise"-" In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." Gal. 3:29 * * * * It is evident, then, that the Kingdom promised is future, that its work of blessing all humanity, "all the families of the earth," is future, and that the royal [HG369] heirs or members of the Kingdom are the elect Church now in process of selection and perfecting for their glorious future service for the race of Adam, purchased with the precious blood of the Redeemer.
Such as are of this class will have hearing ears for more of the Lord’s Word on this subject, which is sure to appeal to them. We will be glad to respond to the requests of such for spiritual food whether they are able to pay for its preparation or not. As for others-they probably have more than they can digest in the foregoing. "Light is sown for the righteous, and its joys for the upright in heart." Psa. 97:11.
MISSIONARY SUCCESSES, PRESENT AND FUTURE Of the world’s 1,600,000,000 population less than ten percent are Protestants-really much fewer, for these are merely nominal Protestants, and include all in Christendom not avowed Catholics, Jews and Infidels, and not merely Protestant Church members. For instance, in this estimate 40,000,000 Protestants are counted in the United States, though most of the number are infants, who are Protestant Christians only in parental hopes.
The increase of the world’s population-according to the U. S. Govemment’s statistician-for the ten years from 1890 to 1900 was eight per cent, which means eight-tenths of one per cent a year.
This means that the natural increase of the world this year alone would be 12,800,000, nearly all of whom are "heathen" or worse. So far from our being able to convert the world, under present conditions, the balance is going rapidly against us.
Thus seen, the heathen natural increase during one year is far in excess of all the conversions to Christianity (Catholic and Protestant) made in heathendom during the entire nineteenth century. And yet no other century approached this one in missionary activity. It is estimated that Protestants are now spending at the rate of $15,000,000 a year on Foreign Missions.
What is the lesson of all this? It teaches that the blessing of all the families of the earth by the Spiritual "Seed of Abraham" while an the flesh is an utter impossibility. It shows clearly that we can not hope to see the world thus blessed, according to God’s "Oathbound Covenant" (Heb. 6:17-19; Gal. 3:29), until the Spiritual Seed has been completed, "changed" (1 Cor. 15:51), and associated with her Lord, the Great King, Immanuel, whose Kingdom "under the whole heavens" will then be established "in power and great glory" (Dan. 7:27; Matt. 25:31; Rev. 11:17)-thus to bless all mankind. Then the True Light shall lighten every man that ever came into the world. (John 1:9) Then, in those "times of restitution," all the families of the earth will be evangelized and blessed. Acts 3:19-23 The results thus obtained (Isa. 11:9) will be thorough; whereas the conversion of the entire world to the present condition of Christendom would leave them in need of another conversion, that God’s will might be done on earth even as in heaven.
MEANTIME WITNESSING PROGRESSES Now we come to see the meaning of our Lord’s declaration, that his true followers would be but a "little flock," to whom it would be "the Father’s good pleasure to give the Kingdom," that will during the Millennium bless "all people." (Luke 12:32) Now we understand his words to the effect that we should let our light shine amid darkness, which would comprehend it not, but oppose it; but thus we would be his representatives and witnesses until the close of this age and its elective work. Now we see the meaning of his words, "When the Son of man cometh shall he find the azth on the earth?" and of the Apostolic declarations that the end of this age would witness a great falling away from the true faith, just before the great time of trouble, which shall prepare for and usher in the glorious Millennial Morning of Christ’s reign of righteousness and blessing. Luke 18:8; 1 Tim. 4:1; Jas. 5:1-9; 2 Thess. 2:8-12
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THESE MATTERS? If so you cannot afford to waste your time reading "new theologies," "higher criticism," "Evolution" theories, etc., all of which are wisdom of men and foolishness with God. Neither should you go to the God-dishonoring and Scripture-wresting creeds of the "dark ages." Nor to the more modem traditions of men, based on those errors of the "dark ages."
To what then do we commend you? We answer, "To God and to the Word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance (in the Kingdom) among all them which are sanctified." (Acts 20:32) But the time is short, and you have wandered far from the simplicity of the Divine Word, and the path of return is piled full of the rubbish of ignorance, superstition, pride and sectarian ambition, as well as beset by the world, the flesh and the devil.
Therefore our great Shepherd has sent to all such "A Helping Hand," to point out the right path (Jer. 6:16) and to assist you over the rubbish and difficulties, and to bring you back, clear back, to our Master’s own words and those of his inspired Apostles and Prophets. This helping hand, "The Divine Plan of the Ages," (360 pages), is sold at cost, or will be sent to youfree if you cannot afford to pay cost, and will send a postal card request for it. It is published by the Society whose [HG370] address is below, and whose greatest pleasure it will be Jerusalem, and to do all in its power to assist them to hear from all Pilgrims bound for the heavenly freely, regardless of sect or party lines.
Number 66, July, 1904 DO YOU KNOW? See Old Theology Quarterly, No. 21.
Number 68, January, 1905 INCREASING INFLUENCE OF SPIRITISM This article is the same material as No. 75, October, 1906. It can be found in R3490-94 January, 1905, entitled, "Increasing Influence of Spiritualism."
Number 69, April, 1905 Part I STUDY TO SHOW THY SELF APPROVED UNTO GOD A workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth 2 Tim. 2:15 This article can be found in pages A13 to A21 of Volume 1.
Part 2 CHRISTENDOM IN GRAVE DANGER Time at Hand when Fables of Hell and Purgatory are to be Seriously Questioned This article can be found in the Overland Monthly, pages OV294-OV297, entitled, "Christendom in Great Danger."
Part 3 REFRAIN THY VOICE FROM WEEPING and shine eyes from tears This article can be found in the Overland Monthly, pages OV212-OV217, entitled, "Refrain Thy Voice from Weeping and Thine Eyes from Tears."
Part 4 HOPE FOR THE INNUMERABLE NON-ELECT This article can be found in Reprint R2732-R2733-December, 1900, entitled, "What Hope for the Innumerable Non-Elect?" The article referred to in the first sentence is from Reprint R3585-R3587
Number 70, July, 1905 Part 1 CHEERFUL CHRISTIANS "Be of Good Cheer; it is I; be not afraid." Mark 6:50While it is enjoined upon the Lord’s followers to be sober and earnest and moderate in all of life’s affairs, it is a mistake to suppose that this means they must be morose, gloomy, or have a dejected appearance. Quite to the contrary.
Everything in Scripture agrees with the facts as we know them, that those who are full of faith in the Lord and in His Word, and whose hearts are fully consecrated to His service, are cheerful, happy, even in the midst of unsatisfactory and even painful conditions. It is true also that their faces show this cheerfulness of their hearts. They have less of the worried and anxious look, are less fearful and foreboding. The calm of joy and peace resulting from their relationship to the Lord and their reception of His Holy Spirit shows itself not only in their tone of voice but in the glance of the eye; and gradually, if this be the result of an acute conversion, the wrinkles and other marks of care will begin to fade, although they may not fully pass away.
There is a difference, however. We are not merely describing nominal Christians, but the very special class of Christians who know their Lord and are known of Him, who have pledged themselves to walk in His footsteps in the narrow way, and who are seeking daily to lay aside every weight and every besetting sin that they may run with patience the race set before them. (Heb. 12:1) On the contrary, one may attend divine service in large Church buildings and scan the faces of those whom he meets, and find on them all the various marks that belong to sin and care and sorrow and pain and trouble. Indeed he is sure to find very few of the kind we have just described, whose possession of the peace of God which passeth all understanding ruling their hearts shows itself in their faces.
WHY SO MANY CAREWORN FACES? The explanation is, first, that many who attend the nominal churches are not even believers in the Scriptural sense of the word, and still fewer are consecrated believers who are daily striving to know and to do the will of God more perfectly.
The great mass of nominal Church attendants could best be described in the Lord’s words to the Samaritan woman, "Ye believe ye know not what; we know what we believe." (John 4:22) One of the most prominent ministers in Allegheny recently said to his congregation, "There are nearly eight hundred members of the Church and I would to God that two hundred of you knew what you believed."
The gentleman was giving undoubtedly a very liberal allowance. In our opionion, he would have come nearer the truth if he had said not one in ten of the members of the Church knew what they believed or why they believed it. And where is the fault? Is it wholly with the people who attend divine services? Have they absolutely no gift of hearing as respects spiritual things? Or is the difficulty in part with the preachers, who, instead of informing the public respecting the doctrines of Christ, are too busy talking about politics of the day, discussing rich men, socialism, etc., etc. ?
An old adage is, "Like priest, like people," and we believe it would be difficult to find many ministers who know what they believe and what authority from the Word of God they have for the belief. How can such people show in their faces what they do not have in their hearts? How can they trust their affairs, both present and future, in the hands of one of whom they have such little knowledge, and that knowledge chiefly error handed down from the dark ages?
Even those who are truly the children of the King, the fully consecrated, are so swamped by their close [HG372] contact with the tares, so deprived of the fertilizing influences of the Truth, so choked with the tares, that they are, as the Scriptures explain, merely babes in Christ, lacking in knowledge, lacking in appreciation of the Divine Word, lacking in the strength and courage and full assurance of faith and principle. It is to this class, the meek, the teachable, who are hungering after the Truth, that the Lord’s message at this present time is specially sent, to cheer them, to comfort them, to uplift them, to develop them in the fruits and graces of the Spirit through the knowledge of the Word. It is this class that we here and everywhere specially address.
GOOD CHEER IN TROUBLE It is easy enough to be of good cheer under favorable conditions, mental, moral and physical, and with happy associations and surroundings. All who are truly the Lord’s people, who have attained any measure of development in the knowledge of His plan, should be cheerful under such circumstances-especially when associating with fellow Christians, singing the divine praises and approaching the throne of grace as in the Church gatherings, so that the happy faces which we see at Church are not always a token of what we would see if we saw the same people in the everyday affairs of life. To illustrate our point: Not long since four of the brethren met with a nominal Church man, a stranger to them, to attend to a little job which proved very tantalizing and patience wearing to them all for nearly three hours. As they parted, the nominal Church member said, "Gentleman, when I go home I am going to tell my wife that I met four men who, under very trying circumstances, did not swear." The gentleman did not understand the reason lying behind the perplexity and the fretting circumstances which kept the brethren serene.
PEACE IN THE HEART We may be sure, however, from his own words, that their living epistles were not entirely lost in this case. The brethren, through a better knowledge of the Lord, the result of their better faith and fuller consecration, had what the Lord promised they should have, the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, ruling in their hearts. The world and the nominal Church tell us that doctrine is of no particular consequence, that the important matter is honesty and proper living.
But, on the contrary, we tell them that doctrine is all important. The man who has not the proper doctrine before his mind lacks the very power which God intended should work in him to will and to do the divine good pleasure. The man who, taken the Lord’s prescription is still sick, is still in pain, is still in trouble, and the anxious care and trouble show upon his face. The Lord has invited all the weary and the heavy laden to come to Him and find rest, and when this course has been followed and the rest has come to the heart it is always sure to manifest itself on the features and in the conduct.
"BE NOT AFRAID: IT IS I" Our text is a part of a little narrative: Jesus had been with His disciples on the farther shore of Lake Galilee; He remained behind but sent them away in the ship.
A storm arose, the wind was contrary, they were tossed by the waves and made no progress; they were still in the midst of the sea and troubled. They had learned from previous experiences that while the Master was with them all would be safe, but now He was absent. We may be sure that He remained behind for this very purpose, that they might have the very experiences which they encountered, that they might feel troubled by the tempest’s tossings and the dangers undergone, and that He might teach them a lesson thereby, a lesson respecting His providential care. In the severity of their trouble they beheld Jesus walking toward them on the water. They were doubly afrighted, and supposed that they saw a hobgoblin, a phantom, in harmony with stories always told by the seafaring; they were in terror, not only by reason of the storm, but now by reason of their fears. Then Jesus spoke to them in the words of our text, "Be of good cheer: It is I; be not afraid." Cast away your fear, learn to look to Me, to remember that having become My disciples I have supervision over all your affairs whether in storm or in calm; all things are subject to My supervision and shall be ordered for your best interests.
THE LESSON FOR US We may be sure, too, that this lesson was not taught the disciples merely on their own account, but, like all other of our Lord’s teachings and parables and miracles, they foreshadowed things to come, and were really lessons, instructions, along spiritual lines. The lesson intended for the Lord’s true followers is that in all the storms and trials and difficulties and perplexities of life they may remember that, having put their interests and affairs into the hands of the Lord Jesus, he is both able and willing to keep that which has been committed to his trust.
"When the storms of life are raging, Tempests wild on sea and land, I have found a place of refuge In the shadow of God’s Hand. [HG373] "Enemies may strive to injure, Satan all his arts employ; God will turn what seems to harm me Into everlasting joy."
It is not for the world, including the merely nominal Christian, to have this confidence in the Lord. It is better for them that they be undeceived. Not having committed their all to the Lord’s care He has given them no assurance respecting His willingness to make all things work together for their welfare. Such promises belong only to the disciples of Christ, the followers of Jesus, the consecrated. It is better for the others that they should still stumble and realize their own weariness with their heavy load. All the more likely they will be inclined some day or other to see the difference between their own standing and that of the truly consecrated, and to come into a relationship with the Lord which will guarantee to them the easy yoke and light burden which the Lord promises to all who are His true followers.
PERFECT LOVE, NO FEAR The Scriptures declare that perfect love casteth out fear, and this is the Christian’s secret of a happy day. Having learned of the grace of God in Christ in the redemption, having accepted this grace and realized his sins forgiven, he is at peace with God, and having consecrated his justified heart to the Lord and to the service of the Truth he has made progress. Eating the Lord’s Word, growing strong in the Lord and the power of His might, he has come to know more and more of the Lord’s true character, that God is love; and as he has learned to love in return, in the same proportion has the love cast out the fear. Not only does perfect love for God cast out fear of Him, but it also casts out the fear of all troubles and danger, both real and fancied. When we know of God’s goodness, when we know also of His promises for our protection and care, when we have His assurance that all things shall work together for good, we have indeed the true basis for fearlessness, for confidence, for hope, for joy and peace and blessing.
Such Christians, instructed by the Word of the Lord and full of love for Him and confidence in His love in return, are able to look to the Lord in all the storms and trials and difficulties of life, and to hear His voice in all the trying circumstances, saying, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." They have learned not to question why the storms and trials of life are permitted; they have learned that they are all for the development of faith and patience and the various graces of the Lord’s Spirit in us, and hence when trials come they know it is all for the best and a blessing from the Lord, as we read, "No chastisement for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness." (Heb. 12:11) And so, after having had experiences and disciplines in this life, those who are the Lord’s true people, who have made progress in the knowledge of Him and who have had experience in the school of Christ, learning these necessary lessons, instead of beginning to mourn when the trials and storms and clouds of trouble gather, by faith will be able to hear the Master’s voice, by faith will be able to discern that it is the great Teacher who has given them another lesson, and their hearts being fully submissive and anxious to learn, they rejoice therein.
The Apostle points out to us that the Christian’s course should always be one of rejoicing. His own experience is an example of what he meant. He did not mean that the Christian should expect to be exempt from trials and difficulties, which properly enough would be a ground for sorrow and sadness and trouble; he did mean, being rightly informed respecting the object of these lessons and experiences, the Lord’s faithful ones would rejoice in them as evidences that they were still in the school of Christ, still in preparation for the Kingdom.
O, what comfort it gives to our hearts when trials arise! Sometimes from the actual difficulties of life with which we are surrounded, with the waves of trouble that nearly swamped the boat of the disciples-sometimes in our experiences as little congregations of the Lord’s people, and sometimes in our personal or family experiences, how comforting to think that the Lord is near, that nothing could harm us except by His permission, that not even a hair of our heads could fall without our Father’s notice. No wonder that with such assurances our faces and hearts may always be calm in the midst of storm; no wonder if the hobgoblins of fear, which often cause the world more distress than its actual difficulties, are as nothing to us. Why should we fear? Greater is He that is on our part than all that could be against us. Whatever may be the trials or difficulties of the pathway, the end is sure to justify every pain, every sorrow, every disappointment-we have the Lord’s Word for it.
Why should we sorrow as those who have no hope? We have a hope that is, as the Apostle explains, "an anchor to our souls, sure and steadfast, within the vail."
God’s love, as manifested in the redemption, as testified by our Lord Jesus and by the holy Spirit speaking through the apostles, gives us all the assurance that we could ask that His love is not ephemeral, not transitory, but abiding. The fact that He followed up the redemption by the adoption, and now we are by His grace heirs of God and joint-heirs [HG374] with Jesus Christ our Lord if so be that we suffer with Him, gives us assurance respecting the divine purpose, and hinders us from being overwhelmed by the waves of present trouble and distress and protects us from the fears common to the remainder of mankind.
"AND AGAIN I SAY COME, REJOICE" Having seen the ground of our proper rejoicing, having found that it is the result of heart-relationship to the Lord and instruction from His Word, let us have a few words of testimony from the apostles respecting this matter showing what manner of persons we ought to be, not only in all holy conversation and godliness, but also in enjoying the divine blessings ourselves while telling the good tidings to others.
Our Lord, when telling the disciples of the disappointments they would have in respect to the crucifixion and the blasting of their hopes, declared that later on they would have the reverse of this, rejoicing. He said, "I will see you again [I will reveal Myself to you] and your hearts shall rejoice." (John 16:22) So we, like the disciples, rejoice not merely that our Lord died as our Redeemer but that He rose again from the dead, and that not only is He to reveal Himself in the end of the age at His second advent shortly, blessing all the families of the world, but that all through the Gospel Age He has been spiritually present with His disciples to bless, refresh, comfort and strengthen us.
The Apostle tells us another cause for rejoicing which we have, assuring us that we not only have been justified by God’s favor but have been granted also an entrance into still higher favor, in which we now stand, "Rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God." (Rom. 5:2) We have good cause for rejoicing in the hope of coming glory, not only because it means blessing to ourselves and intimacy with our Lord, but because also it means our participation with the great Messiah in extending divine blessings to the world of mankind. Again we read the Apostle’s testimony even in the midst of suffering for righteousness’ sake, for the Truth’s sake, even while enduring hardness as a good soldier. He says, "I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." Philip. 1:18 The Apostle gave us a good illustration of this spirit, one which should be helpful to all of us: We remember that when he and Silas were in prison at Philippi, their backs bleeding from the wounds received from the scourging and wet also with the salt, as was the custom in order to make the suffering more intense, so full were their hearts of faith in the Lord and the realization that they were suffering for Christ’s sake, suffering for righteousness’ sake, that the blessing of the Lord was with them and eventually would compensate them for their sorrow and trouble, that they were able through their abundant faith to so rejoice as to sing praises to God in prison. The Apostle continues, "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord" (Philip. 3:1), as though he would tell us that the grand climacteric of Christian experience is this ability to rejoice in all the affairs of life as they come to us, rejoice that we can see Jesus and hear His Voice, saying, "It is 1: be not afraid," and appreciate the fact that all of life’s experiences are under divine supervision and will work out for us a blessing. It was this same spirit of faith and confidence in our Lord Jesus that enabled Him to say in His most trying moment, "The cup that the Father hath poured for Me, shall I not drink of it?" John 18:11 The Apostle James, writing along the line of rejoicing, says, "Let the brother of low degree rejoice that he is exalted, but the rich that he is made low." (Jas. 1:9, 10) This is the same thought which the Apostle Paul enunciates: our experiences, whatever they may be, should be recognized as under divine supervision, protection and guidance, and therefore a matter of rejoicing to us, however disappointing our experiences may sometimes be as viewed from the earthly or fleshly standpoint. The Apostle Peter has a word in the same connection. He says, addressing the heirs of the incorruptible inheritance. "Ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." (1 Pet. 1:6, 7) Here is the thought: we rejoice greatly in our manifold temptations because we realize that these are evidences of our acceptance with the Lord, and that He is dealing with us as sons, and that He is polishing us as jewels for the Kingdom.
Those who can rejoice with joy unspeakable, even in the midst of temptations and trials and difficulties, surely belong to the class whom the Lord addresses in our text, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." It is because they have heard this Voice and have come into harmony with the speaker that they find cause for rejoicing under all circumstances and conditions.
TRUTH SEEKING Think not, O seeker after truth Thy path with roses strewn will be; That friends shall, smiling, grasp thy hand And cheer thee by their sympathy. [HG375] That souls as eager as shine own With joy shall hail truth thou mayest find And bid long cherished error flee And loose the chains of creed that bind.
Nay, nerve thy soul to meet rebuffs, To lonely plod thy weary way, To bear the scorn and bitter sneers And all that tries man’s constancy.
Truth is a bird of beauty rare That ne’er hath been by mortal caught And though it sings a noble song, But few can hear its heavenly note.
A dreamer may, amid the throng, Above the clamor, faintly hear A few sweet notes that thrill his soul And fill with melody his ear.
And, pausing, may bid others pause And listen to the wonderous song. But, ah, the din of earth is great, And all unheeding is the throng.
Alexander Walker in Philadelphia Record
Part 2 DIVINE PREDESTINATION IN RESPECT TO MANKIND "Whom God foreknow he also did predestinate." Rom. 8:29We take this subject because we believe it is susceptible of a reasonable, Scriptural explanation, abundantly satisfactory to every consecrated Christian. We hope to show that the difficulty surrounding the question lies not in the Scriptural statements respecting it, but in the fallacies of the various creeds and traditions, which not only make void the teaching of the Word of God but confuse the people of God on this as well as on other subjects. We hope to show you from the Scriptures that the doctrine of predestination is Scriptural, reasonable and beautiful, and thus to confirm your faith in God, in his Word and in his purposes yet to be accomplished, of which the Lord through the prophet declared, "My ways are not your ways, neither are my plans your plans, saith the Lord; for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my plans than your plans." Isa. 55:8
DIFFICULTIES OF SO-CALLED "ORTHODOXY." In order to have the subject clearly before our minds it is advisable that we glance at the commonly accepted view of foreordination and the difficulties which it presents, that turning from this we may see the beauty and reasonableness of the Scriptural presentation. Our Methodist friends and some others ignore the subject of foreordination, but not without difficulty, for they cannot avoid the conclusion that either the Almighty Creator knew what he was doing and is doing, or that he is working on a haphazard plan, the results of which he does not know. To feel that we have to do with a God who is not omniscient would necessarily mean a serious diminishing of our faith and confidence and hope. We might think of the Almighty as well intentioned, kindly disposed, but if we did not have confidence in his foreknowledge-that he knew the end from the beginning-the apparent failure of the divine plan in the past six thousand years would seriously discourage our faith and hope respecting the future.
On the other hand our Presbyterian, Lutheran, Congregational and Baptist friends, with others who hold with them the doctrine of predestination, have their difficulties. Holding that God foreknew and predestinated whatsoever cometh to pass seems to force the conclusion that God himself has been the author of sin, the designer of it, the instigator of it, the perpetrator of it, and the further conclusion that all who were saints were foreordained to be saints, and all the wicked were foreordained to be wicked; that this foreordination respecting them began in the divine purpose before the foundation of the world, and hence before the creation of the first pair, renders the difficulties all the greater, especially when we add to it either the written or unwritten creeds of all these denominations to the effect that the little flock are going to a corner of heaven predestinated for them, while the great mass of mankind are going to a great place called hell, elaborately fitted up with a complete corps of fire-proof devils and with fuel to last to all [HG376] eternity. To think of this being a divine provision for the great majority of the race before the work of creation had begun-no wonder it staggers our dear friends. It is to their credit that they are renouncing such a heathenish theory, and that some of them are straining the eyes of their understanding for a better light on the subject.
THEIR "HELL" IS THE DIFFICULTY The difficulty with those who hold the so-called orthodox view of predestination is in their erroneous view of hell-in their erroneous view of what constitutes the wages of sin, death. If they could get rid of the hell-fire, eternal-torment theory, invented during the Dark Ages, when men supposed that they did God service in burning one another at the stake, and if instead of that repugnant and false view they could get the real Scriptural views of it-that death, annihilation, is the wage of sin-they would thereby remove from before their mental vision the great obstacle which hinders them from seeing predestination in its true Scriptural light.
As a matter of fact the word predestination is never used in the Scriptures in respect to the wicked, nor even in respect to all of the good. It is applied wholly to the Church and her interests, and never applied to the world and its interests. We are not wishing to give the thought that God does not have a foreknowledge respecting the world’s interests and affairs, but merely pointing out that all the statements along these lines are to the Church and respecting the Church.
FOREKNOWLEDGE NOT FOREORDINATION It is a common mistake to confuse foreordination with foreknowledge. The two thoughts should be kept separate and distinct before our minds: God as an omniscient one knows all things, and during the 6,000 years since the fall of father Adam he has permitted sins of different kinds which he did not foreordain.
To foreknow that mental, moral and physical degradation would follow Adam’s sin and the sentence of death therefore visited upon him, and that thus the whole human family would be overwhelmed in sin and death and become a groaning creation is one thing, and to foreordain or decree or cause to come to pass such things is quite another matter. God denies that he is in any sense of the Word the author of evil. He admits that he is the author of many things that are called evils in the world, that are calamities, and that he has permitted these and even ordained some of them as punishments for sin, but he nowhere admits that he is the author of sin, wickedness. On the contrary he declares against all sin, sets himself as the standard of righteousness and purity and truth, and commands sinners everywhere to repent and reform to cease to do evil and to learn to do well.
Divine foreknowledge foresaw Adam a perfect man under perfect conditions, but with imperfect knowledge and subject to temptation, foresaw his fall into sin, under the penalty of sin, foresaw all the consequences as they have occurred, and permitted all these without foreordination intruding upon the matter at all. On the other hand, foreordination came in when God purposed the salvation of Adam and his race. He foreordained, planned in advance, what he would do: He would provide a Redeemer who would give an illustration to all the angels as well as to the fallen race, not only of his sympathy and compassion toward us as sinners, but also of his own justice, and demonstrate that his law is unchangeable, that the sentence of death once passed, could not be rescinded, that if Adam were released from that sentence it must be by having another take his place and die in his stead.
The Father foreordained that his only begotten Son, higher than angels as well as higher than man, should be the Redeemer, and this necessitated his leaving the glory which he had with the Father and the heavenly plane and his assumption of the earthly human nature. This God foreordained should be accomplished in his own due time, and we well know that God’s due time was more than 4,000 years after the transgression had taken place.
The Father predestinated further that his Son should not be the loser by such obedience to the divine plan. Indeed he purposed on the contrary a reward and high exaltation to him who was already higher than all others and next the the Father himself. He predestinated a new begetting to his Son, that thus after giving his life for man’s redemption he might grant him a new plane of being. He predestinated that at the time of his consecration, when he would be thrity years of age, he should be begotten again by the holy Spirit to a new nature, so that while he, according to the flesh, was dying for the three and one-half years of his ministry and accomplished the death at Calvary, he nevertheless was living as a new Creature during those three and one-half years, and as a new Creature was raised from the dead upon the third day, a spirit being, of the divine nature, far above angels, principalities and powers, and every name that is named, to die no more, but on the contrary in a future "due time" to assume the kingship of earth and to bless Adam and all of his race, whom he purchased with his life, his own precious blood. The foreordination undoubtedly includes the glorious Kingdom of the Millennial age, in which Messiah shall be King over all the earth and exercise his authority in restraining [HG377] Satan and all evil, and in causing all mankind to come to a knowledge of the Truth and to opportunities for life everlasting through the knowledge of the plan of God, and by obedience to the divine requirements, through the assistance and restitution process that will then be in operation.
THE PREDESTINATION OF THE CHURCH Throughout the Scriptures the Church, the little flock, are everywhere spoken of as the "elect" of God: even those who dispute the doctrine of election cannot gainsay this fact. As already pointed out, their objection to the doctrine of election, their desire to deny it, is aroused to opposition by the thought that the few are elected to heaven and the many are elected or predestinated to eternal torment. But the Scriptures, as we have seen, teach nothing of this kind. They teach that the whole world of mankind were redeemed by the precious blood, and that the whole world is to receive a blessing at the hands of the Redeemer in due time, and that the due time for the world to receive its blessing will be during the Millennial age, the period of Messiah’s reign, but that during this Gospel age, in advance of that reign of righteousness, the Lord is electing or selecting from amongst the redeemed world a little flock, a Royal Priesthood, to be associated with the Redeemer in the great work of blessing all the families of the earth.
This view that the election of the Church does not mean the reprobation of the world, but, on the contrary, signifies the blessing of the world through the elect Church, is unobjectionable from any and every point of view. Such an election is desirable and advantageous in every sense of the words. It is such an election as we are accustomed to in our form of government. The law makers and rulers of the people are chosen or elected from the whole for the very purpose of serving or blessing the whole. The elect are few, the non-elect are many, yet the propriety of the matter and the resulting advantages are fully appreciated. Nor does it occur to any one to suppose that those who are non-elect to Congress or some other official position are reprobated to eternal torment or anything disadvantageous.
Whence then came the ridiculously absurd misconception of election as the Scriptures present it-the supposition that all except the elect were to suffer torture because non-elected.
FOREKNOWN AND PREDESTINATED We might quote various Scriptures aside from our text in proof that the Church was foreknown of God, and predestinated as a class to occupy a certain glorious position in connection with the divine plan for the world’s salvation. For instance, in Eph. 1:5 the Apostle speaks of the Lord as having predestinated us unto the adoption of sons, and, following, in verse 1 he adds that we are "predestinated according to the purpose" of God. The Apostle Peter also speaks of the Church as the "elect according to the foreknowledge of God." 1 Pet. 1:2
One mistake which seems to becloud the mental vision of many is the supposition that this foreordination of the Lord respecting the elect was an individual foreordination, as, for instance, that the Lord foreknow you and me, and determined before the foundation of the world that we should be of the elect Church. Nothing of this kind is found in the inspired records. What we do find is a declaration that the Church as a whole, as the Bride or the consort of the Lord Jesus, was foreknown and predestinated of the Father; and, in harmony with that predestination, that there should be such a Bride class, the Lord has been "calling" out of the world individuals of a peculiar disposition, zealous for good works and full of faith in his promises, to the intent that these might make their calling and election sure-might by obedience to the conditions laid down secure a place amongst the very elect, who, as the glorified Bride of Christ, shall be all that the Father intended and predestinated.
It is not for us to say that God could not have known in advance, if he had chosen, just how each one who heard the call and responded to it would ultimately conduct himself in the race course, running for the great prize of joint-heirship with his Son, but it is for us to know that God has not anywhere indicated such an individual election or foreordination. It is for us to notice that all the references to the elect pertain to the Church as a whole, and not to its individual members, except as they shall by the grace of God make their calling and election sure by obedience to the terms of their covenant.
This whole subject is beautifully clear from the standpoint of our text, after once our minds are freed from the absurdities with which they were so long freighted.
The Apostle is discussing the interests of the elect Church-he is assuring us that God is for us and not against us; that although the difficulties and trials by the way may seem to be adverse to our interests, nevertheless we have the assurance of God’s Word that if we are truly his he will overrule in all of our affairs so that all things will work together for good because we love him and have been called according to his purpose-called in harmony with his predestination. He predestinated that there should be a Church, and he has caused the message or invitation or call to membership in the Church to come to us. The fact that we have heard and appreciated that call [HG378] is an evidence that God is for us and desires that we should make our calling and election sure to a place in that glorious company which he has predestinated.
It is to these whom he would encourage, the "called ones according to his purpose," that the Apostle explains the method, the modus operandi of their predestination, saying, "Whom he Jehovah] did foreknow he also did predestinate [foreordain] to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren." Let us notice the limitations that are placed about this elect class. The Lord predestinated, foreordained before man was created at all, that in view of the redemptive work to be accomplished he would select from amongst men the Bride class, and he foreordained also that each one who would be of the Bride class would be a "copy of his Son"-have the same character likeness as Jesus.
Was that a safe predestination? Surely it was. Will that predestination permit any to get into the Bride class while possessing a different character from that of their Lord and Redeemer? By no means. It fixes and limits the class most absolutely, and all will agree that the limitations are most just and reasonable. The Almighty has a great favor to bestow, and he proposes to bestow it upon a certain limited number, and that each one who would be of that limited number must have the character-likeness of the Lord Jesus. Our hearts say Amen to such a glorious predestination as this. And that is the end of the matter-no other predestination is mentioned. The Scriptures show us various classes of saved ones, some on one plane of being, others on another; but this elect class on the highest plane, "partakers of the divine nature," must all have peculiar characteristics that are here set forth.
THE METHOD OF GOD’S ELECTION Our next query is, How does God undertake to make this election or selection which he foreordained? The Apostle explains the procedure in minutiae, saying that the predestinated ones were all called, and that previous to their call they were justified, and that previous to their justification they were honored-honored, blessed with the privilege of hearing the message of God, the tidings of great joy-whereas the majority of the world are not thus specially honored at the present time, but are in ignorance, blindness, deaf to the Word of the Lord. And we might remark that just at this point a mistranslation in the common version has helped to becloud the subject, for this word honor from the Greek Doxazo is mistranslated glorified. Now let us reverse the order of this statement and see the whole matter in the light of our experiences.
God has predestinated, foreordained, that he will have an elect little flock to be the members of the Royal Priesthood under the great High Priest Jesus, who in conjunction with him shall bless the world. In order to find these and to select them from amongst men he honors some, blesses some with the light of the knowledge of his grace-the knowledge of the redemptive work accomplished by our Lord, the knowledge of the fact that coming to the Father through him they may have forgiveness of sins and reconciliation. So many as take these steps become what is known in the Scriptures as justified ones, whose sins are forgiven, who are counted as no longer dead in trespasses and sins, but as restored to divine favor. To these justified ones the Lord then sends the call, the invitation, to be of the Bride of Christ-the invitation to walk in the footsteps of the leader, to fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ, to be dead with him in the present that they may also live with him in the future.
Not all of the justified have responded to this call or invitation of the Gospel age.
The great majority have been satisfied to simply have a measure of reconciliation, and have ignored the Apostle’s exhortation, "I beseech you, brethren, [by God’s mercy as justifying you from sin], that ye present your bodies living sacrifices," etc. (Rom. 12:1) But those who do accept the call are counted as in the race to win the prize of joint-heirship in the Kingdom, and they are exhorted by the Apostle to so run as to obtain-to make their calling and election sure by obedience-to fight the good fight of faith and to lay hold upon the blessings promised. These are reckoned to be the called ones, the runners in the race from the time they accept the divine invitation or call and start on the race course to run for the prize. Some run faithfully, zealously, others languidly; the faithful, the zealous, the self sacrificing are the ones who demonstrate their attainment to the character-likeness of their Redeemer.
THE VIRGINS, HER COMPANIONS These are the class whom the Lord predestinated should be sharers in Emmanuel’s glorious Kingdom. Laggards amongst these called ones, the less zealous, do not come fully up to the character-likeness of the great Overcomer or Redeemer, and will therefore not be in the elect little flock, his Bride. Nevertheless, having espoused the cause of righteousness, they will not be condemned with the world but will be tested, and, if under the tests of trials and difficulties they do not deny the Lord, they may be of the great company who, coming through great tribulation, will not be in the throne but before it, who will not constitute the living stones of the Temple but will serve God in his [HG379] Temple, who will not be the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, but the servants, the virgins, her companions who follow her, who share a blessing but not the supreme blessing of the elect. Here, then, are two classes amongst the called-the little flock and a great company, both particularly mentioned by our Lord, and particularly differentiated the one from the other. Psa. 45:14; Rev. 7:13-15 Thus we see that there will ultimately be two classes received amongst those who have been called, but that only the little flock, or the elect, the predestinated, the Bride class, constitute the overcomers. Yet both of these classes, favored and developed, chiseled and polished during this Gospel age, will, the one on a superior and the other on a lower plane of glory, serve the divine purpose in connection with the Millennial Kingdom, which is shortly to be established for the blessing of all the families of the earth.
Be it noticed that the Apostle’s statement of this matter begins at the further end.
He holds up before us the glorified Church of the future, "changed," possessed of glory, honor and immortality, as the Bride of Christ. He assures us that this foreordained or predestinated class must all be called or invited before they could have this position; that no man taketh this honor unto himself but he that is called of God. He further assures us that every one thus called to that glorious position must first be justified. Why? Because no sinner would be in a condition to be invited to be of the Bride of Christ. We must be justified from our sins, must be brought into reconciliation and harmony with God before we can be eligible to an invitation to strive for joint-heirship with Christ. Furthermore, every one thus justified must previously have heard of the grace of God and have believed in it; and to hear under present conditions, amidst the din of error and of sin, is, indeed, a special honor of God that is conferred, not widely nor everywhere, for there be many indeed who, having ears, hear not, and, having eyes, see not, neither do they understand, even though the Gospel be preached to them in their own tongues. It requires the honor and blessing of the Lord to even take the first step of faith toward the grand position of the elect, predestinated Church.
Number 72, January, 1908 Part 1 SELLING THE BIRTHRIGHT The Allegory of Jacob and Esau applied-The World not in the Allegory at all How those represented may decide their place in itLooking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of Cod; lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold has birthright." Heb. 12:15, 16
The story of Jacob and Esau, the sons of Isaac, and grandsons of Abraham, is familiar to many of you. Abraham was very rich, according to his day, in flocks and herds, etc., but his special wealth consisted in his favor with God, on account of which he was known as the friend of God. In line with this friendship he became the heir of the great oath-bound covenant, which in few words embraced all of the divine plan for the redemption and blessing of the world of mankind.
That promise was to Abraham and his seed, his posterity; and as Isaac had already been accepted of the Lord as the channel through which the blessing would descend to later generations, Esau and Jacob, his twin sons, were in the line of favor. The fact that Esau was born first gave him the natural preeminence, and under the Jewish code he was the heir of two-thirds of his father’s property and the sole heir of his titles and dignities, etc., which in this case would include the oath-bound covenant.
Our text refers to Esau as a fornicator and profane person, but these words convey a false impression to the average reader. A more easily comprehended translation of the passage from the Greek to the English would say that Esau was heathenish, a prostitutor or seller of his birthright for base, unworthy considerations. In a word, Jacob had great respect for God’s promise and a strong desire to be the heir of that promise; Esau had a less noble mind, and pandered to his appetite at the expense of the higher interests of the future, represented in God’s promise. Jacob was not only willing to give up his mess of pottage and go hungry that he might inherit the blessings of the oath-bound covenant but, more than this, he was willing subsequently to flee from his father’s house, from his brother’s wrath, and be a stranger from home for years on this account. [HG380] There were two parts to the blessing, as we have shown. Esau’s chagrin evidently was in the thought that he had parted with the larger share of the father’s estate.
Apparently he cared little or nothing for any share he might have in the oath-bound covenant. Jacob, on the contrary, cared nothing for the family estate, and had solely in mind his inheritance of the covenant. This is shown by the fact that when he returned later to the same country he not only made no endeavor to secure the elder-born’s share, two thirds, but permitted Esau to keep the entire property and tendered him a present from his own flocks and herds. In other words, the two brothers each got what they preferred-Esau the earthly portion, Jacob the intangible blessing of the future, whose only possession was faith in God and in his oath-bound covenant.
APPLICATION OF THE ALLEGORY The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians (Gal. 4:22-31) refers to incidents connected with Abraham and Isaac, and in general terms informs us that while all those events were literal enough, true enough, their great lessons, their chief importance to us, are as allegories or word-pictures representing great truths applicable to the Lord’s people during this Gospel age. In the text he leads the thought in the same direction, and by implication tells us that all of the Lord’s people should have a trust in God and in His oath-bound covenant, which would correspond to the confidence manifested by Jacob of old, and that we all should be on guard against any and everything that would in any degree correspond to the attitude of heart allegorically represented by Esau and his course of action.
All this is generally recognized by Christian people, but usually a mistake is made in the application of the matter. The world in general is considered to be the Esau class, which appreciate now God’s favor, while the Church, nominal, is supposed to correspond to the Jacob class, which did appreciate and greatly desired a share in the inheritance of the oath-bound covenant. This is a mistake. The world cannot sell its birthright, for the simple reason that it has no birthright-as the Apostle declares, the world is without God and without hope. (Eph. 2:12) The hope we have for the world lies in the future, built upon this very oathbound covenant-that ultimately all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
WHO HAVE THE BIRTHRIGHT The birthright, the inheritance of the oath-bound covenant, with all of its powers and blessings, belongs to those who are in relationship to God. The Jewish nation occupied a position of relationship to God, and therefore were in the Jacob plane of favor, while the posterity of Esau were outside of the promise and favors and privileges of the same, although they also were children of Isaac and children of Abraham. During this gospel age, in which we have the antitypes of the things of the past, the fulfilment of those allegories, we find that two steps are necessary to bring us into God’s favor and to make us spiritual Israelites, heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord. The first step is that of justification through faith in the redeeming work of Christ, whose sacrifice was finished at Calvary. The second step is a full consecration of ourselves to the Lord. Those who have taken these two steps are heirs of God, the antitypical heirs with Christ of the oath-bound covenant made to Abraham. This the Apostle shows, saying, "If ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." Gal. 3:29
THE SEED OF ABRAHAM It is amongst these, the antitypical seed of Abraham, that we must look for the two classes represented allegorically by Jacob and Esau, and whoever will seek for them in the light of the Apostle’s words will find them both. One class of consecrated, spirit-begotten children of God, the seed of Abraham, like Jacob so appreciate the favor of God represented in that oath-bound covenant, so rejoice in the hope set before them, that they are prepared to have it at any cost, at any sacrifice. The thought of inheriting that promise sustains and strengthens them in every discouragement, in every trial, and they are ready to endure all things through Christ who strengthens them. They have appetites, cravings of nature, ambitions, etc., in common with the world, but they forego these. In the Lord’s providence matters so turn out that it will test and prove everyone of this class, whether they prefer the earthly favors and blessings and comforts and privileges, or whether they prefer the spiritual blessings which belong to the future and may be enjoyed now only by faith. If they choose the one, they miss the other.
On the other hand, there is also a class of those who have the favor of God, have come to a knowledge of him, have become members of the family, and who are thus heirs to the great spiritual blessings coming, but who are not appreciative, and are ready to sell their hopes and prospects of eternity for temporary gratifications of this present time. These in the allegory are represented in Esau, and their course is briefly pictured in his sale of his birthright.
THE MESS OF POTTAGE The class of Christian people represented by Esau in the allegory are not always rude and uncouth; they are not always coarse, as was represented in Esau’s [HG381] hairiness. Sometimes they are refined and titled and wealthy, as Esau was titled and wealthy; sometimes they are ministers, doctors, lawyers, judges, merchants, mechanics. In every station the Esau class may be expected, and likewise in every station the Jacob class may be found, though apparently among the Jacob class are not many great, or wise, or learned, or honorable, as the Apostle points out. 1 Cor. 1:26
Coming down to a more particular application of what would now be implied in selling the birthright: We see, for instance, an illustration in the case of the minister who, when asked whether or not he had read the books entitled "Millennial Dawn," answered "Yes." "What did you think of them?"
Answer: "There are some very good things in them." "Why do you not preach those good things?" Answer: "Young man, my bread is not buttered on that side."
This minister was unwilling to have the truth at any cost. He did not appreciate it as a pearl of great price, for which he would sell all. He appreciated more the good opinion of his fellow-clergymen, his title and position and income. He said to himself, "I prefer these things that are tangible, and am willing to part with my share of the Abrahamic covenant. I will take what is in sight, rather than wait for the good things promised for the future."
POTTAGE TEST TO MERCHANTS The Christian merchant comes to the place represented in the allegory, where he must decide as between the prosperity of his business, perhaps, and his faithfulness to the Lord and the truth. He has certain ambitions, and as he finds that he cannot serve God and Mammon, but must choose whether or not he will pursue his worldly ambitions for wealth or name, etc., or whether he will renounce these and pursue the study of the Lord’s Word and a life of consecration to him, with greater economy and smaller income, he must decide whether he will have the mess of pottage or be an heir of the Abrahamic covenant. Sometimes the test seems even more severe than this, and it is not merely a question of more business or less business, but perhaps a question of no business for a time if he is faithful to the Lord: we have known instances in which business men have been boycotted for the Truth’s sake. Therein they had a test respecting their love for the Lord’s favor and their participation in the Abrahamic covenant on the one side, with earthly hopes and comforts, and mess of pottage, on the other.
Sometimes it is the laborer or mechanic who, because of faithfulness to the Truth, because of his love for the Lord and devotion to his service, finds himself hated of all men for the Lord’s sake, for the Truth’s sake, and find that he will escape such petty persecution by putting his light under a bushel, by holding the Truth secretly, unworthily, contrary to the divine arrangement. It is for him to decide whether or not he will have a share as an inheritor of the covenant, or whether he will choose instead the mess of pottage of present social and earthly advantage.
DOCTORS TESTED BY POTTAGE The consecrated man who is a physician has also a test along this line of a mess of pottage-earthly prosperity for the seeking, and loss of that prosperity if he gives the attention of which it is worthy to the endeavor to gain the great prize of joint-heirship with Christ as an inheritor of the provisions and blessings of the oath-bound covenant. In the Lord’s providence the Truth has never been popular, and we understand him to teach that it will not be so during this Gospel age. Thus he provides the opportunity for our testing-whether we love the approval of the world and its reward of money and name and fame, or whether we prefer his approval and are ready to risk the cost.
We know of several physicians who are in just such a case. One of these embracing the Truth and seeking to circulate it amongst his friends was greatly opposed by those who nominally were fellow-Christians, and who, like Esau of old, were exceedingly angry with him because of his love for the oath-bound covenant of God and his faithfulness in telling the good tidings. As a result of that faithfulness, from having the largest practice in his city, he today has practically lost it all, but he thanks God as he realizes that he has gained in divine favor and is making sure his hold upon the divine promises, by the faithfulness which has thus cost him something in the loss of earthly advantages.
SISTERS TESTED ALSO These principles apply not only to the more educated and those in the higher walks of life, but even to the small merchant and to the laborer. Everyone who is in the Lord’s family must expect that at some time or other he will be tested to see which he loves the more, the mess of pottage or his prospects for inheritance in the oath-bound covenant and its blessings. The trials are by no means similar in every case. Sometimes they do not at all touch on the question of money. Look at the sisters, for instance-more generally their trials are along social lines.
As an illustration we think of a sister who, having been very prominent in one of the nominal churches in a Southern city, in due time was brought to a knowledge of the divine plan, and saw that the Church of God is one, and that the organization of sects and [HG382] parties is entirely contrary to divine authority, and that to be faithful to the Lord and to all of his people she should stand simply as a member of Christ’s body, the true Church, separate and distinct from earthly organizations, united only to the Lord, and thus united indirectly by heart and faith to all who are his everywhere.
She sent a letter to the pastor explaining that she was still a child of the Lord, but that having received greater light upon the meaning of his Word she discerned that it was a mistake to fence herself off from other Christians and to have fellowship only with the one denomination and by so doing to imply separation from the others; that for this reason she must now withdraw, not from the one Church of the living God whose names are written in heaven, but from an earthly sect which God and his Book never authorized nor recognized. The step was taken with the full expectation that it would cost something, but that the blessing of the Lord and a manifestation of her respect for the inheritance in Christ was well worth the sacrificing that might be implied and the enduring of all the difficulties that might result.
A REVEREND EDOMITE Her pastor was apparently of the Esau class, willing to barter anything for the maintenance of his own standing, and this to him included the standing of the denomination in numbers and influence. Hence, instead of appreciating the character of the sister, who had been one of the most prominent in his congregation-instead of admiring and loving her the more because of her faithfulness to principle, he undertook her assassination-not literally, however, but the assassination of her reputation. He deliberately circulated amongst her friends in the Church a story of her insanity, urging them by no means to see her or speak to her. The Lord blessed the trying experiences of that sister, who through these, we trust, is being polished, to be accounted worthy to be an heir of the oath-bound covenant, while