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diff --git a/31603-h/31603-h.htm b/31603-h/31603-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..50f96c0 --- /dev/null +++ b/31603-h/31603-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5797 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<HTML> +<HEAD> + +<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<TITLE> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of Studies in Prophecy, by Arno C. Gaebelein +</TITLE> + +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +P.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; } + +P.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.intro {text-indent: 4%; + font-size: 90%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.block {text-indent: 4%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.footnote {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +P.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</STYLE> + +</HEAD> + +<BODY> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Studies in Prophecy, by Arno C. Gaebelein + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Studies in Prophecy + +Author: Arno C. Gaebelein + +Release Date: March 11, 2010 [EBook #31603] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STUDIES IN PROPHECY *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + +</pre> + + +<BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +Studies in Prophecy +</H1> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<I>By</I> +</H3> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +ARNO C. GAEBELEIN +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Editor "Our Hope." +</H3> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +Author of Expositions of Joel, Daniel, Zechariah,<BR> +Ezekiel, Matthew, Acts, Revelation, Etc.<BR> +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +<I>PRICE $1.00 NET</I> +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +PUBLICATION OFFICE "OUR HOPE"<BR> +456 Fourth Ave., New York<BR> +</H5> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +BIOLA BOOK ROOM,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">536 So. Hope Street,</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">Los Angeles, Cal.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +PICKERING & INGLIS,<BR> + Glasgow, Scotland.<BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +H. L. THATCHER,<BR> + 135 Symonds Street,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">Auckland, N. Z.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent" STYLE="margin-left: 10%"> +G. E. ARDRILL,<BR> + 145 Commonwealth St.,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">Sydney, N. S. W.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +Copyright, 1918 +<BR> +By A. C. GAEBELEIN +<BR> +New York, N. Y. +</H5> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +TO MY FRIEND +</H3> + +<P CLASS="block"> +MR. SIDNEY T. SMITH, OF WINNIPEG MANITOBA, IN APPRECIATION OF HIS +LOYALTY TO THE WORD OF GOD AND FELLOWSHIP IN THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST +OUR LORD, AND HIS FAITHFUL TESTIMONY AND SERVICE IN THE GREAT GATEWAY +OF THE CANADIAN NORTHWEST, THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +TABLE OF CONTENTS +</H2> + +<H3> +<A HREF="#chap01">The Present Age</A><BR> +<A HREF="#chap02">That Blessed Hope</A><BR> +<A HREF="#chap03">Who will be Caught up when the Lord Comes?</A><BR> +<A HREF="#chap04">The Church and the Tribulation</A><BR> +<A HREF="#chap05">The Ten Virgins</A><BR> +<A HREF="#chap06">The Redemption of the Purchased Possession</A><BR> +<A HREF="#chap07">The History of Satan</A><BR> +<A HREF="#chap08">The Conversion of the World</A><BR> +<A HREF="#chap09">The Feasts of Jehovah</A><BR> +<A HREF="#chap10">When the Day Breaks and the Shadows Flee Away</A><BR> +<A HREF="#chap11">Prophetic Poems by Horatius Bonar</A><BR> +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +FOREWORD. +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +BY C. I. SCOFIELD. +</H4> + +<P> +The present interest in prophetical studies, due to a world-situation +so unprecedented as to have no historic parallels upon which a shallow +optimism may build futile hopes, is in every way to be welcomed and +encouraged. It surely is a divine provision for such a day as this +that for the last fifty years the prophetic word has been under the +sane and patient study of so many men of devout and trained minds. +Amongst these the author of this book has won a foremost place. At the +farthest possible remove from fanciful and radical methods of +interpretation, the conclusions which he has reached and which are set +forth in this book are trustworthy. The reader may be assured that he +will reach truly Biblical views of those things which are coming to +pass with startling rapidity. +</P> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +Douglaston, L. I., N. Y. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +"STUDIES IN PROPHECY" +</H2> + +<BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE PRESENT AGE: ITS BEGINNING, PROGRESS AND END +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Ecclesiastes i:9 +</H4> + +<P> +The Book of Ecclesiastes is the Book in which the natural man speaks. +The conclusion which the wisest man reached is that all is vanity, and +there is nothing new under the sun. In this first chapter we read of +generations which come and go. The sun rises and goes down; the wind +goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north again, according +to its circuits. The rivers go into the sea, and to the place where +they come from they again return. All moves in nature in cycles. What +has been is always to be again, and what was done will be done again. +</P> + +<P> +This is likewise true in respect to God's dealings with man and with +the earth. That which has been shall be; and what was done will be +done again. +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +The future will repeat the past,<BR> +As the first, shall be the last;<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Ages of change between.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Once the earth was undefiled by sin. It was the Paradise of God. For +a brief period it knew no sorrow, no suffering, no curse and no death. +That is what has been; but it shall surely be again. Creation will +have a second birth, and after its travail pains, death and the curse +will flee away. Once peace reigned, no strife was known and no groans +heard in all creation's realm. That is what has been; it shall be so +again. Groaning creation will be delivered; peace on earth and glory +to God in the highest will follow. +</P> + +<P> +Once man, the first man, unfallen, reigned. All things were under his +feet. That has been before sin stripped man of his inheritance. But +what has been, is that which shall be. The second man, the last Adam, +will appear, and under Him man redeemed will again have all things put +under his feet. What has been in the past shall be in the future. +</P> + +<P> +God executed his judgments in the past. He will do so again. The past +has manifested His power and glory; so will the future. The heavens +will not always be silent as they are now; for "Surely our God shall +come, and not keep silence." +</P> + +<P> +His blessed Son was once upon earth, making known the glory of God in +His Person. That was in the past, and it shall be so again; for He +comes back to the earth once more to make known His glory, so that the +earth shall be covered with the glory of the Lord. +</P> + +<P> +How near, how very near, these things that shall be are! The age in +which we live is the last stepping stone towards the glorious +consummation; and in this age there is but a little step left, and soon +darkest night shall end and give way to the brightest and most glorious +day the world has ever seen. In these studies of Prophecy we shall +first consider the present age, its beginning, progress and end. Other +studies will put before us from the infallible Word of God the coming +glorious consummation and what leads up to it. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +I +</H4> + +<P> +<B>The Beginning of the Age</B>. In dealing with man and the earth, to work +out his own plan of redemption and restoration, God works in certain +periods of time which are called ages. Each age has a definite +beginning and a definite end. All the different ages which preceded +our own age were ages of preparation, for the present age in which we +live. In every past age God announced the coming of Him by whom He not +only created all things, but by whom He made the ages, that is, His +Son. He is the One in whom and for whom all is planned, and through +whom the things which have been shall be again, and infinitely more. +</P> + +<P> +He was first announced in the Garden of Eden as the Seed of the woman +who should bruise the serpent's head. In the age after the flood Shem +was singled out in whom the Name, that is, the Lord of Glory, should be +revealed. Then Abraham, a son of Shem received the promise in the +Patriarchal Age that He would come from his seed; and later in the +Jewish Age He was promised as the Son of David, and David knew Him by +the Spirit as his Lord. +</P> + +<P> +And so in the fulness of time He came, born of a woman, made under the +Law, the Son of God manifested in the flesh. His blessed earth life +belongs still to the Jewish dispensation, the age which preceded our +own age. He came as the minister of the circumcision; and as such He +fulfilled the Law and moved exclusively among His own people Israel, +bringing them the message of the Kingdom promised to that nation; a +Kingdom in which righteousness and peace is to flourish, and into which +all the nations of the earth are to be gathered. +</P> + +<P> +The Jewish prophets had announced that Kingdom, but through God's +foreknowledge it was also made known that Christ should suffer first, +and be rejected by His people; and this came to pass. The nation +instead of giving Him the throne to which He is entitled, delivered +their own King into the hands of the Gentiles to be crucified. What +Gabriel in his great message had communicated to Daniel, that Messiah +should be cut off and receive nothing, happened, and that in the very +time as revealed in the ninth chapter of Daniel. The Son of God died, +rejected by His own nation, He died the sinner's death, He died for the +ungodly, He died so that the flood-gates of Divine love and grace might +be opened; and that a Holy God might be justified in saving believing +sinners, both Jews and Gentiles, and making them the heirs of glory. +</P> + +<P> +Our age then begins with this fact: Christ rejected by His own people, +cast out by the world, finishing on the Cross the work of sin bearing. +With this, and the associated events, our age started in. Let us see +then what we find in the beginning of this age, and then see how the +things we shall mention are affected as this age progresses and comes +finally to its close. +</P> + +<P> +<B>First</B>, as to the Lord Jesus Christ. As we have already stated, the +Son of God came to this earth, was rejected by men, put to death on the +cross, and after His burial God raised Him from the dead and gave Him +glory. In due time He left the earth and ascended in His glorified +human body into heaven, where He is seated now at the right hand of the +majesty on high. It is a wonderful fact that in heaven, seated at +God's own right hand, there is a Man. One who was born of the Virgin, +lived on earth a holy life, died the sinner's death on the Cross, was +buried and raised by the power of God. Before this age He was also in +heaven, but not as man. He was ever in the bosom of the Father as the +Only Begotten. Now as the Man Christ Jesus who has conquered He fills +that throne, the Father's throne. He has not His own throne which +belongs to Him, nor will He get this throne, the throne of His father +David, as long as this age lasts. Exalted in the highest place He has +all power, and exercises in behalf of His people, His priesthood and +His advocacy, ministering to the needs of His own on earth. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Second</B>, let us see next about the Holy Spirit in His relation to this +age. He came to earth on the day of Pentecost. In the Old Testament +times He visited the earth, but not to abide, as is now the case. He +strove with men from the very beginning, He endued prophets, and +priests and kings, and all who believed the Word of God, of which He is +the Author; but after Christ died and had gone back to the Father, He +came as the other Comforter, the One who takes the place of the absent +Christ. He is come to earth to accomplish God's purpose in this +present age. Nowhere do we read in the New Testament that the purpose +of the coming of the Holy Spirit is to convert the world, and establish +universal righteousness and peace. These blessings are not promised +for the age in which we live. The great purpose for which the Spirit +of God came in the beginning of our age is for the out-taking of the +Church, the Body of Christ. He is gathering together Jews and Gentiles +who believe on Christ and puts them into this Body. On the Day of +Pentecost this Body began; then all the gathered believers were +baptised by the One Spirit into one Body. This work continues +throughout this age. Then He Himself bestows the gifts which are +needed for the upbuilding of that Body. In the beginning of this age +He unfolded His special energy in sign gifts, confirming by these the +truth of Christianity. These special gifts and signs were only +confined to the beginning of the age. Nowhere is it stated that they +were to continue to the end, for this age is an age of faith and not of +sight. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Third</B>, during this age there is preached a special message which was +unknown in former ages. This message is the Gospel of Grace. It is +true that before Christ died an innumerable company of people were +saved, and salvation of course was always by grace. They believed God, +confessed themselves sinners, trusted in the promise, and then they +were saved. But the Gospel message as it began to be preached after +Christ died and the Holy Spirit came to earth, was not known in Old +Testament times. That Gospel not only offers remission of sins, but +tells the believing sinner that he becomes in Christ a Son of God and a +joint heir with the Lord Jesus Christ; that eternal life is his present +possession and that he is one spirit with the Lord, for the Holy Spirit +makes His abode in him. This then is the great message which was +preached with the beginning of this age, and which is to be preached to +its very end. It is the only power of God unto salvation, and anything +else is a miserable, good-for-nothing substitute and counterfeit, which +not alone cannot please God, but upon which the curse of God rests; for +anything short of the Gospel of Christ is an insult to God and a denial +of His righteousness and love. And this Gospel is to be preached +according to the word of our Lord beginning in Jerusalem, in Judea, and +Samaria, and to the uttermost ends of the earth. This Divine program +given by our Lord has been carried out; the preaching began in +Jerusalem, that is where the Gospel stream started; from there it +flowed into Judea and Samaria, and then Gentiles heard the Gospel and +were saved. Our Lord indicated this world-wide sowing during this age +in the first parable of Matthew xiii, when He spoke of the sower going +out into the field, telling us that the field is the world. Israel in +the preceding age was spoken of as a vineyard with a fence about, but +in this age there is no more vineyard, no more special place where +labor is to be done; but as John Wesley used to say, "The world is my +parish." +</P> + +<P> +<B>Fourth</B>, let us also notice that with the beginning of the age there +is made known the full Truth of God by revelation. It is the faith +which is once and for all delivered unto the saints. When our Lord was +on earth He spoke repeatedly to His disciples that He had many things +to say unto them, which they could not grasp, but that they should know +them afterward. The "afterward" does not mean heaven, but it means the +afterward of the Holy Spirit. He told them that when the Spirit came +He would take of these things of Christ and show them unto them; and so +when He came He brought with Him the fullest revelation concerning +Christ Himself, the believer's position in Him and all the gracious +truths connected with it. In this sense, the Word of God was completed +in the beginning of this age. Nothing can be added to it, nor must +anything be taken away from it. There is no such thing as progress in +the Truth of God, that man by research can discover something for +himself, as he attempts to do in the different sciences. The Truth and +doctrine made known in the beginning of this age is a fixed Truth, it +is eternal Truth, it is unchangeable Truth, and as such the only light +which man has during this age. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Fifth</B>, as to the moral characteristics of this age. The Apostle John +tells us that the world lieth in the wicked one, and that the character +of the world is antagonistic to the Word of God. The age therefore is +branded in every portion of the New Testament as an evil age. Certain +exhortations to believers make this clear. All exhortations in the New +Testament to Christians are exhortations to separate from this age. In +the beginning of Galatians we are expressly told that the Lord Jesus +Christ gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us out of this +present evil age. Then again we read what Paul wrote to Titus that the +grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men, teaching us +that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and should live +soberly, righteously and godly in this present age. This shows that +the present age is evil. +</P> + +<P> +And nowhere is the promise made in the Epistles that this present age +can ever be anything different than an evil age. It continues evil to +the end. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Sixth</B>, what is the relation of Satan to our age? He is the enemy of +God, and seemingly achieved a triumph when he got man to reject the +Lord of Glory. On this account He is called in the New Testament "the +god of this age." He is the domineering spirit of the age in which we +live, which is also called Man's Day. Christ is rejected, with no +throne on earth, but Satan instead has his throne in this world and +controls the affairs of the age. That this is so may be seen from the +very events with which this age started. Persecution soon set in, +believers were slain, and in every other way this dark shadow +antagonized the work of the Spirit and counterfeited the Truth of God. +Therefore the spiritual warfare of believers in this age is to stand +against the wiles of the devil, for we wrestle not against flesh and +blood, but against principalities, against the powers, against the +world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirits in the +heavenly places. (Eph. vi:12). From this we learn that the age is +ruled over by Satan and the wicked spirits. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Seventh</B>, there is another item which needs to be mentioned in +connection with the beginning of this age, and that is the Jewish +people. Their measure of wickedness was filled when they delivered the +Son of God into the hands of the Gentiles to be crucified. God in +mercy lingered over the city for forty years before the announced +judgment was executed upon the city and upon the nation. Thousands +upon thousands repented and accepted the Gospel; in fact, the beginning +of the entire Church was Jewish. But the nation hardened its heart, +and finally the tears which the Lord had shed over Jerusalem were +justified in the awful siege of Jerusalem, followed by the dispersion +of the nation. Ever since they have been in fulfillment of the +predictions of their own prophets, scattered amongst the nations of the +world, and this is continuing throughout this age. +</P> + +<P> +We see then that there is a marked difference between this age and the +ages which preceded it. Christ as the glorified Man in heaven, the +Holy Spirit on earth, a new message, a new work which the Spirit of God +does, the full revelation of God given to men, the world in darkness, +Satan its god, and the Jews no longer in their land but wandering +amongst the nations with judicial blindness upon them. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +II +</H4> + +<P> +<B>The Progress of the Age</B>. This present age is unrevealed in the Old +Testament. When Daniel received the great prophecy which Gabriel +carried from the Throne of God to the praying Prophet, he heard that at +a certain time the death of Christ should take place, and that the city +and the sanctuary should be burned, and the nation scattered. This was +at the close of the sixty-ninth week, four hundred and eighty-three +years after the command to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem had been +given. As we have shown in our book on Daniel this has been literally +fulfilled, and as all students of prophecy know there is an unfulfilled +week, or seven years, which are yet to come to pass in the history of +that nation. The space between the sixty-ninth and the seventieth week +is this present age. Nor is there anywhere in the Word of God a +revelation which tells us of the duration of this age. There is no +hint about it in the Old Testament; and when the disciples asked the +Lord about the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel, which manifestly +takes place at the close of this age, He told them, "It is not for you +to know the times and the seasons." It is therefore useless trying to +find out about the duration of the age. +</P> + +<P> +But when we come to the moral and religious characteristics, in +connection with the progress of this age, it is different. They are +fully revealed by the Lord and also by His Spirit. Especially is this +true of the very end of this age. Twice our Lord spoke on these +matters, once on earth when He gave the Kingdom parables in Matthew +xiii and spoke of the progress of the age and what should take place +during His absence. Again He spoke from heaven about these same +things, when He gave the messages to the seven churches. In them He +outlined the course of the professing church on earth, and reveals in +it what is to take place during the progress of this age. +</P> + +<P> +We shall cover the same seven things which we have mentioned in +connection with the beginning of this age, and learn how they are +affected as this age progresses and nears its end. +</P> + +<P> +<B>First</B>, as to the Lord Jesus Christ in glory. Enthroned in the +highest glory He can never be affected by what is going on down here. +Satan's power cannot reach Him. The Lord Jesus is the same, yesterday, +today, and forever. Whatever man does on earth, however great the +hatred may be against Him, even if the nations unite to cast off His +cords and bands, in the language of the second Psalm, "He that sitteth +in the heavens shall laugh at them and hold them in derision." But +there is a comforting truth in connection with this, the comfort of +which has been the blessed portion of all God's people as the age +progressed, and its true character became more and more known. "Saul, +Saul, why persecutest thou me," was the word the Lord Jesus addressed +to the persecutor of the Church of God. It shows His loving interest +and sympathy for His suffering members on earth. And so as the age +progressed in the pagan persecutions and the equally bad, if not worse, +Papal persecutions, He has sustained His people on earth, He has never +failed them, He has carried them through the water and through the +fire. He has presented their petitions before the Throne of God, and +answered their prayers. Nor will He ever fail His people until they +are gathered home into His presence, the trophies of His grace. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Second</B>. Nor can the Holy Spirit and His work be affected by what the +progress of this age brings. He knows no failure. His Divine mission +cannot fail. In every generation during this age, no matter how dark +it may have been, He has continued successfully His work and added to +the Body of Christ, in each generation those who believed on the Son of +God. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Third and Fourth</B>, as to the Gospel and the Truth of God it is +different, for we shall notice here at once what the progress of the +age has brought about in connection with what God has given to this +age. Our Lord tells us in the second parable, in Matthew xiii, that no +sooner had the wheat, the Truth, been sown in the field, which is the +world, but that an enemy came and sowed the tares. Then He revealed +this fact that the wheat and the tares were to grow together until the +harvest, which is the end of the age. There is then a development in +the progress of this age, a development in the wheat, which is ripening +for the harvest, and the development of the tares. The Truth is to +shine more brightly as the age progresses, and darkness becomes more +dense. We see therefore that after a brief period of purity the evil +began in the professing church. The Gospel, even in Apostolic days was +being denied, and the Apostles' doctrines corrupted. +</P> + +<P> +What the Lord Jesus taught in the parable of the mustard seed came also +to pass as the age progressed. The little mustard seed became a great +tree, and the birds began to lodge in its branches to defile the tree. +The professing church became a great world institution, and in alliance +with the world where the throne of Satan is, became corrupted; instead +of being the espoused virgin, she became the harlot and adultress. +What the Lord Jesus announced in the Parable of the leaven came +likewise to pass as this age progressed. The leaven, which is +corruption, evil in every form, especially in Christian doctrine, has +been introduced into the pure doctrine of Christ, the three measures of +fine wheat. +</P> + +<P> +And so we see that as the age progressed the rejection of every phase +of Divine Truth set in. The Deity of Christ denied, the Virgin Birth, +His atoning death, His physical resurrection, everything denied; the +Bible as the revelation of God rejected; and with these denials there +came the increase of unrighteousness and moral declension, till the age +produced the condition which the Word of God clearly foresaw, a great +professing church, with the harlot character, unfaithful to Christ and +to His Word; while of course it is equally true that there is the true +Church, which remains true to Christ and to His Word. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Fifth</B>, as the age progresses there is no change seen in the condition +of the world. It is true man has been developing Man's Day. As the +age progressed great inventions and discoveries were made. These are +often taken to be indications that the age is getting better. They +point to the telephone, and wireless, the great engineering feats, the +chemical discoveries, and everything else in these lines as evidences +that the age is constantly improving. Before the war we were told that +the age had improved to such an extent that a great war would no longer +be possible. Everybody was lauding our great civilization to the +skies. A few weeks after everything was knocked sky-high, and what is +left of all these optimistic ramblings? No, this age does not improve, +and everything which the Word of God has to say about it has been +solemnly verified and confirmed by the roar of cannons and by the +slaughter of millions. Our great inventions and discoveries have not +made the world more righteous. On the contrary, unrighteousness and +lawlessness have increased, and later we shall show how everything in +these conditions points to the very end of this age. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Sixth</B>, Satan. The world does not change, neither does Satan. He can +never be anything else but the enemy of God, nor can his person and +work be arrested by man's efforts. As the age continues his opposition +becomes more marked. We know from the lips of our Lord that he is the +liar and the murderer from the beginning. He has made good these +titles throughout this age. He tried to stamp out more than once the +Truth of Christ by instigating the cruel persecutions of the people of +God. They were slain by the thousands and hundreds of thousands during +the reign of the Roman Emperors. When he failed in this then he +manifested his character as the liar from the beginning. He began to +counterfeit the Truth, and partially succeeded in corrupting the +professing church and putting a spurious system in control, where he +makes good his title as the liar. When in the progress of this age the +Spirit of God began reviving the Truth, when the noble men and women +refused to bow before Rome, he again acted as the murderer. Thousands +upon thousands were tortured, slain, and burned alive, until he +discovered that the Truth cannot be stamped out by the fires of +persecution, that he was failing again as he had failed in the first +century of the age. Then once more he appears in the garb of an angel +of light. Now he does his work through demon-cults like Christian +Science, Spiritism, Mormonism and others. He manifests himself once +more as the liar from the beginning in the New Theology and the +Destructive Criticism, so widely accepted everywhere. And thus he +continues his work as the age progresses; no change for the better. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Seventh</B>, as already stated the Jews are wanderers amongst the +nations. We know two things concerning the Jews. The first is that +they are given the promise in earthly things, and though they are now +blinded, God has not cast them away; and the other is that they are +during this age under judgment. These two facts stand out in the +history of that remarkable people as the age continues. If we want to +see the richest people, the most influential, the brightest, we must +turn to the Jewish people. In that fact God witnesses that they are +still His people. And then the greatest sorrow, the greatest +suffering, the greatest poverty is found amongst them; the witness that +they are under judgment. Over and over again in every century has +solemnly come to pass what their forefathers cried, "His blood be upon +us, and upon our children." We shall later point out the startling +change which is coming upon them as a nation when the age ends. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +III +</H4> + +<P> +<B>The End of the Age</B>. Like every previous age, our age will also come +to a close. It is here we find one of the vital errors amongst +Christians at the present time. They never think of this age of Gospel +preaching and Gospel privilege as coming to an end. If one speaks to +them about the end of the age, they think it means after the world is +converted, and the passing away of the world itself. Peter has given +us the witness that this would be one of the characteristics of the +last days, when mockers shall come, saying, "Where is the promise of +His coming? for from the day the fathers fell asleep all things +continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." This is +what we find so much in our day. In spite of the horrible conditions +in which this age has been plunged, and the confirmation of the +predictions of the Bible relating to this age, the mass of professing +Christians expect that things will continue, and that after the war the +age will speedily improve. We have seen before how impossible this is, +for the Bible teaches us that this age is an evil age, and there is not +a single passage which promises an improvement. On the contrary, +everything in the Word shows that as the age ends, and its real end +comes, all the evil conditions present in this age come to a head and +climax. We find therefore a great deal said in the Scriptures about +the end of the age. The Lord Jesus speaks of it in His parables in +Matthew xiii. He has given also a complete panorama of the age-ending +in His great Olivet discourse. Then when we come to the Epistles we +find that the Spirit of God through every writer gives a warning and a +witness about the end of the age. All these warnings and witnesses do +not tell us of a converted world, and a world which is won to +righteousness, of nations who lay down their armaments and no longer +make war; nor do these warnings and predictions speak of a triumph of +the doctrine of Christ. They tell us the very opposite. They give +warnings that the faith is going to be rejected, that delusions and +errors are going to multiply, that nation is going to lift up sword +against nation and kingdom against kingdom, that lawlessness and +unrighteousness are going to increase, and that the age itself is going +to end in a time of trouble such as the world has never seen before. +</P> + +<P> +If we turn to the last Book of the Bible we find also an argument +concerning the age and its end. Before the heaven opens and He comes, +whose right it is to establish His Kingdom over this earth, the wicked +and wild conditions prevailing on this earth are described, and that on +account of them the judgments of the Lord will be in the earth. +</P> + +<P> +And now to follow the same line of thought as in our preceding +meditations, let us again notice the same things which we mentioned +before in connection with the beginning and progress of this age. +</P> + +<P> +<B>First</B>, as this age comes to a close Christ is still on the Father's +Throne. His ministry in behalf of His people both as Priest and +Advocate continues unbroken. He has promised, "Lo, I am with you +always even unto the end of the age." We say again, He changes not. +As He sustained His people in the beginning of the age and gave them +victory, as He kept the feet of His saints in every generation and +gathered them home into His own presence, so He will still minister to +the needs of His members on earth. Let the age become as dark as it +possibly can, His people who trust in Him and walk in His fellowship +will be kept and preserved. We do not know all that is going on in +glory. We know he is there as the upholder of all things. We know +that the greater part of the children of God are as disembodied spirits +in His presence. Some day a startling thing will happen in that glory. +The hour has come when the redeemed are to have their resurrection +bodies, and all the living saints shall be changed in a moment, in the +twinkling of an eye. When that hour strikes He Himself will arise from +the place at the Father's right hand and pass out of the third heaven, +and then from the air give the shout which will summon all the redeemed +to meet Him in the sky. For this the people of God are waiting in the +end of this age. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[1] See article "That Blessed Hope." [Transcriber's note: there +was no matching footnote number in the above text, so it is not +known what this footnote referred to.] +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +<B>Second</B>, the Holy Spirit also remains the same. His energy is +undiminished. The work He came to do and which He has done throughout +this age, will be done by Him to the very end. Indeed, while darkness +increases and the enemy becomes more active, God's people may +confidently expect that the Holy Spirit will also demonstrate His power +in the behalf of those who love and walk in the Truth. Some day He +will have finished the work for which He came, the Body will be +complete as to numbers; and when that crowning event, the coming of the +Lord for His saints, takes place, the Holy Spirit will have His part to +do. Not alone Christ will present the Church but the Holy Spirit as +well; and then He will leave the earth, no longer to be here to do the +special work which He came to do on the Day of Pentecost. He has +finished the work. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Third</B>, the Gospel is still preached during the end of the age. As +long as the Church remains here the true Gospel testimony can never be +silenced, because behind it stands the omnipotent Spirit of God and the +power of Christ. But as the age closes the true Gospel is being more +and more rejected. We see this today; we hear on all hands that man no +longer needs to be born again, that the blood of Christ cannot save, +that character saves; that the soldiers who die on the battlefield +bring a sacrifice like Christ brought on the Cross, and that the hero's +death makes all things right in the past life and opens the gates of +glory. On all sides we see these rejections; the Son of God is denied +and every phase of His work is set aside. This is exactly what is +taught in the New Testament, that men would turn away their ears from +the Truth, and that the great mass of professing Christians would only +have a form of godliness and deny the power thereof. +</P> + +<P> +When at last the Church has ended her ministry the sound of the Gospel +of Grace will no longer be heard. While this is true, on the other +hand the Gospel still preached up to the end of the age brings about +the completion of the Body of Christ. We see this today in a startling +manner. While amongst the so-called Christian nations the Gospel is +rejected, in heathen countries the Gospel is accepted by thousands upon +thousands, and thus the Body of Christ, the true Church, is being made +complete. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Fourth</B>, when this age closes the whole body of the doctrine of Christ +and the Truth will be rejected. The foundation for this has gradually +been laid. It started over a hundred years ago in Germany, where the +modern criticism of the Bible started. This criticism has constantly +been growing, until everywhere throughout Christendom an infallible +Bible is being denied. Thus the foundations of the faith have been +undermined, and the way is prepared for the final apostasy, the +complete falling away from the Truth. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Fifth</B>, in regard to the world. As stated previously this age cannot +get better, but becomes worse. We see it today, how all inventions and +discoveries in which we used to boast as evidences of progress are +being made use of in the most horrible catastrophe the world has ever +seen. Europe is like a human slaughterhouse. Nations are against +nations and kingdoms against kingdoms; and all this was started by a +nation which boasted of having the most light in religious things and +the best culture and civilization. And all along they denied Christ +and the Truth of God; and when the outbreak came it was only a +demonstration that behind their Christless civilization and culture +there stood the domineering shadow of the prince of this world. When +we look closer into the Prophetic Word we find that these conditions +continue to the end of the age, and that finally there comes a +tremendous crash, when the Lord Himself will deal with these horrible +conditions and smite the wicked and the ungodly. +</P> + +<P> +But some one might say, "What is the use of doing anything at all if +this is the program?" "What is the use of us to fight as a nation?" +But this is wrong logic. There are principles of righteousness and +justice which must be maintained in this world, for which man must +stand up, and as far as our nation is concerned we are on the side of +justice and the defense of righteousness, which have the approval of +God, for they are in line with His righteous government. When the time +comes for the reckoning, not from the human side but from God's side, +this will fall heavily into the scale when the nations are judged. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Sixth</B>, as to Satan. Like a huge serpent he has been winding his way +throughout this age, leaving everywhere his contamination. While Satan +is not omniscient and perfect in knowledge, he has sufficient knowledge +of his destiny and how soon that destiny will be accomplished, and so +as the age closes he becomes fiercer in his wrath; like a serpent which +is attacked and in danger of being caught, his hiss is heard on all +sides. He is now actively engaged in counterfeiting the Truth, in +putting in his demon doctrines, in perverting the Truth wherever he +can. And by and by after the true Church is gone he will put his +masterpieces into the world, of whom we shall have more to say in these +studies. Then he will blind the nations as never before and rush them +on to the final climax of the age. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Seventh</B>, as to the Jews. We have seen how they were scattered at the +beginning of this age, and how they continued to wander amongst the +nations as the age progressed. When we come to the end of the age a +startling change takes place with His people. The figtree, once +cursed, puts forth new leaves; the dry bones of the house of Israel +begin to show signs of life. There is a movement amongst them, bone +comes to bone, they organize, their faces are turned towards the east; +they are getting ready for the greatest event in all history. The Lord +Jesus Christ said that Jerusalem should be trodden down of the Gentiles +until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. When the end of the age +comes the times of the Gentiles are about fulfilled; and the startling +sign that the age ends is the movement amongst the Jews so prominent +today. The capture of Jerusalem and the complete downfall of the Turk +are significant signs. Palestine will be given to the Jews when the +war ends. Then the stage is set, so to speak, for the predicted end of +the age. +</P> + +<P> +We have rapidly pointed out the leading features of the beginning, +progress and end of this age. The real end is composed of seven years, +the last prophetic week of Daniel's prophecy (Dan. ix). The true +church will then no longer be on the earth. Her translation has taken +place. The Saints are with the Lord. But on earth the things will +come to pass which are so prominently revealed in the prophetic Word. +And when the seven years are over the Lord Jesus Christ will come back +in power and glory to establish His Kingdom of righteousness and peace. +Then that which has been shall be again and still greater glory added. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"THAT BLESSED HOPE" +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the glory +of our great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ," Tit. ii:13. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +"That blessed hope" of which the Apostle writes is an exclusively New +Testament revelation. The appearing of the glory of our great God and +our Savior Jesus Christ is fully revealed in the Old Testament +prophetic Word. The Prophets had visions of the day of the Lord, a day +in which the Lord will be manifested in power and glory; a day which +will bring glory and peace when the Lord is enthroned as King of kings +and Lord of lords. The Spirit of God has shown through the prophets +what the appearing, the visible manifestation of the Lord will mean, +for the people Israel, for the nations and for groaning creation. But +nowhere do we find "that blessed hope" made known by the prophets. The +Jewish Saints knew nothing of it as it is revealed to the church of +God. True they had now and then a glimpse of the future. One of the +greatest sufferers was Job. His darkest night was illuminated by the +assurance of hope when he uttered his great testimony: "I know that my +Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latter day upon the +earth. And if after my skin this body shall be destroyed, yet in my +flesh shall I see God. Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes +shall behold, and not another" (Job xix:25-27). But this is not "that +blessed hope" the Lord has given to us His people. +</P> + +<P> +Old Testament Saints knew of the resurrection of the dead. They knew +nothing of a resurrection from among the dead. Yet Enoch and Elijah +were taken to glory without dying. No prophet knew the typical meaning +of their experience as we know it through "that blessed hope." +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +For the First Time +</H4> + +<P> +"That blessed hope" is for the first time mentioned by our Lord. But +where in His earthly life did He give it to His disciples? It is not +found in the records of the three first Gospels, generally called the +synoptics. In these records He spoke often of His Return. He promised +a Second Coming of Himself in the clouds of heaven with power and great +glory. He revealed what should take place before His return. In His +prophetic Olivet discourse (Matt. xxiv-xxv) He gave the signs of His +Coming, the preceding great tribulation, the physical signs +accompanying His visible manifestation, the regathering of His elect +people Israel by the angels. He revealed how some would then be taken +in judgment and others left on the earth to enter the Kingdom (Matt. +xxiv:40-41). He also spoke in parables of how the conditions in +Christendom would be dealt with by Him. And finally He gave a prophecy +concerning the judgment of the living nations in the day of His +appearing. But nowhere in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke did He +speak of "that blessed hope." +</P> + +<P> +It was in the upper room discourse that He spoke of it the first time. +His eleven disciples were gathered about Him. Judas had gone out into +the night to betray Him. For him of whom the Lord said it would have +been better had he never been born, there was no blessed hope. The +Lord had announced His imminent departure from them. He would leave +them. When Peter said "I will lay down my life for thy sake" (John +xiii:30), the omniscient One told him, "the cock shall not crow till +thou hast denied me thrice." How sorrowful this little company must +have been! Despair was probably on all their faces. Their hearts were +greatly troubled. +</P> + +<P> +Then His beloved voice broke the silence and uttered the never to be +forgotten words, "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, +believe also in Me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were +not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you; and if +I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you +unto Myself that where I am ye may be also" (John xiv:1-3). In these +words "that blessed hope" is mentioned for the first time in the Bible. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +What It Is +</H4> + +<P> +Only those who belonged to Him heard this promise. It is therefore a +promise not given to Israel, or to the world, but only for those who +know Him as their Savior and Lord, who have believed on Him and are His +own. The promise is twofold. He would come again and receive them +unto Himself; and that He would take them to the place where He is. +And this is "that blessed hope." His coming for His own to be with Him +in the Father's house to occupy the mansions He has prepared by His +atoning work. +</P> + +<P> +The contrast of this promise of His Coming for His disciples with the +promises of His visible return as given in the synoptics is striking. +He does not say a word about any signs. He does not mention the great +tribulation. Nor has He anything to say about judgment. He only gives +the assurance that He, in person, will come again and then receive them +unto Himself. They were not to look for certain signs and events as +predicted in Daniel's prophecy, or wait for the great tribulation and +the manifestation of the man of sin. His promise told them to wait for +Himself. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +His Prayer +</H4> + +<P> +A little while later after He had given this promise of His Coming for +them they heard Him pray. This prayer is found in the seventeenth +chapter of John. What a prayer it is! As they listened to His voice +addressing the Father they had new glimpses of His great love wherewith +He loved them. He prayed for their sanctification, for their +preservation and finally for their glorification. He made a demand of +the Father which confirmed the promise He had previously given to them. +He prayed, "Father, I will that they, whom Thou hast given Me be with +Me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given Me, +for Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world" (John xvii:24). +In these words He asks the Father to do what He had promised His +disciples. His own are to be with Him where He is, to behold His glory. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +An Unfulfilled Promise and an Unanswered Prayer +</H4> + +<P> +The promise of "that blessed hope" given so long ago is still +unfulfilled; the prayer He prayed is not yet answered. Some say that +when our Lord said "I will come again and receive you unto myself" He +meant the death of the believer. This is positively wrong. When the +believer dies the Lord does not come to the individual believer, but +the believer goes to be with the Lord. "Absent from the body present +with the Lord." When the believer dies his body is put into the +ground, while the disembodied part goes straight into His presence. +But the body is also redeemed and must be fashioned like unto His +glorious body. The disciples died and generations upon generations of +believers passed away and the promise is still unfulfilled and His +prayer not yet answered. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +The Full Revelation +</H4> + +<P> +The disciples, though they knew the promise of "that blessed hope" had +no knowledge whatever how the Lord would come again and receive them +unto Himself. He did not reveal the manner of His Coming when He spoke +to them. The Lord singled out the Apostle Paul to give to him the +special revelation as to the manner of His Coming for His Saints and +how "that blessed hope" would some day be fulfilled. The Apostle Paul +is the instrument through whom the Lord was pleased to give the highest +revelation in the Word of God, so that he could say that it was given +to him "to fulfil (complete) the Word of God." To him the full glory +of the church, the body of Christ, was made known, and through this +chosen vessel, who called himself less than the least of all the +Saints, the full revelation of "that blessed hope" is given. +</P> + +<P> +The first Epistle he wrote was the Epistle to the Thessalonians. The +great revelation of the blessed hope is found in the first Epistle. +"But we do not wish you to be ignorant concerning them that are fallen +asleep, to the end that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope. +For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also God will +bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. For this we +say to you in the Word of the Lord, that we, the living, who remain to +the coming of the Lord, are in no way to anticipate those who have +fallen asleep: for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with an +assembling shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of +God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we, the living who +remain, shall be caught up together with them in clouds, to meet the +Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore +comfort one another with these words" (1 Thess. iv:13-18,—corrected +translation). These words, so unique and precious, give the full +revelation about "the blessed hope." Some of the Thessalonian +believers had died and those who were left behind feared that their +departed ones had lost their share in the coming glorious meeting with +the Lord. On their account they sorrowed like those who have no hope. +And so the Lord gave to the Apostle this special revelation to quiet +their fears and to enlighten them as to the details of the coming of +the Lord for all His Saints, those who had fallen asleep, and those who +live when He fulfills His promise. The little church of Thessalonica +with these sorrowing Saints was made the recipient of this great and +comforting message which is for the whole body of Christ as well. +</P> + +<P> +Let us examine it. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, +so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through +Jesus." Here is first the blessed fact that "Jesus died." Of the +Saints it is said that they fell asleep; but never is it said that +Jesus slept, when He gave His life on the cross. He tasted death, the +death in all its unfathomable meaning as the judgment upon sin. For +the saints the physical death is but sleep.[<A NAME="chap02fn1text"></A><A HREF="#chap02fn1">1</A>] And He who died rose +again; as certainly as He died and rose again, so surely shall all +believers rise. God will bring all those who have fallen asleep +through Jesus with Him, that is with the Lord when He comes in the day +of His glorious manifestation. It does not mean the receiving of them +by the Lord, nor does it mean that He brings their disembodied spirits +with Him to be united to their bodies from the graves, but it means +that those who have fallen asleep will God bring with His Son when He +comes with all His saints; they will all be in that glorified company. +When the Lord comes back from glory all the departed saints will be +with Him. This is what the Thessalonians needed to know first of all. +Before we follow this blessed revelation in its unfolding we call +attention to the phrase "fallen asleep through (not in) Jesus;" it may +also be rendered by "those who were put to sleep by Jesus." His saints +in life and death are in His hands. When saints put their bodies +aside, it is because their Lord has willed it so. "Precious in the +sight of the Lord is the death of His saints" (Ps. cxvi:15). When our +loved ones leave us, may we think of their departure as being "put to +sleep by Jesus." +</P> + +<P> +But blessed as this answer to their question is, it produced another +difficulty. Hearing that the saints who had fallen asleep would come +with the Lord on the day of His glorious manifestation, they would ask, +"How is it possible that they can come with Him?" Are they coming as +disembodied spirits? What about their bodies in the graves? How shall +they come with Him? To answer these questions the special revelation +"by the Word of the Lord" is given, by which they learned, and we also, +how they would all be with Him so as to come with Him at His appearing. +"For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord, that we, the living, +who remain unto the coming of the Lord, are in no wise to anticipate +those who have fallen asleep." He tells them that when the Lord comes +for His saints, those who have fallen asleep will not have an inferior +place, and that, we, the living, who remain to the coming of the Lord, +will not precede those who have fallen asleep. When Paul wrote these +words and said "We, the living, who remain," he certainly considered +himself as included in that class. The two companies who will meet the +Lord when He comes, those who have fallen asleep and those who are +living, are mentioned here for the first time. How the living saints +will not precede those who have departed and the order in which the +coming of the Lord for His saints will be executed is next made known +in this wonderful revelation. +</P> + +<P> +"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with an assembling +shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God; and +the dead in Christ shall rise first, then, we, the living, who remain, +shall be caught up together with them in clouds, to meet the Lord in +the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one +another with these words." This is the full revelation of the blessed +hope in its manner of fulfilment. Nothing like it is found anywhere in +the Old Testament Scriptures. In writing later to the Corinthians Paul +mentioned it again: "Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all +sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of +an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead +shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. +xv:51-52). +</P> + +<P> +The Lord <I>Himself</I> will descend from heaven. He is now at the right +hand of God in glory, crowned with honor and glory. There He exercises +His Priesthood and advocacy in behalf of His people, by which He keeps, +sustains and restores them. When the last member has been added to the +church, which is His body, and that body is to be with Him, who is the +head, He will leave the place at the right hand and descend from +heaven. He will not descend to the earth, for, as we read later, the +meeting-place for Him and His saints is the air and not the earth. +When He comes with His saints in His visible manifestation, He will +descend to the earth. When He comes for His Saints He comes with a +shout. It denotes His supreme authority. The Greek word is "Kelusma," +which means literally "a shout of command," used in classical Greek for +the hero's shout to his followers in battle, the commanding voice to +gather together. He ascended with a shout (Ps. lxvii:5), and with the +victor's shout He returns. The shout may be the single word "Come!" +"Come and see" He spoke to the disciples who followed Him and inquired +for His dwelling place. Before Lazarus' tomb He spoke with a loud +voice, "Come forth." John, in the isle of Patmos, after the throne +messages to the churches had been given, saw a door opened in heaven +and the voice said "Come up hither" (Rev. iv:1). "Come" is the royal +word of grace, and grace will do its supreme work when He comes for His +own. But there will also be the voice of the archangel (Michael) and +the trump of God. The archangel is the leader of the angelic hosts. +As He was seen of angels (1 Tim. iii:16) when He ascended into the +highest heaven, so will the archangel be connected with His descent out +of heaven. All heaven will be in commotion when the heirs of glory, +sinners saved by grace, are about to be brought with glorified bodies +into the Father's house. Some teach that the voice of the archangel +may be employed to summon the heavenly hosts and marshal the +innumerable company of the redeemed, for "They shall gather His elect +together from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" +(Matthew xxiv:30-31). But this is incorrect. The elect in Matthew +xxiv are not the church, but Israel. Dispersed Israel will be +regathered and angels will be used in this work. Furthermore the +angels will do this gathering after the great tribulation and after the +visible manifestation of the Lord with His saints. The coming of the +Lord for His saints takes place before the great tribulation. +</P> + +<P> +The trump of God is also mentioned. This trumpet has nothing to do +with the judgment trumpets of Revelation, nor with the Jewish feast of +trumpets. Some teach that the trumpet is the last trumpet of +Revelation. But note the trumpet here is the trumpet of God; in +Revelation the last trumpet is blown by an angel. It is a symbolical +term and like the shout stands for the gathering together. In Numbers +x:4 we read, "And if they blow with one trumpet, then the princes, the +heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee." +The shout and the trump of God will gather the fellow-heirs of Christ. +"The dead in Christ shall rise first." This is the resurrection from +among all the dead of those who believed on Christ, the righteous, +dead. All saints of all ages, Old and New Testament saints, are +included. This statement of the resurrection of the dead in Christ +first disposes completely of the unscriptural view of a general +resurrection. As we know from Rev. xx:5 the rest of the dead (the +wicked dead) will be raised up later. He comes in person to open the +graves of all who belong to Him and manifests His authority over death +which He has conquered. The dead in Christ will hear the shout first +and experience His quickening power; they shall be raised +incorruptible. What power will then be manifested! "Then we, the +living, who remain, shall be caught up together with them in clouds to +meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." All +believers who live on earth when the Lord comes will hear that +commanding, gathering shout. It does not include those who only +profess to be Christians and are nominal church-members, nor are any +excluded who really are the Lord's. The question, "Who will be caught +up into glory?" is answered elsewhere in these studies. But see 1 Cor. +xv:23 for an answer. The change will be "in a moment, in the twinkling +of an eye" (1 Cor. xv:52). Then this mortal will put on immortality. +It will be that "clothed upon" of which the apostle wrote to the +Corinthians: "For in this tabernacle we groan, being burdened; not for +that we would be unclothed (death) but clothed upon, that mortality +might be swallowed up of life" (2 Cor. v:4). Then our body of +humiliation will be fashioned like unto His own glorious body. It is +the blessed, glorious hope, not death and the grave, but the coming of +the Lord, when we shall be changed. And it is our imminent hope; +believers must wait daily for it and some blessed day the shout will +surely come. +</P> + +<P> +When He descends from heaven with the shout and the dead in Christ are +raised and we are changed, then "we shall be caught up together with +them in clouds to meet the Lord in the air." It will be the blessed +time of reunion with the loved ones who have gone before. What joy and +comfort it must have brought to the sorrowing Thessalonians when they +read these blessed words for the first time! And they are still the +words of comfort and hope to all His people, when they stand at the +open graves of loved ones who fell asleep as believers. Often the +question is asked, "Shall we not alone meet our loved ones but also +recognize them?" Here is the answer: "Together with them" implies both +reunion and recognition. These words would indeed mean nothing did +they not mean recognition. We shall surely see the faces of our loved +ones again and all the saints of God on that blessed day when this +great event takes place. The clouds will be heaven's chariots to take +the heirs of God and the joint-heirs of the Lord Jesus Christ into His +own presence. As He ascended so His redeemed ones will be taken up. +Caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; all laws of +gravitation are set aside, for it is the power of God, the same power +which raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead and seated Him in glory, +which will be displayed in behalf of His saints (Eph. i:19-23). Surely +this is a divine and a wonderful revelation. "How foolish it must +sound to our learned scientists. But, beloved, I would want nothing +but that one sentence, 'Caught up in clouds to meet the Lord in the +air,' to prove the divinity of Christianity. Its very boldness is +assurance of its truth. No speculation, no argument, no reasoning; but +a bare authoritative statement startling in its boldness. Not a +syllable of Scripture on which to build, and yet when spoken, in +perfect harmony with all Scripture. How absolutely impossible for any +man to have conceived that the Lord's saints should be caught up to +meet Him in the air. Were it not true its very boldness and apparent +foolishness would be its refutation. And what would be the character +of mind that could invent such a thought? What depths of wickedness! +What cruelty! What callousness! The spring from which such a +statement, if false, could rise must be corrupt indeed. But how +different in fact! What severe righteousness! What depths of +holiness! What elevated morality! What warmth of tender affection! +What clear reasoning! Every word that he has written testifies that he +has not attempted to deceive. Paul was no deceiver, and it is equally +impossible for him to have been deceived."[<A NAME="chap02fn2text"></A><A HREF="#chap02fn2">2</A>] +</P> + +<P> +And the blessedness "to meet the Lord in the air"! We shall see Him +then as He is and gaze for the first time upon the face of the Beloved, +that face of glory, which was once marred and smitten on account of our +sins. And seeing Him as He is we shall be like Him. How long will be +the meeting in the air? It has been said that the stay in that meeting +place will be but momentary and that the Lord will at once resume His +descent to the earth. We know from other Scriptures that this cannot +be. Between the coming of the Lord for His saints and with His saints +there is an interval of at least seven years before the visible coming +of the Lord and His saints with Him. The judgment of the saints, by +which their works and labors become manifest must take place. There is +also to be the presentation of the church in glory (Ephes. v:27; Jude +verse 24). Furthermore the marriage of the Lamb takes place not in the +meeting place in the air, but in heaven (Rev. xix:1-10). He will take +His saints into the Father's house that they may behold His glory (John +xvii:22). But what will it mean, "So shall we be forever with the +Lord!" +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Its Power and Blessedness +</H4> + +<P> +Such then is "that blessed hope," blessed indeed, and an imminent hope. +It is a hope which if really held in the heart will shape the life and +conduct of the believer, and fill, we make bold to say, every need he +has in the wilderness down here. +</P> + +<P> +1. That blessed hope will keep the person of the Lord Jesus Christ +constantly before the heart. If we really look for Him, wait for Him, +pray and long for His Coming, to see Him face to face, He will ever be +fresh before our hearts. This hope will keep us in closest touch and +fellowship with Him as nothing else. Oh! the blessedness of knowing we +shall see Him—see Him in all His glory! Each day ought to be begun +with this thought, "I may meet Him today!" Each day should have for +its last thought the blessed anticipation that the coming morning may +find us in His presence. +</P> + +<P> +2. The blessed hope is a purifying hope. "He that has this hope set +upon Him purifieth himself even as He is pure" (1 John iii:3). It is +the power for a consecrated and separated life. He prayed in His +high-priestly prayer, "They are not of the world as I am not of the +world. Sanctify them through Thy Truth, Thy Word is truth" (John +xvii:16, 17). He has redeemed us from the curse, from the guilt of our +sins and from this present evil age. We are saints, no longer of this +world, though still in the world. With this comes the responsibility +to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age. If a child +of God lives a worldly, carnal life it is a denial of the power of the +Gospel. If a believer in that blessed hope lives an unholy life it is +an evidence that he has never known in his heart what this hope is. It +is a hope which teaches us to walk in the light as He is in the light. +No believer who knows that blessed hope and waits for its fulfilment +can go in the ways of the world to enjoy its hollow pleasures. It is a +separating, purifying hope. +</P> + +<P> +3. "That blessed hope" is furthermore a powerful incentive to service +for God. One of the charges brought against this most precious +doctrine is that it paralyses missionary work and all other activities. +The very opposite is the case. It stimulates true service for God as +nothing else does. Look at that great model servant, the Apostle Paul. +What a witness he gives of his untiring, whole hearted service and the +sufferings he endured in connection with it. Read 1 Thessalonians ii +and 2 Corinthians xi:24-33. He had seen the Lord in glory and he knew +that His glory belonged to him and that in the day of Christ he would +see Him and receive the reward from His hands. This was the secret of +his zeal for the Gospel; this gave him joy to endure. Like Moses he +"had respect unto the recompense of the reward." He knew before the +judgment seat of Christ he, and with him all the Saints, shall appear +to receive the reward for faithful service. He looked upon those for +whom he toiled, who were led to Christ by his testimony and nourished +by his ministry as his glory and joy in the coming presence of the +Lord. "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not +even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His Coming? For ye +are our glory and joy" (1 Thess. ii:19). The most successful +evangelists and missionaries have been and are believers in that +blessed hope. If we believe that He may come at any time, we shall +certainly lose no time to do the work into which His grace has called +us. +</P> + +<P> +4. It is a sustaining hope. It sustains in suffering and in sorrow. +David wrote: "The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing; +thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness" (Ps. xli:3). It is the +blessed hope of imminent glory which in sickness and pain gives +strength, "yea songs in the night" will come from our lips if that +blessed hope is ever first before our souls. And then it sustains the +believer in conflict and keeps him faithful in the days of declension +and apostasy. +</P> + +<P> +5. It is a comforting hope. "Comfort one another with these words" +the apostle wrote after he gave the great message. It is the comfort +when our loved ones leave us. When we stand at the grave of the +departed ones, who fell asleep in the Lord, we know that the day is +coming when that grave opens and they come forth and we shall be united +with them "caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02fn1"></A> +<A NAME="chap02fn2"></A> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap02fn1text">1</A>] Some have perverted the meaning of "sleep," and instead of applying +it, as Scripture does, to the body, they apply it to the soul. +Soul-sleep is nowhere taught in the Bible and is therefore an invention +by those who handle the word deceitfully. +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap02fn2text">2</A>] <I>Our Hope</I>, February, 1902. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +WHO WILL BE CAUGHT UP WHEN THE LORD COMES? +</H3> + +<P> +The doctrine of the first resurrection and the coming of the Lord for +His saints is nowhere taught in the Old Testament; it is altogether a +New Testament revelation. As it is so well known, the Apostle Paul, +who received from the Lord the revelation concerning the church, the +one body, received also directly from the Lord the revelation +concerning the glorious removal of the church from the earth. As the +church had a definite beginning, so she will have a definite end. This +end of the church on earth is made known in 1 Thess. iv: 13-17. To +read these familiar words and meditate on them, as we have already done +in the preceding chapter, and to realize a little of what it all means, +fills the heart with praise and joy unspeakable. Oh, for that shout, +that assembling shout from the glorified Head to His own members! The +dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive shall be +caught up together with them in clouds. The clouds will be the +chariots of glory which take us into His presence. Then we shall meet +the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. This +coming of the Lord for his saints is the blessed Hope, the Hope of the +Church, our Hope. +</P> + +<P> +We are to occupy ourselves next with the question, who, when the hour +arrives, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Will all true +Christians be caught up or only a few? This is an important question, +important because that blessed event may come at any time. There is, +in our days, a decided increase of teachers who teach what has been +termed a "partial rapture." According to some of these teachings only +those who believe that the Lord is coming, and who wait for His coming, +who have a correct knowledge of His Second Coming, will be taken, and +others who had not light on dispensational teachings, but were equally +sincere, will be left to pass through the tribulation. Others again +declare that only those will be caught up who attained to a certain +spirituality. What is termed "a higher life experience" is, according +to these, necessary to share in the rapture. Only "consecrated" +Christians will be taken up who are loosened from earthly things. This +teaching is found mostly among Christian believers, who are much +occupied with themselves, their experiences, and who do not know the +blessed position the believer holds through grace in Christ. Then +there are numerous groups of people, some of them perfectionists, who +are scattered from Maine to California, from North to South and who +claim that only the 144,000 will be caught up, and that those who hold +these teachings, or, possess their peculiar experience, will belong to +that company. These people forget that the 144,000 in Revelation are +of Israel. Some of the so-called "Pentecostal people," now split up in +different sects, have imposed another condition, that of speaking in a +strange tongue. There is still another view, or rather new +presentation of the partial rapture, which seems to have unsettled some +believers. We have received a number of letters from students and +others have come to us and asked us about it. +</P> + +<P> +According to this view only those will have part in the first +resurrection whose love and conduct after their conversion have made +them worthy of it. We shall quote from a volume which teaches this: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="block"> +"By the first resurrection Christ exercises His power; when, as we +shall presently see, those only, whose love and conduct after +conversion have caused Him to deem them worthy, will come forth from +the dead, to form the complete church and to act as members of the +Heavenly Kingdom. +</P> + +<P CLASS="block"> +"By the final resurrection of all the remaining dead; when those who +have been saved, but did not attain to the First resurrection, will be +raised to life: and those who have rejected the Saviour will come forth +for judgment. This resurrection does not take place until the close of +the millennial reign, that is, until at least a thousand years after +the First resurrection." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +According to this the first resurrection is a reward for faithfulness +and right conduct. One has to attain a worthiness, what measure of it +is not specified, and could not be specified by anyone. The complete +church will be formed by those who are faithful. The other believers +who were truly saved, and also indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but less +faithful, will see no resurrection till the great White Throne is set +up. That this is altogether unscriptural need not to be further +explained. No believer, who is saved by grace and hence is a member of +Christ, will ever appear before the great White Throne. The second +resurrection is of the wicked dead. +</P> + +<P> +The author then goes to the Epistle to the Philippians and tries to +show from the third chapter that the first resurrection is a prize. +Especially is it the word of the Apostle in the tenth and eleventh +verses he explains as supporting his false theory. We will let him +speak in his own words: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="block"> +"But what was the goal towards which Paul was thus directing his +efforts? 'If by any means,' he continues, 'I may attain to the select +resurrection out from among the dead.' In other words, his aim was to +be numbered with those blessed and holy ones who shall have part in the +first resurrection. But we must note, that he had at the time, <I>no +certain assurance</I> (italics ours) that he would compass the desire of +his heart. * * * Just before his death, however, it was graciously +revealed to him that he was one of the approved." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Speaking on the thirteenth and fourteenth verses of the same chapter in +Philippians, he says: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="block"> +"Here Paul again urges the fact, that, devoted as he was to his Master, +he had as yet <I>no absolute certainty</I> of attaining to the first +resurrection." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +The worst statement on this line in the whole book is the following: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="block"> +"The upward, or heavenward, calling is, of course, contrasted with the +earthly calling of Israel. And its introduction here is sufficiently +startling for those who have been taught that simple belief in Christ +will win heaven for them, and membership in the Lord's body. For Paul +unmistakably affirms that these high privileges are a prize and not a +gift, and are accessible only by the gate of the First Resurrection—a +gate through which, after all his sacrifices and labors and sufferings +for Christ, he was not yet absolutely sure that he would be permitted +to pass." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +According to this teaching the Apostle, who had received apostleship +not of men but from the Lord, whom he saw in glory, the Apostle to whom +was committed the Gospel of the Glory of the blessed God and to whom +was made known the mystery of the Church, and that <I>all</I> believers are +members of that body, this great Apostle and instrument through whom +God gave the greatest revelation, did not know himself that he belonged +to the body. He did not know it in spite of his sufferings and labors; +he had to suffer some more, and only when he wrote Second Timothy had +he a special revelation that he had labored and suffered enough. How +ridiculous and more than that, insulting to the work and the Word of +our Lord Jesus Christ! And if it were true what this book teaches, how +dreadful it would be for almost every believer, for but few, if any, +labor and suffer as Paul did, and we could have, even if we did, no +assurance concerning our membership in the body and our share in the +first resurrection, except by <I>special</I> revelation. But such a special +revelation is nowhere promised in the Word. +</P> + +<P> +We shall return after a while to the argument of Philippians. +</P> + +<P> +But let us give the answer to the question, "<I>Who will be caught up +when the Lord comes?</I>" +</P> + +<P> +Every person who fell asleep in Jesus belongs to the company which is +mentioned in first Thessalonians, "the dead in Christ shall be raised +first," and every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, who lives +when the assembling shout comes from the air, will be caught up in +clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And if believers, as it is the +case, were ignorant of the coming of the Lord, had absolutely no +knowledge of the fact and therefore did not wait for Him, they will +nevertheless be caught up. Let us make the statement as strong as we +possibly can. Supposing the Lord came tonight to take His own out of +the earth. Let us suppose a person who lived a very wicked life, but +an hour before the Lord comes believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and is +saved and accepted in the Beloved, made a partaker of the heavenly +calling. This one saved by grace, though ignorant of the truth of God, +would be caught up like the oldest, most matured Saint who loved His +appearing for many years. Think of the dying thief. He pleaded +"Remember me when thou dost come into thy kingdom." The assurance +comes back to him, who could do no works to gain a prize, who was so +ignorant in all spiritual matters, "To-day thou shalt be with me in +Paradise." When the Lord comes with the assembling shout the body of +the thief, saved by grace, as well as the body of Stephen, whose is a +martyr's crown, and Paul's and every other one who was saved by grace +will be raised up and we, meaning every saved one together with them, +will be caught up. +</P> + +<P> +But let us prove this statement by the only authority we have, the Word +of God. Let the Scriptures give an answer to the simple question, "Is +the first resurrection and to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air +the prize for a holy, consecrated, faithful conduct and life, or is it +a free gift of the grace of God in our Lord Jesus Christ?" The answer +to this from the Scriptures is clear; it is put in every epistle as the +result of grace and not as the reward for faithfulness and service. To +cite all the New Testament passages which acquaint us with the +wonderful truth of what grace has called us to and made us in Christ +Jesus would fill page after page, and if we would ponder over them and +search in its blessed depths under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, +would fill our hearts with "joy unspeakable and full of glory." How +clear it is seen in <I>Romans</I>. In the fifth of Romans we read of the +blessed results of justification. It is not a question of <I>doing</I> from +our side, but it is <I>God's doing</I>, for everyone who believeth on the +Lord Jesus Christ. Peace, perfect peace, towards God. Every believer +has it with God in virtue of the blood of the cross. There peace was +made. The second, access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand, +and the third result of justification, rejoicing in hope of the glory +of God. And this hope of the glory of God is nothing else than what we +have in the first epistle of John, "We shall be like Him for we shall +see Him as He is." Read also Romans viii:29, 30, "For whom He did +foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His +Son (in resurrection on the day of His coming for His Saints) that He +might be the Firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did +predestinate, them He also called, and whom He called, them He also +justified and whom He justified, them He also glorified." +Justification and glorification are inseparably connected. They cannot +be severed. Both are from the side of God, the result of the finished +work of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has justified and God has +glorified. The glorification begins when our Lord leaves the Father's +throne and comes into the air to meet those whom the Father has given +to Him. Not one will be left behind. And who are they whom the Father +has given to the Son? Everyone who believed and came to the Son. +</P> + +<P> +It is in that rich unfathomable epistle to the Ephesians, where we read +God's gracious purpose towards everyone who believes in Christ, +accepted in Him, blest with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies +in Christ. We would have to go through all the precious words in the +opening chapters, where we learn more fully than elsewhere that <I>it is +all the gift of God</I>, not of works, lest any man should boast. "Even +when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ (by +grace ye are saved). And hath raised us up together and made us sit +together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come He +might show the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us +through Christ Jesus." Now we are there by grace. God see us there in +Christ and bye and bye we shall be there actually. It is clear from a +number of passages that when the Lord comes for His Saints <I>all</I> +believers without any distinction, whether they are full grown in +knowledge, fathers, young men or babes in Christ, will be taken +<I>because</I> they are Christ's and God's grace has put them there. This +is not only clearly seen in 1 Thess. iv:13-18, but also elsewhere. +"For our commonwealth is in heaven, from whence also we look for the +Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; Who shall change our body of +humiliation, that it might be fashioned like unto His glorious body, +according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things +unto Himself" (Phil. iii:20, 21). But every man in his own order: +Christ the first fruits; afterwards <I>they that are Christ's</I> at His +coming, * * * Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but +we shall <I>all</I> be changed (1 Cor. xv:23, 51). It is clear that <I>all</I> +means the whole company of believers. +</P> + +<P> +But there are other scriptural proofs that all believers will be taken +up when the Lord comes. One is the unity of the body. "For as the +body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one +body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For by one Spirit +are we <I>all</I> baptised into <I>one</I> body" (1 Cor. xii:12 and 13). It is +clear then that all believers are members of the one body. The +teaching in the above cited paragraphs is an open denial of the truth +revealed of the church as the one body. "There is <I>one</I> body and <I>one</I> +Spirit even as ye are called in <I>one</I> hope of your calling" (Ephes. +iv:4). This one body, of which every believer is a member, will be +joined to the glorified Head, it will be <I>one</I> joining and one +presentation of the assembly. Now, if only certain believers are +caught up and another number passeth through a part of the tribulation, +and still another company is taken later and other believers will not +be raised at all till the great white Throne is set up, the revealed +truth of the one body, its organic unity and vital connection with Him +in glory is completely set aside. +</P> + +<P> +Furthermore, <I>the</I> apostasy and the revelation of the Antichrist cannot +come till that body, the church, is taken from the earth (see 2 Thess. +ii). The appearance of the final Antichrist therefore demands the +complete removal of the one body. A remnant of believers, members of +the one body, left in the earth during the great tribulation would +still hinder the revelation of Antichrist and postpone it. The Saints +in the tribulation are <I>not</I> members of the one body, but they are +Jewish believers. The next chapter will enter into this more fully. +</P> + +<P> +Again, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ." This +is the <I>Bema</I> in the air. <I>All</I> believers will have to appear before +Him to receive approval or disapproval (<I>not</I> salvation or +condemnation). Now, if they are <I>all</I> to appear before that seat in +the air on the day of Christ—they must <I>all</I> have been taken up. When +He comes at the end of the tribulation He comes with <I>all</I> His Saints. +Many other Scriptures might be quoted which declare the same truth, +Every believer will share in the first resurrection and be caught up +when the Lord comes. +</P> + +<P> +There are two passages which are generally quoted to support the +teaching of a partial rapture. The first is taken to support the +theory that it is a question of worthiness, and the second passage is +claimed to make clear that only those will be caught up who look for +the Lord. +</P> + +<P> +Luke xxi:36 is the first passage. "Watch ye therefore and pray always, +that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all the things that shall +come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man." Our Lord spoke these +words in connection with the prophecies concerning the end of the age +when the earth and the heavens shall be shaken and when He will come as +Son of Man in a cloud with power and glory. The title of our Lord, Son +of Man, gives us His relation to the earth. When He was here in His +humiliation He was Son of Man, when He comes in exaltation He comes as +Son of Man. Nowhere is it said of the members of the body of the Lord +Jesus Christ that they will stand before the Son of Man. The +exhortation is one which concerns the Jewish remnant, the 144,000 in +the Book of Revelation. They will be in the earth during that time of +trouble and with them it will be the question of faithfulness to the +end to be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of Man. The +disciples whom our Lord addressed in these words represent in type that +Jewish remnant. +</P> + +<P> +Hebrews ix:28: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; +and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without +sin unto salvation." This passage has been made to prove that only +those who wait for Him will be taken up. The whole passage shows the +three appearings of the Christ. He appeared on the earth to put away +sin by sacrificing Himself. He appears now in the presence of God for +us. He will appear the second time. This is unquestionably the +glorious appearing spoken of in Titus ii:13, "The glorious appearing of +the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." <I>He</I> who appeared and +<I>He</I> who appears in the presence of God will be the <I>same</I> who comes +back to the earth. Of course when He actually returns from heaven into +the habitable earth, as the firstborn, bringing many sons to glory (all +His saints with Him) there will be such who wait and look for Him and +to them He comes for salvation, and these are the believing Jews. Of +this we read in Isaiah xxv:9: "And it shall be said in that day, Lo +this is our God; we have waited for Him and He will save us. This is +the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His +salvation." The passage does not teach that only such will be caught +up who believe in His coming and look for Him. +</P> + +<P> +And now, as so many believers seem to be troubled about the words of +the Apostle Paul in the third chapter of Philippians we give a short +word on that. The position of the epistle to the Philippians is +significant. Ephesians speaks of the glories of the church, what every +believer and the company of believers, the one body, is <I>in</I> Christ. +Colossians acquaints us with the glory of Him who is the Head of the +body, Christ. Philippians stands between the two and shows the +believer in Christ with the life of Christ in him, living Christ and +pressing towards the glory. It is the epistle of experience. In the +third chapter the energy of this life in the believer is seen. Paul, +of course, knew that he belonged to that glory. He had absolute +certainty about the first resurrection. But this divine energy in him +presses forward. It is in full harmony with what God's grace has made +him. All in him wants to get there, where the grace of God in Christ +had placed him once and for all. The life of Christ in him reaches out +for that place and when he says, "By any means," he gives us to +understand nothing shall hinder him, may the cost be what it will, he +wants to lay hold of all for which Christ has laid hold of him. He +reaches out after that goal, Christ in glory, because he knew he +belonged there. +</P> + +<P> +Sir Robert Anderson gives a very helpful comment on Philippians iii:11 +which we quote in connection with the above: +</P> + +<P> +"If the commonly received exegesis of this passage be correct, we are +faced by the astounding fact that the author of the Epistle to the +Romans and of the fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians—the Apostle who +was in a peculiar sense entrusted with the supreme revelation of +grace—announced when nearing the close of his ministry that the +resurrection was not, as he had been used to teach, a blessing which +Divine grace assured to all believers in Christ, but a prize to be won +by the sustained efforts of a life of wholly exceptional saintship. +</P> + +<P> +"Nor is this all. In the same Epistle he has already said, 'To me to +live is Christ, and to die is gain,' whereas, <I>ex hypothesi</I>, it now +appears that his chief aim was to earn a right to the resurrection, and +that death, instead of bringing gain, would have cut him off before he +had reached the standard of saintship needed to secure that prize! For +his words are explicit. 'Not as though I had already attained.' +</P> + +<P> +"Here was one who was not a whit behind the chiefest Apostles; who +excelled them all in labors and sufferings for his Lord, and in the +visions and revelations accorded to him; whose prolonged ministry, +moreover, was accredited by mighty signs and wonders, by the power of +the spirit of God. And yet, being now 'such an one as Paul the aged,' +he was in doubt whether he should have part in that resurrection which +he had taught all his Corinthian converts to hope for and expect. +</P> + +<P> +"Such is the exposition of the Apostle's teaching in many a standard +commentary. And yet the passage which is thus perverted reaches its +climax in the words, 'Our citizenship is in heaven, from whence we are +looking for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall fashion anew +the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of His +glory.' +</P> + +<P> +"'Our citizenship is in heaven.' Here is the clew to the teaching of +the whole passage. The truth to which his words refer is more clearly +stated in Ephesians ii:6, 'God has quickened us together with Christ, +and raised us up with Him, and made us sit with Him in the heavenly +places in Christ.' More clearly still is it given in Colossians +iii:1-3, 'If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things +that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set +your mind on the things that are above, not on the things on the earth. +For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.' +</P> + +<P> +"Ephesians and Colossians, be it remembered, were written at the same +period of his ministry as Philippians, and in the light of these +Scriptures we can read this chapter aright. To win Christ (v. 8), or +to apprehend, or lay hold of, that for which he had been laid hold of, +or apprehended (v. 12)—or in other words, to realize practically in +his life on earth what was true of him doctrinally as to his standing +before God in heaven—this is what he was reaching toward, and what he +says he had not already attained. +</P> + +<P> +"The high calling of verse 14 is interpreted by some to mean Christ's +calling up His own to meet Him in the air (a blessing assured to all +'who are alive and remain unto the Coming of the Lord'), but this is +not in keeping with the plain words: God's high calling in Christ +Jesus, <I>i. e.</I>, what God has called us (made us) to be in Christ. +</P> + +<P> +"If the passage refers to the literal resurrection, then the words, +'not as though I had already attained,' must mean that, while here on +earth and before the Lord's Coming, the Apostle hoped either to undergo +the change of verse 21, or else to win some sort of saintship diploma, +or certificate, to ensure his being raised at the Coming. These +alternatives are inexorable; and they only need to be stated to ensure +their rejection. +</P> + +<P> +"One word more. If the Apostle Paul, after such a life of saintship +and service, was in doubt as to his part in the resurrection, no one of +us, indeed he be the proudest of Pharisees or the blindest of fools, +will dream of attaining it." +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE CHURCH AND THE GREAT TRIBULATION +</H3> + +<P> +Nothing should unite God's children into a closer fellowship than the +blessed hope of the coming of our Lord. This was the case, when the +Holy Spirit, almost a hundred years ago, restored to His people this +hope, and brought about a revival of the study of prophecy. The +midnight cry, "Behold the Bridegroom! Go ye forth to meet Him," was +then sounded, and those who heard and believed the blessed hope +separated themselves from all which is not according to sound doctrine, +and in so doing manifested once more the oneness of the body of Christ, +the church, and the fellowship of the Saints. Such ought to be the +results of a real faith in His coming. +</P> + +<P> +One of the questions which has agitated believers in the premillennial +Coming of our Lord is the question of the relation of the true church +to that final period of our age, which is designated as the great +tribulation. When the blessed hope was first again brought to light, +clear distinction was made between the Coming of the Lord for His +Saints (1 Thess. iv:13-18) and the Coming of the Lord with His Saints +(Zech. xiv:5; Rev. xix:14). The imminency of His Coming was a +prominent part of the prophetic testimony of those bygone days. Then +the teaching was introduced by some that the Lord cannot come at any +time, that the church is destined to pass, like the rest of the world, +through the great tribulation, suffer under Antichrist and experience +the judgment-wrath of God. This theory has caused much division and +strife among believers in the Return of our Lord, and does so still. +</P> + +<P> +In taking up this question concerning the church and the tribulation, +we shall first see what the church and the destiny of the church is, +and then examine the teaching of the Word as to the tribulation. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +I. What is the Church and the Destiny of the Church? +</H4> + +<P> +The church is an altogether New Testament institution. Nowhere in the +Old Testament Scriptures is there said anything about the church, the +expression so often used, the Old Testament church, or, the Jewish +church is therefore incorrect. It springs from the view that Israel, +the seed of Abraham, was the church in the past and that since Israel +has rejected Christ, the Christian Church has become Israel and all the +promises made to Israel are now being fulfilled in a spiritual way. +This theory plays havoc with the Word of God and leads into confusion. +The presentday condition of Christendom is to a great extent the result +of this erroneous view. Israel is not the church, nor has the church +taken the place of Israel. All who believed in Old Testament times +were saved by grace, in the same way as believing sinners are saved +during this dispensation. They were Saints, as we are Saints. But +where is there in any portion of the Scriptures of the Old Testament +(so-called) a statement that these Jewish believers formed the church +of God, the body and the bride of Christ? Israel was not the church in +the past and it is equally impossible that the people Israel in their +future day of restoration and blessing can become the church. Israel's +calling is earthly; the calling of the church is a heavenly calling. +Israel will some day possess the earthly Jerusalem while the church +will be in the heavenly Jerusalem. +</P> + +<P> +Our Lord mentioned the church for the first time. In the Gospel of +Matthew xvi:16-18 we find the following words: +</P> + +<P> +"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the +living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, +Simon Bar-Jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but +my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art +Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell +shall not prevail against it." +</P> + +<P> +Peter had made his great inspired confession of Christ as the Son of +the living God. Upon this confession the Lord said, "Blessed art thou, +Simon Bar-Jona." Each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of +God shares this blessedness. He called Simon by a new name, "Thou art +Peter;" which means "a stone." Then the Lord announced that upon this +rock He would build His church. He did not mean Peter, or else our +Lord would have said, "Upon thee will I build my church." He speaks of +"this rock" which is He Himself, the risen and living Son of God. He, +and not Peter, is the rock upon which the Church of Christ is built. +We see that the Lord speaks of the church as something in the future at +that time. It was not then in progress, but He said, "I <I>will</I> build +my church." The word church means "to call out" (ecclesia), and +denotes a company of people who are called out and called together for +a certain purpose. The Lord calls this outcalled company "my church." +The formation of this church could only begin after the work of +redemption on the cross had been accomplished. He had first to suffer +and to die; He had to rise from the dead and ascend upon high; the Holy +Spirit had to come from heaven before this church and its building +could begin on earth. Therefore He said "I will build my church;" not +I am building it now, or it has been building since Adam's day, but "I +<I>will</I> build." +</P> + +<P> +The day on which the Holy Spirit was poured out marks the beginning of +this church on earth. The company of believers who were waiting for +the promised baptism with the Spirit (about 120-Acts i:15) were on the +day of Pentecost by that baptism united into a body, the church. Ever +since then all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and are born again, +are put by the same spirit as members into that body. Of this we read +in 1 Cor. xii:13: "For by our Spirit are we all baptized into one body, +whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have +been all made to drink into one Spirit." On the day of Pentecost +nothing was made known of the beginning of the church. Peter did not +mention a word about the church. The full revelation concerning the +church was given through the Apostle Paul. Of this we read in Ephes. +iii:1-7: +</P> + +<P> +"For this cause I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, +if ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given +me to you ward; how that by revelation he made known unto me the +mystery (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may +understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages +was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his +holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be +fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in +Christ by the gospel; whereof I was made a minister, according to the +gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his +power." +</P> + +<P> +The Apostle Paul states in these verses that he was made the channel of +a revelation concerning a mystery which was not made known in former +ages unto the sons of men. This mystery is that the Gentiles should be +fellowheirs, and of the same body. The body of which he speaks, is the +church. In that body Jews and Gentiles are gathered into one, as the +one new man "where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor +uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all +and in all." Of this bringing into one we read in the Gospel of John +(chapter x) where our Lord spoke of entering the sheepfold (Judaism) +and leading out His sheep. Then He mentioned other sheep, which were +not of His fold (Gentiles): "Them also I must bring, and they shall +hear my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd." He came +and led His first sheep out of the Jewish fold. On the day of +Pentecost these Jewish believers were constituted the Church. That +Gentiles should be added to that body was not made known then. It was +revealed to the Apostle Paul. But the Lord indicates this fact here +when He speaks of the other sheep. This He mentioned likewise in His +prayer: "That they all (who believe on Him) may be one; as Thou, +Father, art in me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us, that +the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John xvii:21). The +Epistle to the Ephesians, in which the Spirit of God reveals this +mystery, makes known the glory of the church, the body of Christ. He +is the head of that body and as such the church is His own fulness, +"the fulness of Him who filleth all in all" (Eph. i:23). Every member +in that body shares the life of the risen, glorified head. Every +member is quickened together with Christ, raised up and seated in the +heavenlies in Christ Jesus (ii:5-6). And furthermore we read that the +members of this body, that is, all true believers, saved by grace and +born again, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, and have access by +one Spirit unto the Father. "Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers +and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the +household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and +prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom all +the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the +Lord. In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God +through the Spirit" (ii:19-22). Such is the church the body of Christ. +Every member in Christ and Christ in every member, each believer made +nigh by blood, accepted in the beloved One, indwelt by the Holy Spirit +and one Spirit with the Lord. The church is therefore the temple of +God, the habitation of God through the Spirit. +</P> + +<P> +Besides this life-relation of the church to the Head in glory, there is +also a love-relation. Of this Ephesians v:21-33 bears witness. The +church is the bride of Christ. He loved the church and gave Himself +for it. She is part of that travail of His soul which He saw, the joy +which was set before Him, for which He endured the cross and despised +the shame. He also sanctifies the church and cleanseth it with the +washing of water by the Word, and finally He will present it to Himself +a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but +that it should be holy and without blemish. She is the pearl of great +price for which He gave all. Her destiny is to be with Him in glory, +to be like Him and to share His glory. For this true church there is +no condemnation and no wrath, nor anguish and tribulation, but glory, +honor and peace (Rom. ii:9-10). Wrath is coming for the world, but the +Lord Jesus delivers His church from the wrath to come (1 Thess. i:10). +"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our +Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. v:9). +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +II. What is the Tribulation? +</H4> + +<P> +The Word of God speaks of tribulation. Tribulations, distresses and +all that goes with it are in the world on account of sin. Believers, +though saved and no longer of the world, but delivered from this evil +age, have tribulation and persecution likewise. Our Lord said to His +disciples and to all who are His followers, "In the world ye shall have +tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John +xvi:33). "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you" +(John xv:20). "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall +suffer persecution" (1 Tim. 12). What a record Paul wrote of his own +tribulations and persecutions. How great was his affliction, +persecution, distress and manifold tribulation! (2 Cor. xi:16-32). +"Through much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdom of God" (Acts +xiv:22). The believer is exhorted to glory (or boast) in these +tribulations (Rom. v:3). Triumphantly in faith he can say, "Who shall +separate us, from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, +or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Rom. +viii:35). "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation," is another +exhortation (Rom. xii:12). To the Corinthians Paul wrote, "I am filled +with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation" (2 Cor. +vii:4). The Thessalonian Christians suffered greatly, but met it all +victoriously so that Paul wrote them, "We ourselves glory in you in the +churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions +and tribulations that ye endure" (1 Thess. i:4). If we today know but +little persecution for Christ's sake, it is because we do not manifest +in our lives separation from the world. "For unto you it is given in +the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer +for His sake" (Phil. i:29). Tribulations, persecutions, sufferings for +Christ's and for righteousness' sake belong to the church. They are +really blessings, for all these things must work together for good to +them that love God. +</P> + +<P> +But there is another tribulation revealed in the Word of God which is +of totally different nature. It is a tribulation which God permits as +a judgment to come upon all the world, a tribulation in which Satan is +concerned, in which he manifests his malice and his wrath. This +tribulation has an altogether punitive character. In different +portions of the Prophets we read of a great time of distress, such as +the sword, famine and pestilence and other tribulations and judgments, +which precede the visible manifestation of the Lord to deliver His +earthly people Israel. This tribulation is always predicted to come +upon Israel and upon the nations of the earth. It is mentioned in the +New Testament, as we shall see directly; but the Old Testament gives us +the full history of these tribulation judgments. The time when this +tribulation takes place is "the end of the age," which, strictly +speaking means the Jewish age. Every student of prophecy knows +something of that all important revelation in Daniel ix, the +seventy-week prophecy.[<A NAME="chap04fn1text"></A><A HREF="#chap04fn1">1</A>] +</P> + +<P> +The last prophetic week of seven years has not yet been. We are still +between the 69th and the 70th week. Those coming last seven years of +that interrupted Jewish age will bring these predicted judgments and +the great tribulation. The last 3-1/2 years (or 1,260 days, 42 months) +are the great tribulation itself. +</P> + +<P> +We quote a few passages: "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is +like it, it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved +out of it" (Jer. xxx-7). +</P> + +<P> +"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth +for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, +such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. And +at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be +found written in the book" (Dan. xii:1). +</P> + +<P> +It is clear beyond controversy that both passages reveal that this +great time of trouble comes upon Daniel's people at the time of the +end. It is a wrong interpretation to say that "thy people" means the +church. As stated before, the prophets have nothing to say about the +church. For what will take place in that time of trouble see Dan. +vii:21-25. We turn next to Matthew xxiv. The great prophecy of our +Lord contained in this chapter has nothing to do with the destruction +of Jerusalem in 70 A. D. It is a prophecy which relates to the time of +the end and covers the same seven years of unfulfilled Jewish history. +His disciples had asked concerning the end of the age and the Lord +answers this question. Significant it is that He calls special +attention to Daniel the prophet. This is the key. When our Lord +speaks of a time of trouble He means the same trouble of which Daniel +wrote: "For there shall be great tribulation such as was not since the +beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be" (Matt. +xxiv:21). There is nothing in the words of our Lord to indicate that +the true church is then on earth. The preaching of the Gospel of the +Kingdom as a witness to all nations during this time of trouble is the +message which the Jewish remnant gives before the coming of the +King.[<A NAME="chap04fn2text"></A><A HREF="#chap04fn2">2</A>] When this great tribulation ends the Lord Jesus Christ comes +back to earth again "in the clouds of heaven with power and great +glory" (Matt. xxiv:29-30). What takes place then is revealed also by +our Lord. "And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a +trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, +from one end of heaven to the other." Superficial teachers of prophecy +explain this as being the gathering together of Christian believers +when the Lord comes at the close of the great tribulation. We have +seen from 1 Thess. iv:13-18 how the Lord comes for His Saints. He does +not send angels to gather His church from the four winds, but He gives +the shout from the air and instead of being gathered the church-saints +are caught up in clouds, together with the risen saints to meet the +Lord in the air. The elect people who are to be gathered when the Lord +returns after the tribulation are the people Israel (see Isaiah +xxvii:13). Their hour of deliverance has come. This is the same +deliverance of which Daniel speaks in chapter xii:1. It is also +significant that our Lord after He announced the gathering and +restoration of Israel mentions at once the figtree, which is Israel. +</P> + +<P> +The book of Revelation bears the same witness as to the church and in +relation to the tribulation to come. The church is only mentioned in +the first three chapters. In the church message to Philadelphia (Rev. +iii:7-13) a promise is given to the true church which is important: +"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee +from the hour of trial which shall come upon all the world to try them +that dwell upon the earth. Behold I come quickly, hold that fast which +thou hast that no man take thy crown." The hour of trial for all the +world is the tribulation period. Here, then, is a definite promise +that true believers are going to be exempt from that coming time of +trouble. Laodicea marks a final phase of Christendom; it is apostasy. +Chapters iv and v in Revelation reveal what will take place in heaven +in the future. We behold in these two chapters the redeemed in glory, +singing the new song. These redeemed include all the church saints as +well as the Old Testament Saints. Beginning with the sixth chapter we +find in Revelation the future things, that is, what will take place +after the Lord has come for His Saints. Here the judgments, the +tribulation and the wrath are made known which will visit the earth +during the last seven years of the age. Revelation vi-xviii cover the +history of the last week of Daniel. In these chapters we read nothing +of the true church as still on earth. +</P> + +<P> +Another important fact as to the tribulation period must be dealt with. +During this time of trouble there are those on earth who suffer and +whom God owns as Saints. Satan through his instruments, the little +horn and the Antichrist is persecuting these Saints and they pass +through this awful time of trouble. Daniel wrote, "I beheld, and the +same horn made war with the Saints and prevailed against them ... and +he (the little horn) shall speak great words against the Most High and +shall wear out the Saints of the Most High" (Daniel vii:21, 25). These +suffering tribulation Saints will receive the Kingdom on earth (Dan. +vii:22, 27). In the great vision of John in Revelation chapter xiii, +the same beast which Daniel saw is described. Here again we read of +Saints: "And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints, and to +overcome them" (Rev. xiii:7). Now as the church is no longer on earth, +who are these Saints? They are Jewish believers who have turned to the +Lord and whom He now owns as Saints. Their sufferings at that time, as +well as their faith, their prayers and their deliverance is the subject +of many of the Psalms. They are the sealed ones of Revelation vii.[<A NAME="chap04fn3text"></A><A HREF="#chap04fn3">3</A>] +Many of them refusing to worship the beast suffer martyrdom and are +raised up. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +III. Important Conclusions +</H4> + +<P> +We have seen what the church and her destiny is. We have learned the +character of the tribulation. It is evident that the true church has +nothing whatever to do with this time of trouble. We add some +important conclusions with further proofs that the church will not pass +through the tribulation. +</P> + +<P> +1. The tribulation is a judgment period. When this predicted trouble +comes for the world, for Jews and Gentiles, the church is no longer +here, but possesses its promised rest and glory. The Thessalonians had +been disturbed by a rumor as if that tribulation preceding the day of +the Lord had come. In the second Epistle to them the apostle makes it +clear that this was not the case, and points out the fact that those +who troubled and persecuted them would have as a recompense +tribulation, while the troubled believers would have rest (2 Thess. +i:4-9). Nowhere in the Epistles of Paul addressed to the church, and +unfolding church truths, is there a word said about that tribulation. +If the church would pass through this judgment period with which the +ages closes, the Spirit of God would certainly have mentioned it and +given His exhortations so suited for such a time. But inasmuch as +nothing is said in these church epistles it is a logical conclusion +that the true church will not be in the tribulation. +</P> + +<P> +2. Not alone will the church not be in that time of trouble, but that +time, the last prophetic week of Daniel, cannot begin as long as the +true church is on earth. This is made clear by one of the great +prophecies of the New Testament. In the Second Thessalonians chapter +ii the statement is made that the day of the Lord (His visible +manifestation) cannot come till there be first the apostasy and the Man +of Sin, the son of perdition (the Antichrist) be revealed. It is +during the last seven years that both of these conditions are reached. +But the apostle also states that there is One who hinders the complete +apostasy and its leader, the Antichrist. Something is in the way which +keeps back the full manifestation of the mystery of lawlessness. This +hindering One must be first taken out of the way. The hindering One is +the Holy Spirit. He dwells in the body of Christ, the church. As long +as He is here on earth in and with the true church the two conditions +necessary for the final seven years of this age cannot be fulfilled. +Before the tribulation can come the church must have been called away +to her heavenly abode. +</P> + +<P> +3. If the church were to pass through the tribulation period all the +exhortations to wait for the Coming of the Lord, to watch for Him, to +be ready, would have no meaning. It would be more correct to exhort to +wait for the coming of the beast. The blessed hope to meet Him, would +lose its blessedness. Instead of being a bright outlook to be with +Christ in glory, it would be the worst pessimism, for believers would +not face immediate glory, but tribulation, judgments, and the +persecutions of the beast from the pit. Everything in Scripture is +against this teaching, which has been accepted by not a few, that the +church must pass through the tribulation, and after all it is an +important truth for the spiritual life of a believer. If the Lord +cannot come for His Saints till the Roman empire is again in existence, +and the two beasts have made their appearance to do their work, if He +cannot come till the Jews are back in Palestine and have rebuilt their +temple, then the real power of that blessed hope in the daily life of a +Christian is gone. The danger then is to say, "My Lord delays His +Coming," and with it drift into worldly ways. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04fn1"></A> +<A NAME="chap04fn2"></A> +<A NAME="chap04fn3"></A> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap04fn1text">1</A>] See "Exposition of Daniel," by A. C. G. +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap04fn2text">2</A>] See chapter on "The Conversion of the World." +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap04fn3text">3</A>] In Rev. vii a multitude is seen coming out of the great +tribulation. This multitude is often identified with the church. But +it is not the church, but those who believe the final testimony, the +Gospel of the kingdom and are saved to enter the earth by the Kingdom +of Christ. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE TEN VIRGINS +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +or +</H4> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE MIDNIGHT CRY +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Matthew xxv:1-13 +</H4> + +<P> +The study of this most solemn parable spoken by our Lord is very +opportune. It is also necessary because certain wrong interpretations +are being made of this parable, which have been accepted by not a few +of God's people. +</P> + +<P> +We find the parable of the ten virgins exclusively in the Gospel of +Matthew, and here it is a part of the great discourse of our Lord, +generally known as the Olivet discourse. The Gospel of Matthew is the +Gospel of the King and His Kingdom. Three great discourses of the Lord +are recorded by the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of Matthew. The first is +the so-called "sermon on the mount." This contains the proclamation of +the King concerning His Kingdom. The second discourse is found in the +13th chapter; this is composed of seven parables in which the Lord +makes known the mysteries of the Kingdom. In the last great discourse +He reveals the future of His Kingdom. First He reveals the future of +the Jews, how the Jewish age will close, what great events are yet to +take place in the land of Israel. He speaks of the great tribulation, +which is yet in store for the Jews and immediately after the days of +that great tribulation He will come in power and great glory. At the +close of His discourse He reveals the future of the Gentile nations, +who are on earth when He comes again. He will take His place upon His +own glorious throne and all nations will be gathered before Him. They +will be separated by the King, as a shepherd separates the sheep and +the goats. Between these two predictions concerning the future, the +beginning and the end of this discourse He gives three parables. These +parables do not relate to the Jews, nor to the Gentile nations nor do +they refer to the period of time, the end of the age, of which He +speaks in the first part of Matthew xxiv. In these three parables the +Lord shows the conditions which will prevail during the time of His +absence from this earth. <I>This period of time is the present Christian +age</I>. The three parables of the prudent and evil servant, the wise and +the foolish virgins and the faithful and the slothful servants, give us +a picture of the state of the entire Christian profession. This is +seen in the very beginning of this parable. The parable of the ten +virgins is one, which relates to the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of +heaven has here the same meaning as in Matthew xiii, that is, it means +the entire sphere of Christian profession. +</P> + +<P> +And now before we follow the different stages of this important parable +I want to mention very briefly the two wrong interpretations, which +like all other errors in our day, became more and more widespread. The +first claims that the virgins do not represent Christians at all, but +that they represent the Jewish remnant during the end of the age. The +parable, according to this interpretation, will be fulfilled in the +future. I am not going to enter into the different arguments which are +advanced to support this view, but only wish to point out one fact, +which is sufficient to disprove this theory. The ten virgins fell +asleep, which, as we shall see later, means that they no longer +expected the coming of the Bridegroom. Is it possible to conceive that +the believing Jews during the great tribulation, when everything points +to the rapid consummation of the age, can go to sleep? This to my mind +is sufficient to overthrow this theory, not to speak of other reasons. +</P> + +<P> +Another interpretation holds that the ten virgins represent indeed +Christians. However, the foolish virgins are looked upon as true +Christians, only they lacked a maturity of growth, depth of +consecration, were not baptized with the Holy Spirit, or had not the +so-called "second blessing." All this the wise virgins possessed. +This is the favoured view with a certain class of holiness people. +Others try to prove from it the theory of a first fruit rapture. The +wise virgins are the first fruits and they are taken first. The +foolish will have to pass through the tribulation and will be taken +later. Against such teaching we simply hold up the words of the Lord, +when He as Bridegroom tells the foolish virgins "I know you not." They +were never His, they never knew Him and therefore they do not represent +true Christians. Never will the Lord say this word to any one who has +truly trusted in Him, no matter how weak and ignorant, how imperfect +and erring that one may be. +</P> + +<P> +And now let us look at the details of this parable, which gives us a +picture of the attitude and character of professing Christendom up to +the time when the Bridegroom comes. +</P> + +<P> +Four historic stages can be easily traced in this parable. Three of +them are passed and the fourth is imminent. At any moment the fourth +may become actual history. They are the following: +</P> + +<P> +1. A description of the Christian profession in its beginning and its +characteristics. 2. The falling asleep of the virgins. 3. The +Midnight cry. 4. The Coming of the Bridegroom. We are living in the +days when the midnight cry is heard and are facing the fourth great +event of this parable, the Coming of the Bridegroom, the entrance of +the wise virgins to be with Him and the shutting out of the foolish. +And this it is which makes this parable so very solemn in the days in +which we are living. +</P> + +<P> +1. "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, +which took their lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom." In 2nd +Corinthians we read that the virgin is used as a type of the church. +"I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste +virgin to Christ." The Lord in the parable uses the figure of ten +virgins, because the parable does not altogether refer to the true +church, His Bride, but because He had in mind the conditions of that +which professes to be the church. The number ten is the number of +testimony and responsibility. Nevertheless we learn from the beginning +of this parable what true Christianity is. The characteristics of the +Christian calling are three-fold: separation, manifestation and +expectation. Separation from the world; going forth with lamps, which +are for giving light, to shine as lights while the Bridegroom is not +here; and then to go forth to meet the Bridegroom. One can read in +these statements the very words and thoughts with which the Holy Spirit +describes the Thessalonian Christians, "How ye turned to God from idols +to serve the true and the living God and to wait for His Son from +heaven." The emphasis in this parable is upon the last of these +characteristics. The whole body of Christians in the beginning went +out to meet the Bridegroom. The blessed Hope of the coming of the Lord +was the Hope and the expectation of the church in the very start. It +was the original attitude of the true church and bears witness to the +heavenly hope and heavenly calling of the church. +</P> + +<P> +In the next two verses the spiritual condition of the ten virgins is +laid bare. It is noteworthy that the condition is stated first, the +demonstration of it comes later; after the midnight cry had been +sounded the foolishness of the five becomes manifested. The division +of these virgins in five wise and five foolish brings out the fact that +in the professing church two classes of people are found, the true and +the false, saved and unsaved, professing and possessing. The wise +represent such who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who have +personal knowledge of Christ and are sealed with the Spirit; they have +the unction of the Holy One, who is represented by the oil. The +foolish are such who have the form of godliness and deny the power +thereof. They represent such who have taken the outward profession but +lack the reality. As they never truly trusted in Christ they have not +the oil, the Holy Spirit. The objection has been made that the foolish +virgins can hardly represent unsaved persons, because they are called +virgins and went out to meet the Bridegroom. In their profession they +were virgins, and in profession they had gone out to meet the +Bridegroom. Another objection is raised. Did they not later say "Give +us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out?" Then they must have had +some oil, else how could they say that their lamps were gone out? +There is no proof at all in this that they had a certain supply of oil. +It is distinctly said that they only took lamps, but they did not take +oil. They may have made an attempt to light the wick of their lamps +only to see that they did not give light and went out. No, they never +possessed the oil, just as the great mass of professing Christians in +our days have lamps, an outward form, but no reality. Christ was never +accepted and therefore the Holy Spirit and His power is lacking. A +fearful condition it is! Alas, the thousands and hundreds of thousands +who are in that condition to-day! +</P> + +<P> +2. A second stage historically is seen in the fifth verse. "While the +Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." Both the foolish +and the wise grew heavy, became drowsy and then slept. This has been +interpreted in different ways. However, the meaning of it is not hard +to discover. The Bridegroom tarried and they no longer expected Him. +As the centuries went on the professing church gave up the blessed Hope +and ceased looking for the Lord. This is an historic fact. The Coming +of the Bridegroom was forgotten and all, the most earnest believers as +well as the mere professing ones slept, and for long centuries nothing +was heard of the Bridegroom and His Coming. Darkness and confusion +prevailed in dispensational truths; the writings extending over +hundreds of years witness to this fact. Of the end of the world, a +universal judgment day, and the Day of wrath something was heard +occasionally, but the blessed Hope as it was known in the beginning was +completely forgotten. Nothing is heard of it for many, many centuries. +This is the second great historic event. The Lord was no longer +expected. +</P> + +<P> +3. And now we come to the third. "And at midnight there was a cry +made, Behold the Bridegroom! go out to meet Him." The question is has +this period been reached, or are we still to wait for such a startling +cry, reaching the ears of both the wise and the foolish, the professing +and the possessing? Some teach in our day that that cry is the same as +the shout which is mentioned in 1 Thess. iv, the shout which the +descending Lord will give to call His own into His presence. But that +is incorrect. The midnight cry and the shout of the Lord have no +connection. The shout of the Lord is the first word which He will +utter. His last word was, "Behold I come quickly." The next word will +be His shout. The midnight cry is not uttered by Himself, but it is +given by the Holy Spirit. And has the midnight cry been given by the +Holy Spirit? Has there been a revival of the blessed Hope of the +Coming of the Lord? Did anything like this of which the Lord here +speaks take place? We unhesitatingly answer it with, Yes. We all know +of the Coming of the Lord. Most of us are cherishing the blessed Hope +and are waiting for Himself. We sing precious hymns full of hope and +expectation. Over the entire Christian profession the preaching has +gone forth of the Coming of the Bridegroom. This is sufficient +evidence that this stage in the parable has been reached. The midnight +cry has been given. When was it given? We do not hear anything about +the Bridegroom and His nearness during the great reformation period. +The great instruments which were used in the reformation had no light +on the Coming of the Lord. Luther, for instance, spoke occasionally of +the great universal judgment day, which he believed was near, because +he believed the Pope to be the Antichrist. In this conception he was +followed by all his contemporaries. It was not given to the great +reformers to be used in the revival of the prophetic Word and to give +the midnight cry. Nor do we hear anything like the midnight cry +immediately after the reformation; we go back to the first half of the +last century and there we meet with a revival of the blessed Hope, the +coming of the Lord. The Holy Spirit flashed forth this blessed truth +once more and ever since then the midnight cry has been heard, and it +is still being heard. We live in the fulfillment of this period of the +parable of our Lord. +</P> + +<P> +But what is indicated by these words? You noticed we left out the word +"cometh." The authorized version reads, "Behold the Bridegroom +cometh." The revised version has left out the word "cometh" and that +is the right way to read it, "Behold the Bridegroom! Go ye forth to +meet Him." This tells us that the midnight cry is more than a mere +announcement of the coming of the Lord. It is, of course, indicated, +but the Holy Spirit in the midnight cry calls attention to the person +of the Bridegroom. He unfolds His glorious person anew and brings out +the fact that His church, whom He has loved, is His Bride and that He +is the Bridegroom. And along with this message of the Bridegroom there +is a call to go forth to meet Him. What else is it than a call to the +original position? It demands a return to that as it was in the +beginning. It is a call to separation from all that is false and +unscriptural. How can any one, or how could any one honestly believe +that that adorable Person, the Bridegroom, is near, soon Coming, +without turning away from all that is displeasing to Him, without +turning the back upon all which dishonors both His Person and His Word? +This then is the significant meaning of the midnight cry. Exactly this +took place and still takes place in out present day. Along with the +revival of the blessed Hope, the preaching of His imminent Coming, we +have a return to other great truths, such as the teaching concerning +the church. Just as the giving up of the blessed Hope affected the +other great doctrines of the Bible and became in part responsible for +the fearful decline, confusion and departure from the faith once and +for all delivered unto the saints, so the recovery of the blessed Hope, +the imminent Coming of the Lord, results in the recovery of these same +blessed doctrines which were given up and leads to a return to the true +position. All this has come to pass. All is still coming to pass. +The midnight cry, "Behold the Bridegroom, go ye forth to meet Him," +stands in closest connection with the church message to Philadelphia, +in the third chapter of Revelation. There the <I>person</I> of Christ, as +the Holy One and the True One, is in the foreground. Once more a +company of His people at the very last days are keeping His Word and +are not denying His name as well as keeping the Word of His patience, +which has reference to His Coming, and to His Philadelphia remnant He +gives the encouraging message, "I will keep thee out of the hour of +trial which is to come upon all the earth." Philadelphia assuredly +originates with the midnight cry. The two are inseparably connected. +</P> + +<P> +But to return to the parable of the Lord. We notice that the midnight +cry discovers the true condition of the wise and the foolish. They all +arose and trimmed their lamps. The message has an effect upon the +entire Christian profession. Of the wise we read but little, but the +foolish now discover that they have no oil and further demonstrate +their foolishness by appealing to the wise to give them oil. The wise +in turn direct them to go to those who sell and buy for themselves. +The words have occasioned much controversy. +</P> + +<P> +It is not at all necessary that in a parable everything must have a +definite meaning. It shows simply the utter blindness of these foolish +one in looking to human beings for that which they lacked. The oil, +the Holy Spirit, can be obtained only from Him, who gives without money +and without price. But their foolishness just consisted in this very +thing that they came not to Him, who is so willing to give. One can +imagine the haste and activity of these foolish virgins in running here +and there trying to get oil, to have burning lamps to meet the +Bridegroom. It is exactly that which has happened since the midnight +cry has been given and which we still witness about us. There is a +great deal of religious activity, an immense amount of religious +fervor, all kinds of endeavor and service, trying to do this and +attempting to be better and do better. The so-called religious world +feels that there is something in the air. Something is troubling them +and yet they refuse to go to Him who alone can give and whose Grace +alone can save and make ready. This is, alas, the sad condition of a +great part of Christendom to-day. They hear the midnight cry and yet +refuse to go to Him for oil. +</P> + +<P> +But the wise arose and trimmed their lamps. They had the oil and they +responded to the message, "Behold the Bridegroom! go ye forth to meet +Him." It is a significant fact that the blessed Hope faithfully +preached is causing separation between the true and the false. That is +exactly why we must preach it and preach it more faithfully. And this +continues. It has continued for a good many years, longer than those +who were used by the Holy Spirit in the recovery of the blessed Hope, +anticipated. The infinite patience of the Lord has delayed the next +great event. How long will it all continue yet? Who can give us an +answer to this? For all we know the next moment may usher in the +actual appearing of the Bridegroom. +</P> + +<P> +The next is "the Bridegroom came." How solemn this is. While the +foolish kept on running and seeking and the wise had arisen and the +separation between these classes had taken place, He came at last. +<I>That is exactly what is before us now</I>. Oh! I wish I could impress it +upon every heart that this solemn event may be upon us at any time. +Surely the Bridegroom will not delay his coming much longer. When John +the Baptist announced the first Coming of the King through the power +and energy of the Holy Spirit did it take long for Him to come? And +now for so many years already the Holy Spirit has announced the +nearness of the Bridegroom, His soon Coming; can it then take much +longer? Every waiting one, every spiritually minded believer who has +intelligence, answers with thousands of others, "It cannot be much +longer. He will tarry no more, but will quickly come." +</P> + +<P> +How it fills our hearts with joy. The Bridegroom is coming and it +reads, "They that were ready went in with him to the marriage." The +wise, those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and know Him, are +ready. Grace has made them ready and when He comes He will receive +them. What a happy and glorious moment it will be at last. Said my +little boy, who has an interest in the Coming of the Lord, "I wonder +how He will look. I wonder what kind of a face He has when we see +Him." That is exactly what you and I have often thought about and +often wonder what it will be when we see Him at last as He is. And we +<I>shall</I> see Him. +</P> + +<P> +But there is another side, fearful indeed. "The door was shut." What +words these are. The door closed in the face of the rest of the +virgins. No more possibility, for them to enter in. Directly they +come saying "Lord, Lord, open to us." But He answered and said, +"Verily I say unto you, I know you not." They find themselves shut +out. And let me say this is their final state. One of the fearful +things with some of these new theories concerning this last parable is +that they meddle with these last words addressed to the foolish +virgins, as if they have another chance. No, no, the door was shut and +when the door opens again He comes forth not as the Bridegroom, but as +the King of kings and the Lord of lords, as the mighty judge. I know +you not—what words from such lips! What eternal misery they foretell! +</P> + +<P> +And this is the doom which hangs over the heads of the large masses of +Christian people, Christians in name only, never saved. The moment He +comes the door will be shut for these foolish virgins. Forever outside +will be their destiny. +</P> + +<P> +Perhaps I am speaking here to some, not many, but some, who have not +the oil, who have not the Spirit of Christ and are none of His. Let me +address these words to you, and if it is but one person. Delay no +longer. Arise this very moment and go to Him who still waits in +patience. He waits for you and invites you to come to Him to buy +without money and without price. Oh! come now, confess yourself with +all your religiousness perhaps and self-righteousness a lost sinner. +You need to be no longer in that dangerous position. Believe on the +Lord Jesus Christ; decide it now and I can assure you He will give you +that which you lack in your empty profession; and should He come +to-night, as may be the case, you will be ready to enter in with the +oldest saint of God. He died for you to have you with Himself. Will +you reject then the offer of salvation as it comes in this solemn hour? +How can you? Delay no longer, but now cast yourself into His arms. +</P> + +<P> +And we who know Him and wait for Him with longing hearts, there is more +than one solemn message which comes to us from this parable. Think of +the awful doom of the multitudes of professing, but unsaved, +Christians. Some believers who believe in the eternal punishment of +the unsaved act as if it were not true. If it is true as alas! it is, +how can we be idle? Brethren, we have a great responsibility towards +the foolish virgins, the great mass of the professing church. God +forbid that we should be negligent in discharging this duty. Away with +the miserable sectarian spirit which takes the skirts together, like +the Pharisee of old and says, "I am holier than thou," and refuses to +go to those who need the truth and the Gospel. We have a debt to pay; +we are debtors to all. As long as the Bridegroom tarries let us go to +those who are Christians in name and who know Him not and He will +graciously own our testimony. +</P> + +<P> +"Watch, therefore, for ye know not neither the day nor the hour." Soon +all will be reality. Soon we shall enter in to be with the Bridegroom; +shut in with Him. God grant that none of us may be shut out. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE REDEMPTION OF THE PURCHASED POSSESSION +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Ephes. i:13, 14; Rev. xii +</H4> + +<P> +We find in these words a truth revealed, which is quite often +overlooked by readers of this great Epistle. It is this: The purchased +possession, that which has been purchased for us, is yet to be +redeemed. There is a future redemption of the purchased possession. +</P> + +<P> +The divine statement includes this fact, that believers are sealed with +the Holy Spirit of promise, and that He is the earnest or our +inheritance until the time when the redemption of the purchased +possession takes place. +</P> + +<P> +And where do we find these words in this great chapter? If this +chapter is at all to be divided, it must be divided into two parts. +The first fourteen verses make the first part and then follows the +great prayer of the Spirit of God through the Apostle. The statement +which is before us for consideration is found at the end of the first +part, preceding the prayer of the Apostle. +</P> + +<P> +And what precious truth this chapter up to the fourteenth verse +contains! It is indeed God's highest revelation concerning believing +sinners saved by Grace. There is nothing higher than that, which is +revealed here, and it is safe to say that God could not tell us +anything better and more precious than what He has told us in this +chapter. +</P> + +<P> +First stands the greatest doxology of the Scriptures. "Blessed be the +God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every +spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ." This takes it all +together. We are as believers of Christ united to Him, One with Him +and therefore we possess every spiritual blessing the God and Father of +our Lord Jesus Christ is capable of giving. Then follows the great +facts connected with our redemption in Christ. Here we find election, +predestination, adoption, or putting into the Son-place, Redemption, +the source of redemption as well as the prize of redemption. +</P> + +<P> +Let us glance briefly at those glorious steps which lead up to our +verse. They are just seven. +</P> + +<P> +We can only name them, much as we would like to ponder over each. 1. +We are chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. He thought of +us and loved us before ever a single thing had been created. 2. Marked +out for the Son-place through Jesus Christ. According to the good +pleasure of His will He has given us the place of a Son. 3. He has +taken us into the favor in the Beloved. In that beloved One we are +beloved forever accepted in Him. 4. We have redemption through His +blood, the forgiveness of offences, according to the riches of His +grace. 5. Then we have the knowledge of the mystery of His will, +according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself for the +administration of the fulness of times, to head up all things in the +Christ. 6. In Him we have obtained an inheritance; and then the last +step, the seventh, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, the +earnest of that inheritance which we have obtained. +</P> + +<P> +Now let me just say this little word on the last great fact. The +authorized version reads "after that ye believed ye were sealed with +that holy Spirit of promise." This translation is misleading and gives +ground to an error which is becoming more and more widespread. It is +the error that the Holy Spirit is not given at once when the sinner +believes, but that the Holy Spirit is received in a definite experience +after we have believed. It is an error; the passage before us does not +teach this but the very opposite, for it reads, "in whom also +believing, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit." Every one who has +believed received in the act of believing the Holy Spirit. And this +blessed gift, not an influence, but the person of the Holy Spirit, is +both the seal and the earnest. A seal makes secure and denotes safety. +By that seal we are owned by God. We are His property, we belong to +Him. Then the Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, the +pledge of it. We give an earnest when we buy a property, it is an +advance payment, the first installment. So is the Holy Spirit from the +side of our God the earnest of the purchased possession. How happy and +full of joy we should be with the knowledge of all these precious +truths, with the seal and earnest of our possession. +</P> + +<P> +But the earnest (not the seal) is up to a certain time and that time is +when we come into the full possession of our inheritance "until the +redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of His glory." +This brings us to the whole matter before us. +</P> + +<P> +1. In the first place what is "our inheritance" mentioned here? We +find the word inheritance three times in this chapter. "In whom we +have also obtained an inheritance" (verse 11). Then in the 14th verse, +"The earnest of our inheritance." We find it again in the 18th verse. +"So that ye should know what is the hope of His calling and what the +riches of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints." The inheritance +is, according to these passages, twofold. Believers constituting the +church have an inheritance and we are His inheritance. The inheritance +we have, our inheritance, is nothing less than the inheritance of the +Christ. He made Him Heir of all things. He is the Heir of God. The +same is said of us as believers. We are heirs of God and joint heirs +with the Lord Jesus Christ. God has put us, according to the good +pleasure of His will in Christ, in the place of sons and because He has +made us sons He has made us heirs. The inheritance of the first +begotten from the dead is the inheritance of all who are by Grace +constituted sons in Him. And what is His inheritance which we shall +share in all eternity? We find in it the preceding verses, "having +made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good +pleasure which He purposed in Himself for the administration of the +fulness of times; to head up all things in the Christ, the things in +the heavens and the things upon the earth." In other words, He is the +heir of all things and these include both the heavens and the earth. +All is put under His feet. And this glorious inheritance belongs to +us; we shall share it with Him in all eternity. What mind and heart +can grasp it! It is unspeakable and unfathomable. Our inheritance is +often lowered in that people speak about the earth as being the +inheritance. Certain passages from the Old Testament are quoted in +support of this. "The meek shall inherit the earth," "the earth has He +given to the children of men." But this does not at all refer to our +inheritance, but rather to the inheritance of an earthly people in the +millennium. Our inheritance assuredly includes the earth, but the +heavens are the supreme place for the church. As He is now far above +all principalities and power and might and dominion, in the heavenlies, +so will the church occupy the heavenlies with Him, the glorified Head, +and in the ages to come God will show in this very position and +possession He has given to us His exceeding riches of His Grace. +</P> + +<P> +But here we read not only of an inheritance, which belongs to us, but +it speaks of "the purchased possession." There is no difference at all +between these two terms "our inheritance" and "the purchased +possession;" they are one and the same thing. The inheritance, the +possession of the heavenlies and of the earth is acquired or purchased +and the purchase price is the blood of the Son of God. The precious +blood of the Son of God has not only redeemed us and made it possible +for us to share His inheritance to the praise of His Glory, but it has +also purchased both the heavenlies and the earth. The heavenlies as +well as the things on earth have been defiled by sin and needed the +purchase; the blood of the Son of God alone could accomplish that. In +the same sense we read in the first chapter of Colossians of the +reconciliation of all things, the things in heaven and the things on +the earth. +</P> + +<P> +It is an interesting fact that we find the same word "the purchased +possession" as it is translated here at four other places in the New +Testament. Twice in Thessalonians, once in Hebrews and once in 1st +Peter. Each time it refers to the future. +</P> + +<P> +1 Thess. v:9. "God has not set us for wrath, but (literally) unto +acquiring salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has died for us +that whether we may be watching or sleep, we may live together with +Him. The "acquiring of salvation" is future and corresponds to the +"purchased possession." +</P> + +<P> +2 Thess. ii:14. "Unto which He called you through our Gospel, unto an +acquiring of the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ." +</P> + +<P> +1 Peter ii:19.... "A people for an acquisition;" that is, a people +formed for a possession corresponding to Isaiah xliii:2. "This people +have I formed for myself, they shall show forth my praise." This is +spoken, of course, concerning Israel. It also finds an application in +the church, the royal Priesthood. In the possession of our inheritance +we shall make known His excellencies, His Glory. +</P> + +<P> +Hebrews x:39. The word is likewise found also relating to the future, +"the preservation of the soul," the same as salvation in the future +sense. +</P> + +<P> +2. And now we reach the main thought of the Scripture before us. The +purchased possession, the inheritance, though it has been fully paid +for, is completely purchased, is yet to be redeemed. While we said +that our inheritance and the expression "the purchased possession" are +the same, it is not so with "purchase" and "redemption." These are two +different things. The purchase is by blood, but the redemption here is +by power. The purchased possession is to be redeemed by power. +</P> + +<P> +Now as this is so the inheritance must be in a state of alienation from +God; some power has hold of it who has no right to it. If this were +not the case it would be impossible to speak of a redemption by power. +It is just like the possession of some land in a frontier state. A +person purchases a large tract of land. It is his, he has a perfect +title to it. But now he comes and looks over his purchased possession +and he finds a number of people who settled upon it. They have erected +houses and make a claim that it belongs to them, but they have no right +to it at all. Either by law or by force they are to be evicted from +the property to which they have no right. At a certain time the owner +comes and claims his ownership and casts out these people. And even so +that which the Lord has purchased and which belongs to Him and to the +sons of God with Him, His inheritance and our inheritance is possessed +up to this time by evil, God opposing powers and they have still +control of it till the hour of eviction comes. All things are indeed +put under His feet, but we see not yet all things put under Him, though +we see as a pledge that it shall be so, "Jesus who was made a little +lower than the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and +honor." The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, and yet the +earth is still in the grasp of that mighty being, who had shown to our +Lord the kingdoms of this world claiming them as his own and offering +the same to the Lord. The father of lies spoke the truth then, for the +kingdoms of this world are in his possession and they are still his. +He is still the god of this age, the prince of the world. The enemies +of Christ seen and unseen are not yet made His footstool, nor will they +be till the power of God does it in that mighty act of a future +redemption. Still there is the groaning of all creation, waiting for +something better to come, waiting for the deliverance from the bondage +of corruption, waiting to be brought into the glorious liberty of the +children of God. The deliverance of groaning creation takes place when +the sons of God are manifested, and that is the time of the redemption +of the purchased possession. And we also who have the first fruits of +the Spirit, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the +redemption of the body. And the redemption of the body belongs to the +redemption of the purchased possession. +</P> + +<P> +And how is it with the heavens? Surely here we cannot speak of some +evil powers holding possessions, and that it is necessary to redeem +that possession by power? It is exactly this which is mostly before us +in this epistle of the Heavenlies. +</P> + +<P> +To some Christians this is almost impossible to grasp and yet it is +clearly revealed in the Scriptures that the heavenlies, the sphere +above the earth and way beyond, is in the grasp of the evil tenants +which under the headship of Satan form mighty principalities and powers +and dominions. He himself as head reaches into heaven and has access +to the very throne itself. He is not only the god of this age and the +prince of this world, but also "The prince of the power in the air." +How mighty he is as such, what powers are at his disposal, how vast his +kingdom is, how numerous the fallen beings with him and how the demons +fill the air, no saint has ever fully realized, nor shall we ever +realize it, till the God of peace has Satan completely bruised under +our feet. +</P> + +<P> +Think for a moment of what the Scriptures say. There is the first and +second chapter in the Book of Job. Some call it fiction. We call it +one of the greatest revelations of the Word of God. There is the +throne of God, and to that throne comes Satan as the accuser of the +brethren. The New Testament verifies that this is still the case, and +that at the present time this mighty being still accuses the saints of +God before the throne of righteousness. And that is one of the reasons +why the Lord Jesus Christ as our advocate appears in the presence of +God for us. +</P> + +<P> +Again we read the words of a prophet. "I saw the Lord sitting on His +throne and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right and on +his left.... And there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord +and said, I will persuade him (King Ahab). And the Lord said unto him, +Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth and I will be a lying spirit +in the mouth of all his prophets" (1 Kings xxii:19-23). And +furthermore here in the Epistle to Ephesians in the last chapter we +read of the warfare of the Christian believer, which is not with flesh +and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the +rulers of the darkness of this world, against the wicked spirits in the +heavenlies. This passage alone is sufficient evidence to show that the +heavenlies are up to the present time tenanted by wicked spirits. They +hold possession of the heavenlies and have control there. But Christ +has triumphed over Satan and his wicked spirits and has purchased that +heavenly possession. It belongs to Him and to His church, and when the +right time comes the redemption of that possession will take place and +the heavenlies will be cleared from these usurpers. +</P> + +<P> +3. This brings us to the third thought connected with this theme. +<I>When and how will the purchased possession be redeemed by the power of +God</I>? We are not left to speculation on this matter, for while we have +here just a few words concerning this great event we have in another +part of the Bible a revelation, which may be termed the complete +history of the redemption of the purchased possession. There we have +the when and the how we have asked completely answered. That book is +our great New Testament Book of Prophecy, the Revelation. The parts in +which the redemption of the purchased possession by the power of God is +revealed are chapters xii and xx. +</P> + +<P> +The twelfth chapter is one of the great chapters in this marvelous +book. It is not only a great chapter, but also an important one. In +examining any exposition of the Book of Revelation one does well to +turn to this chapter and read what the expositor has to say on it. If +he is straight here his book is well worth reading; if not he must be +wrong in the greater part of the book. The great vision is the woman +travailing in pain to be delivered of a manchild. The catching away of +that manchild, which the red dragon was ready to devour. The casting +out of Satan after the manchild is with God and in heaven, the +persecution of the woman and her seed by the serpent. The erroneous +interpretation always concerns the woman. Many make her to be the +church, and then the manchild is a select company of the elect church, +overcomers, first fruits, or as some call them the 144,000. +</P> + +<P> +The woman has nothing to do with the church. She typifies Israel and +this is easily verified from Old Testament passages. The manchild +destined to rule the nations with a rod of iron is Christ who, +according to the flesh, came from Israel. Satan hated Him and would +have devoured Him, but could not. The man-child is caught away and +then after He is in the presence of God all the other events come +rapidly to pass. +</P> + +<P> +We notice that a number of important things are passed over entirely in +the beginning of this chapter. They are implied, of course. Nothing +is said of the earthly life of Christ, nothing of His death and +resurrection. They are implied in His being caught away unto God. +There is nothing said of this present age and nothing of the church, +but she is likewise implied in this scene. The manchild does not stand +for the person of Christ alone, but for the completed Christ, I mean by +this the Christ, the Head and the Body, the church united to Him in +Glory. What is spoken of the Christ in resurrection is also spoken of +His church. The promise to rule the nations with a rod of iron is not +only to Him but through Him also to those who overcome. "And he shall +rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter shall they be +broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father" (Rev. ii:28). It +is also significant that we do not read of the ascension here of our +Lord. If the word were here that the man-child ascended, I doubt if +then we could say the church is implied, for the word ascension is +never used in connection with the church. But it reads "Caught away," +and the very same word which is used here is used in 1 Thess. iv. +"Caught up together with them in clouds." What follows next is the war +in heaven and the casting out of Satan. This will not take place till +the complete church, the Body and Bride of Christ, is taken up. Then +Satan will be completely bruised under our feet. In spite of his +malice, in spite of his power and accusations, in spite of his +challenge to God and fearful attacks, there is not one member of that +glorious body missing, all the redeemed are in the presence of the Lord +and then Satan is forced down to the earth by Michael and his angels. +In heaven there is a loud voice which declares: "Now is come salvation +and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ, +for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them day +and night before our God. And they overcame him by the blood of the +Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their +lives unto death. Therefore rejoice, oh ye heavens, and ye that dwell +in them." Then Satan as the accuser has no more place in heaven and +the advocacy of Christ concerning His own, as He said in His +highpriestly prayer, "I pray for them," has an end. They are all safe +with Him in glory. +</P> + +<P> +The heavenlies are thus cleared of Satan and his hosts when the church +is brought in and the eviction is the redemption of the purchased +possession. It takes place by the power of God through the mighty +Being whose name is "Who is like God," Michael. +</P> + +<P> +Satan the usurper cast out of the heavenly sphere goes down to the +earth having great wrath. How fearful must be the wrath of that Being! +Who of us can imagine it, what it will be? Surely the Lord would never +leave His church, His Bride on the earth, when that awful Being with +that great wrath comes down. Indeed what we have said shows clearly +that the great tribulation is impossible as long as the church, the +complete church, is not yet in glory. For to have the great +tribulation on the earth the old serpent must be cast down on the earth. +</P> + +<P> +The redemption of the purchased possession begins then with the rapture +of the church to be with Christ in His Inheritance in the Heavenlies. +This is followed by Satan being cast out of heaven. And then a few +years more and the heavens open and the King of kings and Lord of lords +appears. The Son in all His Glory is manifested bringing many sons +with Him to Glory. It is then that we have the redemption of the +purchased possession completed. "And I saw an angel come down from +heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his +hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old Serpent, which is the +Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years and cast him into the +bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he +should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be +fulfilled, and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw +thrones and they sat upon them, and the judgment was given unto them, +and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of +Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, +neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, +or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand +years" (Rev. xx:1-5). +</P> + +<P> +Then all of groaning creation will be delivered and Satan will no +longer be the god of this age, the prince of this world nor the prince +of the power in the air. There will be peace on earth and Glory to God +in the Highest. Christ will reign and His church with Him in the Glory +above. What a time it will be when it comes. What singing in heaven +and on the earth. Then shall He have His full inheritance which we +share and also have His inheritance in us His Saints, and He will be +admired in all them that have believed. And all this is near. +</P> + +<P> +Just a little while longer and we shall hear His shout which calls us +and all His redeemed into His presence, with bodies redeemed by His +power to enter into our inheritance, the purchased possession. +</P> + +<P> +And now two things need to be mentioned in closing. Our conflict is +with these evil spirits, the usurpers, both in the heavenlies and here +on earth. May we be victors through the power of the Christ in us and +His Spirit. The conflict is becoming hotter, especially for those who +enter into their privileges and realize in faith their place and future +glory. +</P> + +<P> +<I>Let us also walk worthy of our calling</I>. Let it be seen that we are +sealed by the Holy Spirit and have Him as the earnest of our +inheritance. A Christian who professes to have such an inheritance and +who professes to wait for the redemption of the purchased possession +and who grasps after the honors of the world and runs after its riches +is a sad spectacle indeed. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE HISTORY OF SATAN +</H3> + +<P> +Satan is a person and has a history. No intelligent believer in the +Bible denies this, for the Bible teaches in both Testaments that such a +being exists, and more than that, the history of this person is given +in the Word of God. He is not a divine being, but a creature. His +origin, his work and his final destiny are revealed in the Scriptures. +Yet it needs to be stated that much in connection with this person is +obscure and that certain facts can only be learned by inference. +Questions are often asked concerning this being, which no one can +answer. We mean these questions "Why God created such a being, if He +knew that he would be His enemy and do the awful work he has done and +which he is still doing," or "Why does God still permit him to do this +work and why does He not end his career?" In such matters it behooves +us to confess our ignorance and also our faith in an all-wise God, +whose wisdom, sovereignty and justice are perfect. Some day these +unrevealed mysteries will be all cleared up for the Saints of God. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +What Person He Was +</H4> + +<P> +The conception, which originated in the middle ages, in connection with +the gross perversion of the truth of God, that this person is one of +repulsive and grotesque countenance, with the figure of a monstrosity, +is an invention and cannot be verified from Scripture. The Bible knows +nothing of such a being with a horrible face and figure. The very +opposite is the teaching of the Word of God. He was originally the +greatest and most marvelous creation of God. Though now fallen and the +enemy of God, he still retains much of his original beauty and wisdom. +In Isaiah xiv:12 the word "Lucifer" (lightbearer) refers to him. He is +called "Son of the Morning." That must have been his name when +unfallen. Still more striking is the description of the same person in +one of the great prophetic utterances of Ezekiel. In chapter +xxviii:11-19 we read the following: +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="block"> +"Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, take +up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith +the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in +beauty. Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God; every precious +stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, +the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, +and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared +in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed +cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so; thou was upon the holy +mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the +stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou +was created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy +merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou +hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain +of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of +the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, +thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast +thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold +thee." +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +These words are words of lamentation over the wicked king of Tyrus. +While this king is mentioned the description does not fit him at all, +but must be applied to the one who was the unseen power behind the +throne of the Tyrian king. The great city of Tyrus, once so glorious +and now forever gone, is a type of the commercial glory of the world, +its wealth and its prince, foreshadowing the final great world-city and +world-system Babylon. Satan controlled Tyrus as he will also control +the coming, final Babylon. We have therefore here a description of +Satan in his original condition as an unfallen creature. He was full +of wisdom and perfect in beauty. He was in Eden the garden of God and +every precious stone was his covering. He was the anointed cherub that +covereth, perhaps an archangel like Michael. He was in the mountain of +God and perfect in the day of his creation. +</P> + +<P> +We quote another passage from which we may learn by inference his +original greatness and majesty. Jude predicts the final apostasy of +this present age, which culminates in man despising dominions and +speaking evil of dignities. He then makes a statement in which Satan +is mentioned: "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the +devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him +a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee" (verses 8-9). It +is a unique revelation nowhere else found in the Bible that when Moses' +body was to be laid away, the devil appeared on the scene. Perhaps +Michael was commissioned by the Lord to bury the body of Moses. The +devil evidently laid claim to the body of God's servant. Perhaps he +wanted the body to be preserved in an embalmed condition as an object +of idolatry. When Michael faced him he durst not bring a railing +accusation against him. He still recognized in him, though fallen, the +greatness of his original being. This is sufficient to show that Satan +was once a mighty, glorious, majestic being, full of wisdom and beauty. +Being a creature he is not omnipotent, nor is he omniscient or +omnipresent. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +His Fall +</H4> + +<P> +His fall and how he became the great enemy of God is also revealed. We +find it in the two chapters already quoted, Isaiah xiv and Ezekiel +xxviii. He said in his heart "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt +my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the +congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the +heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High" (Isaiah +xiv:13-14). Ezekiel's prophecy tells us that iniquity was found in +him. "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou has +corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness" (Ezek. xxviii:17). +In the beginning of this chapter a similar statement is made, which +also must be applied to Satan. "Thus saith the Lord God, because thine +heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God and sit in the seat +of God." The New Testament also bears witness to the fact and reminds +us of the above revelations in 1 Timothy iii:6. Speaking of the +qualifications of an elder, we read, "Not a novice, lest being lifted +up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil." The word +condemnation has the meaning of "crime" in the Greek. He revolted +against God; he was not satisfied with the position and place the +Creator had given him and aimed to occupy the throne above the stars +and be like the Most High. Then he fell and became the enemy of God, +which he still is and ever will be. In his attempt to become like the +Most High other angels sided with him and shared in the fall likewise. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Where Was His Original Dwelling Place +</H4> + +<P> +If this being attempted to put his throne above the stars, then must he +have had a throne somewhere else. If he aimed to ascend into heaven +and be like the Most High, he must have had some dwelling place which +God had assigned to him. There is no positive Scripture concerning +this place. Yet by inferential evidence the knowledge can be gained +that our earth in its original condition was the domain of this great +creature of God. +</P> + +<P> +"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." We do not +know when this was. In certain Bible editions the date 4004 B. C. is +placed in the margin over against Gen. i:1. But that is incorrect. It +would make the earth not quite 6000 years old. Science has +demonstrated the fact that our globe is of a very great age. No human +being can tell the exact time when God created the heavens and the +earth. It may have been 2 million or 20 million or 200 million years +ago. We know, however, that the human race became a recent tenant on +this earth. The human race is not older than about 6000 years. +</P> + +<P> +In that distant past before man was created the earth was in a +different form. At that time there was a gigantic animal creation and +an equally gigantic vegetation in existence. It has been brought to +light through the fossil beds; but in none of these fossils is found a +trace of a human being. This great original creation was plunged at +one time into an awful catastrophe. Death and destruction came upon +it, every living thing was extinguished, while water covered everything +and all was enveloped in darkness. +</P> + +<P> +This is exactly the condition of the earth as described in the second +verse of the Bible. "And the earth was without form and void; and +darkness was upon the face of the deep." If we turn to Isaiah xlv:18 +we find a significant statement: "For thus saith the Lord who created +the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath +established it, He created it not in vain; He formed it to be +inhabited." The word vain (tohu) is the same word used in Gen. i:2 and +translated "without form." From this we learn that God did not +originally create the earth as without form and void, enshrouded in +darkness. It became this through a judgment which fell upon it. +Between the first and second verses of the first chapter of Genesis is +therefore a long, immeasurable period of time. Now, if this original +earth was ruined and passed through a judgment, why did this ruin and +judgment take place? This question must remain unanswered unless we +bring that first judgment in connection with the revolt and fall of +Satan, who had his dwelling place on this earth. This explains not +only the ruined condition of the earth in Gen. i:2, but throws a great +deal of light on Satan's successful attempt to get back his lost +dominion through man and his tenacious hold on the earth, as the prince +of the world and god of this age.[<A NAME="chap07fn1text"></A><A HREF="#chap07fn1">1</A>] +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Man Upon The Earth +</H4> + +<P> +In God's own time this earth was put into the condition to become the +habitation for the human race. Of this we read in Genesis i:3-31. God +then created man in His own image, and said, "Let them have dominion +over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the +cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that +creepeth upon the earth" (Gen. i:26). "And God blessed them, and God +said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and +subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the +fowl of the air, and over everything that moveth upon the earth." Thus +the earth, which was originally Satan's habitation, was given to man. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +The Fall of Man +</H4> + +<P> +When all this took place this great fallen being was no doubt an +eyewitness. He beheld God working in rearranging the chaos of the +original earth produced by his revolt. He saw how God created man. He +heard how God spoke to man and gave him to possess his former estate +which he had lost by his rebellion. He beheld God putting man and +woman into the garden of Eden. He listened when God said "Of the tree +of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day +that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. ii:17). Then he +must have been moved with envy and jealousy. He sees another in +possession of his past domain. Something like this must have come into +his mind—if I only can get man ruined and turn him against God, if I +can make of man a rebel and lay hold on him, I shall get back the place +which once was mine and then defy God. +</P> + +<P> +The third chapter in Genesis shows how he succeeded in carrying out +this plan. Through the serpent he approached the woman and said, "Yea, +hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?" God had +spoken; the first word to man had come from His lips. Satan's first +work was to make God's creature doubt God's Word. The first +destructive critic who denied that God hath spoken was Satan. Every +man, no matter what learning he may claim, who denies the inspiration +of the Bible, and that the Bible is the revelation and Word of God, is +the mouthpiece of Satan. Emboldened by the woman's answer he said "Ye +shall not surely die," an out and out denial of what God had said; and +then adds the lying promise, "Your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be +as gods." He wanted to be like the Most High, and now he injects his +own character into man. The transgression followed; sin came into the +world and death by sin, the moment God's commandment was disobeyed. +What a sneer and laughter, what a triumphant shout Satan must have +uttered when the deed was done! And with the fall of man he laid hold +again on this earth and became its prince. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Satan's Doom Announced +</H4> + +<P> +Then the Lord sought that which was lost, the guilty pair, and +addressed the serpent. The words the Lord then spoke contain the first +prophecy of the Bible. It concerns Satan, how God will deal with him +and his final doom. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, +and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou +shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. iii:15). Without fully explaining this +prophecy, which may well be termed the germ of all subsequent prophecy, +we but point out what it means. From the woman there is to come a +seed, an offspring who is to bruise the head of the serpent (Satan), +that is, overcome the serpent, and that the serpent is to bruise the +heel of the seed of the woman. Furthermore, there is to rage a +conflict between the serpent and the woman and between the serpent's +seed and the seed of the woman. There can be no question whatever that +the seed of the woman means the Son of God in His incarnation. Paul +writes to the Galatians, "But when the fulness of time was come God +sent forth His Son made of a woman" (Gal. iv:4). He is the seed of the +woman, the virgin-born Son of God. His death is mentioned in this +first prophecy as the bruising of His heel. Then the final victory +over Satan and his final doom, his head is to be bruised. And till +that is accomplished there is to be conflict between the seed of the +woman and the seed of the serpent, a conflict between those who side +with God, believe on and wait for the promised One, and those who side +with Satan and his works. Satan heard then from the lips of Jehovah +that the seed of the woman would conquer him and seal his doom. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +His Work and the Conflict Begins +</H4> + +<P> +The predicted conflict began at once. Two sons are born to Adam and +Eve. Satan watched them. He is interested to see if one of them might +be "the seed." He saw Cain bringing an offering of the fruit of the +ground (the labor of his hands) unto the Lord.[<A NAME="chap07fn2text"></A><A HREF="#chap07fn2">2</A>] Satan must have been +delighted with Cain, as he beheld him, as a self-righteous man, +rejecting God's provision for him as a sinner. He knew Cain was his +man and belonged to his seed. It was different with Abel. Abel +brought of the firstlings of the flock and of the fat thereof. "By +faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by +which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his +gifts" (Heb. xi:3). He was a believer, who owned himself as a sinner +and because he believed, God accepted his offering. As Satan beheld +this scene he must have imagined that Abel was "the seed of the woman." +Then he filled Cain with wrath and moved him to slay his brother Abel. +Thus Satan manifested himself in the beginning of the human race as the +liar and the murderer. Our Lord testified of this character of the +enemy when He spoke to those who conspired to kill Him and who belonged +to the Devil's seed: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of +your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and +abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he +speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar and the father +of it" (John viii:44). But the murder of Abel was unavailing. Eve +bore another son "and called his name Seth, for God, said she, hath +appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew" (Gen. +iv:25). Satan was defeated for the first time. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +An Interesting History +</H4> + +<P> +An interesting history follows. The Old Testament history is the +history of conflict between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the +woman. Satan continually worked to oppose God, attempting to prevent +the coming of that promised seed of the woman. He knew if he succeeded +in this he would not again be dispossessed from this planet and his own +doom would never come. Besides trying to prevent the coming of the +promised One, his aim is to control the nations, have dominion over +them, and to deny the truth of God made known to man by revelation. He +corrupted the human race before the deluge so that the earth was +corrupt before God and filled with violence (Gen. vi:11). This great +being knew well that God is holy and cannot tolerate evil. He plunged +the race into great wickedness in the hope that God would destroy the +whole race and leave him possessor of the earth. But Noah found grace +in the sight of the Lord. +</P> + +<P> +When Satan received the knowledge that the seed to conquer him and seal +his doom would come through Abraham, he then opposed the seed of +Abraham to frustrate God's purpose. The land which was promised by +Jehovah to Abraham and his descendants was settled by the nations which +were Satan-controlled and were his willing instruments. Satan's power +in wickedness and vileness was manifested in the Canaanites. That is +why the Lord commanded their utter extermination. So that in the land +itself there was a steady conflict between the seed of the serpent, the +Canaanites, and the seed of the woman, godly Israelites. +</P> + +<P> +When Pharaoh gave the command to kill all the male children born to +Israel in Egypt, it was another attempt of Satan to make the coming of +the promised seed impossible (Ex. i:16). But God took care and used +the Hebrew midwives, the weaker vessels, to bring to naught the wicked +plan. Pharaoh brought up in his own palace one of the Hebrew boys, +whom Satan would have killed; and that boy became the great leader and +deliverer of Israel. All the persecutions of the people Israel in +Egypt were Satan's work. When at last they had left the house of +bondage, Satan in impotent rage stirred up Pharaoh to attempt their +destruction; but Pharaoh and his army found their graves in the Red Sea. +</P> + +<P> +Afterward Jehovah announced that the promised seed should be of the +house of David. Then Satan watched David and his descendants. Through +Saul he persecuted God's anointed, but failed to touch his life. +Immediately after the Lord had made the covenant with David (2 Sam. +vii) promising him a son whose Kingdom shall be established (the +seed—Christ), Satan led David to commit his awful sin. Jehoram, the +son of Jehoshaphat, belonged to the seed of the serpent. This wicked +son of David slew all his brethren. It was Satan's attempt to +exterminate the descendant of David (2 Chronicles xxi:4). Then the +Arabians came and slew all his sons except Ahaziah. Still greater was +Satan's attempt to end forever the house of David through wicked queen +Attaliah. She was the mother of Ahaziah. When her son had been slain +"she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah" (2 +Chronicles xxii:10). Satan had made the awful suggestion to her and +when the seed royal was destroyed he thought he had triumphed at last. +"But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the King, took Joash the son of +Ahaziah, and stole him from the King's sons that were slain, and put +him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of +King Jehoram, the wife of Jehorada the priest, hid him from Attaliah so +that she slew him not. And he was with them hid in the house of God +six years" (2 Chron. xxvii:11-12). Satan was defeated. +</P> + +<P> +Through Haman he made still another attempt to have all the Jews, men, +women, and children, killed. God watched over His people again and +Satan's plan was frustrated. And how much else might be added! +Throughout Old Testament history he had his chosen instruments, like +Nimrod, the kings of Babylon, the Pharaohs, the Assyrian, the Persian +Kings, Alexander and others through whom he attempted world dominion. +He instigated the cruel and terrible wars. Israel, the people of God, +were led by him into idolatry and apostasy. In all this and much +besides his aim was the defiance of God and to keep God from carrying +out his plan of redemption though the promised seed. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +The Promised Seed and Satan's Opposition +</H4> + +<P> +The promised seed came. The Son of God took on the creature's garb and +became man, the son of David and son of Abraham, according to the +flesh. All Satan had done for 4,000 years had been in vain. God had +kept His promise. King Herod was the seed of the serpent and when the +child was born, Satan moved him to seek the young child to destroy him. +Herod, inspired by the murderer from the beginning, "exceeding wroth, +sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all +the coasts thereof from two years old and under" (Matt. ii:16). But +God had watched, and the young child was on the way to Egypt when +Satan's suggestion was carried out by the Roman soldiers. +</P> + +<P> +And how many more times he must have made the same attempt! When Satan +had taken him on the pinnacle of the temple and suggested "cast thyself +down," he tried it once more. The people of Nazareth were the +serpent's seed and under his control when they rushed him out of the +city and attempted to cast him headlong down a precipice. The storms +on the lake were Satan's work to take His life. Little did he know +that the ship in which the Son of God slept peacefully, though it +filled with water, was the only unsinkable ship which sailed the seas. +He could not touch the seed of the woman, for He was holy, without sin, +and death had not claim on Him. +</P> + +<P> +Yet He had come to die "that through death He might destroy him that +had the power of death, that is, the devil." He knew that the Lord +Jesus would get the victory and the dominion over this earth by the way +of the Cross. That is why he took Him on the exceeding high mountain +and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. +He offered all to the Son of Man, if He but would fall down before him. +He wanted Him to keep away from the cross for he knew then and knows +now, far better than many a so-called theologian, that redemption for +the individual and redemption for this earth, the nations and groaning +creation has its blessed source in the work of the Cross. He was +defeated in all his malice and cunning. And finally the Cross, +preceded by the agony in Gethsemane. Satan was there; with unspeakable +hatred he planned His death. He entered into Judas; he used the +Pharisees and Sadducees, the priests and elders, which were all Satan's +seed, to have Him put to death. The cry "Away with Him! Crucify Him!" +was inspired by himself. He used man to dishonor the Son of God, to +revile Him, spit in His face, to scourge Him and finally to nail Him to +the Cross. Did he think that he might yet get the victory and keep the +Lord Jesus from finishing the work the Father gave Him to do? We do +not know if such was the case, but we know that while the Son of God +gave Himself, Satan had also his part in His rejection and His death. +Our Lord conquered. He won the victory and those blessed +never-to-be-forgotten words, "It is finished" tell of the final doom of +Satan and the coming glories of a new heaven and a new earth. The +thorn-crowned Man of that cross of shame will some day be the +glory-crowned Man who claims His inheritance, and because he wore the +thorns and paid for all sin's curse, He will rid this earth from the +works of the devil. +</P> + +<P> +The tomb was closed with the big stone and then sealed with the Roman +seal. A watch too is set. How careful Satan is! What a good memory +he has! Yet how blind! He wanted to prevent His triumphant +resurrection, as if he had more power than God! On the third day the +stone was rolled away. He came forth. Death and the grave are +conquered. He is the resurrection and the life. Then the man-child, +whom the dragon wanted to devour (Rev. xii) was caught up to the throne +of God, destined to rule the nations with a rod of iron. Like another +Joash, He is hidden in the house of God. He fills the throne there and +awaits in that place of glorious exaltation the time when Satan will be +dethroned and He, the Son of Man, will receive His own throne. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +The Conflict Continues +</H4> + +<P> +As stated elsewhere, Satan by having succeeded in getting the Jews and +Gentiles to reject the Prince of Life and the Lord of Glory, became +what he has not been in previous ages, "the god of this age" (2 Cor. +iv:4).[<A NAME="chap07fn3text"></A><A HREF="#chap07fn3">3</A>] And so the conflict continues. Satan can no longer attempt +to prevent the coming of the promised seed or attack His Person, for He +is in glory as the glorified Man. He knows, however, that He has a +seed on this earth, a seed which has the promise given that he, Satan, +"is to be bruised completely" under their feet. This seed is the +church. The enmity and conflict during this present age is therefore +between the seed of the serpent and the seed of Christ, those who are +in Him and in whom Christ dwelleth. +</P> + +<P> +All students of Prophecy know that the seven church messages in the +book of Revelation (chapters ii and iii) contain a prophetic forecast +of the history of the church on earth, from the apostolic age to the +time when the true church is taken to glory and the apostate church +disowned by the Lord.[<A NAME="chap07fn4text"></A><A HREF="#chap07fn4">4</A>] In these prophetic messages Satan's work in +opposition to the church is made known. In the Apostolic age he acted +in introducing error; he sowed the tares. After the Apostles had +passed away a time of great persecution set in which is indicated in +the message to Smyrna. The Roman emperors were the serpent's seed. +They claimed divine honors and worship. As Satan's instruments they +persecuted the church, and thousands upon thousands of believers died +the martyrs' death. The cruel tortures and horrible forms of death +were Satan's work by which he attempted to exterminate the church. +When he found that the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church, +and that the church increased in spite of these persecutions, then he +began to corrupt the church. The professing church settled down where +Satan's throne is, that is, she gave up the place of separation and +became a world institution. Gradually the Gospel and the doctrine of +Christ became perverted, heathenish customs were introduced and finally +the culmination was reached in the Romish apostasy. These developments +are described in the messages to Pergamos and Thyatira. When the +Reformation set in the fires of persecution were kindled again; once +more Satan, as the murderer, tries to prevent the victory of the truth +of Christ and the Gospel. Satan's work can thus be traced in the +history of the church down to our own times. The destructive criticism +of our own times, the so-called "new theology," the different systems, +which deny the Deity of our Lord and which reject His atoning death, +like "Christian Science," belong to the seed of the serpent. And so +does Spiritism, Theosophy, Mormonism and other cults. In these systems +and cults he appears as an angel of light, blinding the eyes of them +that believe not. "And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed +into an angel of light, therefore it is no great thing if his ministers +also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall +be according to their works" (2 Cor. xi:14-15). +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Why He Hates the Church +</H4> + +<P> +He hates the true church because he knows its members are the +blood-bought hosts of the Son of God, destined to rule and reign with +Him over this earth, which Satan still holds in his grasp. There is +another reason why he has tried to exterminate the true church or to +corrupt it. Satan has knowledge concerning the future. When our Lord +was on earth the demons cried out "What have we to do with thee, Jesus, +thou Son of God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" +(Matt. viii:29). From this we learn that the demons know the +difference between the first and second coming of our Lord. They know +when He comes the second time their doom will be sealed and they will +no longer be permitted to torment and ruin the bodies and souls of men. +Satan unquestionably knows his doom and that it is linked up with the +Return of our Lord. He also knows that the church, as the body of +Christ, must be completed before He comes again. This must be a +leading reason why he hates the church and attempts to corrupt it by +evil doctrines and persecutes those who are Christ's. All his efforts +are unavailing for the Lord Jesus Christ keeps His people. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +World Dominion Satan's Endeavor +</H4> + +<P> +Throughout this age this enemy of God also endeavors to control the +earth politically and rule the nations. The Roman emperors mostly all +aimed at world-dominion and did the devil's bidding to obtain their +object. What horrible things were done and the depths of wickedness +history makes known to us. Throughout the centuries of our age, again +and again, he raised up instruments and inspired them to great deeds in +bloody wars to control nations and kingdoms. Napoleon is a notable +example. His ambition was to become the head of a great European +empire. A cartoonist of 1812 pictured Satan holding Napoleon in his +lap and saying to him, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well +pleased." If this was true of Napoleon that he was of the seed of the +serpent, doing his will, how much more is it true of the Hohenzollern, +William II. His deeds and the deeds of his associates in this war of +all wars surpass the deeds of Nero, Attila and Napoleon. The devil's +bait was swallowed by this Prussian emperor and he hoped to gain world +dominion, but has now found out that the devil is a liar. +</P> + +<P> +Nor must we forget the popes with their spurious claims of being +Christ's vice-regents on earth and their attempt to exercise temporal +power. Behind their claim there stands the same dark shadow. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Satan's Final Opposition +</H4> + +<P> +When this age ends Satan will make a final effort in opposing God. He +will be permitted to succeed for a brief time and do what is in his +heart to do. This takes place after the true church has left the +earth. Satan will then be cast out of heaven and coming down to this +earth once more in person, he manifests great wrath, knowing that he +hath but a short time (Rev. xii:12).[<A NAME="chap07fn5text"></A><A HREF="#chap07fn5">5</A>] The mystery of lawlessness, +which has been at work from the beginning will break out fully and find +a consummation through the power of Satan. The thirteenth chapter of +Revelation gives the future history of Satan's seeming success and +triumph. He will succeed in forming a great empire, which is the old +Roman empire in a revived form. This empire, which is called a beast, +will receive Satan's power, and will have over it a wicked leader, whom +Daniel saw as the little horn on the ten-horned beast.[<A NAME="chap07fn6text"></A><A HREF="#chap07fn6">6</A>] The dragon's +plan to control the earth has seemingly been realized. He then +institutes the great tribulation. But there is a second beast +mentioned in Revelation xiii. He has two horns like a lamb but speaks +as a dragon. This is the Antichrist, the man of sin, the son of +perdition. Like the little horn, the political leader, this second +beast is Satan's man. He leads the religious apostasy and tries to +stamp out what is left of the truth of God on the earth. He himself +claims to be God and takes the place in the temple of God (in +Jerusalem), and by lying signs and wonders backs up his claims. His +work is described in Rev. xiii:11-18 and 2 Thess. ii:3-12. Fearful +will be those days when the true church is gone and when God, as a +judgment, lets Satan rule over those who rejected the offers of His +love in His blessed Son. Another work of his is seen in the final +Babylon and the scarlet clad woman, who rides the beast (the revived +Roman empire). And finally when the hour approaches of Christ's +visible and glorious return, Satan summons "the kings of the earth and +their armies, gathering them together to make war against Him that sat +on the horse and against his army" (Rev. xix:19). But then his defeat +has come. The King of kings and Lord of lords appears in glory. The +glory-flash, the brightness of His Coming strikes down the beast and +the false prophet (Antichrist). The battle of Armageddon of short +duration is over. Satan and all his hosts are utterly defeated. In +Revelation xx we have the record of what will happen to the dragon, +that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan. He will be chained and +cast into the pit of the abyss for a thousand years so that he can +seduce the nations no more. He is dethroned and Christ is enthroned. +Christ and His Saints reign over the earth. During this millennium +righteousness and peace will reign. Wars will be no more, for the +supreme war-lord is chained in prison. Armies will be unknown, for he +who is behind it all has no more power. Idolatries and its degrading +immoralities are no longer known, for he who deceived the nations has +been arrested. Nor will there be any more cults which deny the Lord, +His virgin birth, His resurrection, for the liar can lie no more and +the visible presence of Christ stops every mouth. +</P> + +<P> +After this millennium of indescribable blessing and glory, Satan will +be permitted to get out of the prison for a little season.[<A NAME="chap07fn7text"></A><A HREF="#chap07fn7">7</A>] His +first work is to begin another war encompassing the camp of the Saints. +A swift judgment follows. "And the devil that deceived them was cast +into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false +prophets are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" +(Rev. xx:10). His eternal dwelling place will be the lake of fire, not +to be destroyed, but to live on forever and ever. There too will be +the beast and the false prophet and all who are not found written in +the book of life. (Rev. xx:15). +</P> + +<P> +And then what? "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first +heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea. +And John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of +heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband. And I heard a great voice +out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He +will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself +shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all +tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither +sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the +former things are passed away" (Rev. xxi:1-4). +</P> + +<P> +Such is the history of Satan. It is the history of the earth, and a +marvellous history it is. +</P> + +<P> +The original earth, once Satan's domain, then judged and covered by +water and darkness on account of his revolt. The earth as it is now is +given to man and Satan through the fall of man laying hold of it again. +Then the long history of the conflict for well nigh 6,000 years. The +Son of God, the Creator of all things, appearing on earth to procure +the needed redemption; Satan defeated every step of the way. And after +Satan's power manifested to the full, Christ appears and rids this +earth, for whose redemption He paid by His blood, of the dark shadow. +And finally this earth becomes in its eternal state, as a new earth, +surrounded by a new heaven, the eternal dwelling place of God in the +midst of His redeemed people. +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07fn1"></A> +<A NAME="chap07fn2"></A> +<A NAME="chap07fn3"></A> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap07fn1text">1</A>] The question may be asked by some, "If Satan and his angels +possessed the earth and were dispossessed, to what other place did they +go?" Undoubtedly the atmosphere surrounding this earth, called the +first heaven. Satan is called "The prince of the power of the air" +(Eph. ii:2). Notice also the work of putting the firmament in order, +the atmosphere, on the second day (Gen. i:7) is not pronounced good. +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap07fn2text">2</A>] Cain in rejecting God's way of approach by sacrifice and bringing +instead his own works was the first Unitarian and Christian Scientist. +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap07fn3text">3</A>] See "The Present Age" in this volume. +</P> + +<A NAME="chap07fn4"></A> +<A NAME="chap07fn5"></A> +<A NAME="chap07fn6"></A> +<A NAME="chap07fn7"></A> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap07fn4text">4</A>] "Exposition of Revelation," by A. C. Gaebelein, unfolds this more +fully. +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap07fn5text">5</A>] See chapter "The Redemption of the Purchased Possession." +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap07fn6text">6</A>] The Roman Empire in its final form of ten kingdoms. +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap07fn7text">7</A>] See "Revelation," by A. C. Gaebelein, in explanation of this +interesting prophecy. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE CONVERSION OF THE WORLD AND THE JEWS +</H3> + +<P> +The term, the conversion of the world, is nowhere used in the Bible. +That there is, according to the predictions of God's Holy Word, a +wonderful future in store for the earth, when nations will learn war no +more, but learn righteousness instead, and worship Jehovah as King and +Lord, is too well known to every intelligent Christian to need +restatement. When that jubilee time comes the knowledge of the glory +of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the deep; the +groaning creation, now so sadly sharing in the curse of man's sin, will +be delivered from its groans. It is noteworthy that there are no +promises in the New Testament which would authorize the Church of God +to expect the accomplishment of these predictions as the result of her +testimony and activity. If this were her work, to convert the world, +to lead nations to know God, to abandon the most horrible result of +sin, war—we would have to confess that she has failed miserably. Nor +is it true, as some now say, that this world war will, when it ends, +bring about these blessed things by man's renewed efforts. If it is +the work of present agencies, the expected world conversion lies in an +unreachable distance. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +According to Prophecy +</H4> + +<P> +It is in the Old Testament Prophetic Word where we find the promises +that the nations of the world will be brought to know God, that all the +ends of the earth shall turn to the Lord and that all kings shall fall +down before Him. It is written that "All nations shall serve Him," +"All nations shall call Him blessed," and that the whole earth will be +filled with His glory.[<A NAME="chap08fn1text"></A><A HREF="#chap08fn1">1</A>] Nor is the Old Testament Prophetic Word +silent as to how and when all this is to be brought about. As the +writer has shown in his "Harmony of the Prophetic Word," before this +glorious future can come for the nations of the earth the Lord's return +must have taken place; and this event is preceded by judgments upon the +nations, and partial restoration of God's ancient people to their own +land, the calling of a God-fearing remnant amongst them, and by the +great Tribulation. When these things have come to pass, immediately +after the days of that Tribulation, our Lord will appear in the clouds +of Heaven with power and great glory. The Day of Vengeance has come, +but in wrath mercy will be remembered. All Israel living in that day +will be saved, and His Kingdom will be established upon this earth. +The nations of the earth are then gathered into this kingdom. They +will not be gathered into the Church, as is often said, for the Church +is no longer here but has entered into glory to reign with Christ over +the earth. +</P> + +<P> +Daniel in his vision beheld the Son of Man coming with the clouds of +Heaven: "And there was given Him dominion and glory, and a kingdom, +that all people, nations and languages should serve Him. His dominion +is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom +that which shall not be destroyed" (Dan. vii:13-14). As the result of +the first coming of our Lord in humiliation and His sacrificial death +He receives the Church, which is now forming during this age. When He +comes the second time He receives this world-wide Kingdom, in which the +nations of the earth will be subjects. When that time comes, and not +before, the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of our Lord and +of His Christ, "and He shall reign forever and ever" (Rev. ii:15). So +much for the conversion of the world, and the blessings promised to the +nations and to the whole earth. It is inseparably linked with the +second coming of Christ. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +The Nations which Enter into the Kingdom +</H4> + +<P> +In Matthew xxv:31 our Lord speaks of what will take place when He has +returned, "When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the +holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory, +and before Him shall be gathered all nations, and He shall separate +them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; +and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the +left." We are aware that this passage is often looked upon as teaching +a universal judgment of the whole human race; but it is not that. Not +a word is said by our Lord concerning the resurrection of the dead. +The dead are not included in this judgment. This judgment can +therefore not be identified with the Great White Throne Judgment of +Revelation xx. Nor is the Church in any way connected with this +judgment, because when that takes place the saints are with the Lord in +glory. It is the judgment of the living nations which the Lord finds +on earth at the time of His second coming. This judgment will cover +the first part of His reign as King, when He will first rule like David +in subduing His enemies, when Gog and Magog, under the leadership of +the Prince of Rosh, will also be dealt with in judgment (Ezekiel +xxxviii and xxxix), and that will be followed by His reign as Prince of +Peace, as foreshadowed by the reign of Solomon. Now, at this judgment +of the nations, when He divides them as a shepherd divideth his sheep +from the goats, there will be nations which He puts at His right hand, +and to which He saith, "Come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the +kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." These +nations are therefore converted nations, righteous nations, declared to +be fit for that Kingdom over which He will reign. The question arises, +When were these nations converted? Though the Gospel has been preached +for about 1900 years yet we do not know of any converted nation on the +earth to-day. The nations which we term Christian nations are at +present engaged in the most bloody war of all history. Yet in as much +as the Lord finds converted nations on the earth when He comes back and +receives His throne, these nations must have been converted previous to +His coming. It is therefore an important and interesting question, +When and how were the nations converted which the Lord at the judgment +of nations calls blessed, and bids to enter the Kingdom on earth? They +were not converted by the preaching of the Gospel as it is done to-day, +for if they were converted as the result of the testimony of the Church +they would share in the glorious destiny, "Caught up in clouds to meet +the Lord in the air." The only alternative then is that they will be +converted after the true Church has been completed and taken into glory. +</P> + +<P> +Sometimes before our Lord is manifested from Heaven with His holy +angels, a turning of nations to God must therefore take place. It will +be during the time when God deals with this earth in mighty judgments, +when the earth and the heavens are shaken, when Antichrist, Satan's +masterpiece, is on the earth and produces the Great Tribulation. It +will be one of the startling events of the end of the age, after the +Church has been removed from the earth. During these years of trouble, +judgment, and great tribulation, God will give a final witness to all +nations. Of this our Lord speaks in Matt. xxiv:14, "And this Gospel of +the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all +nations, and then shall the end come." Though the Gospel of Grace is +being preached world-wide, the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom +as a witness unto all nations has not yet taken place. It falls into +the seven years preceding the visible coming of our Lord. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Who Will be Used in the Conversion of These Nations? +</H4> + +<P> +But who will be the preachers who proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom if +all true Christians have left the earth and the true Church is no +longer here? The apostates and destructive critics of to-day, with the +mass of professing Christians who received not the love of the Truth +will surely not take up the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom, for +we read in the Word of God that those who received not the love of the +Truth that they might be saved will follow the strong delusion of +Antichrist and believe the lie (2 Thess. ii:10-11). Who then are the +preachers? An elect company of God's ancient people, Israel. They are +now scattered among all the nations of the earth, judicial blindness is +upon them; but it will not be always so, for God has not cast away His +people. +</P> + +<P> +When the Church is gone the Lord will not leave the world without a +witness. He will raise up a company of God-fearing people, Israelites; +take away the veil from their hearts and use them as heralds. As it +was in the beginning of this present dispensation, so will it be at the +close. The first preachers were Jews, and the last heralds before the +Lord comes in visible glory will again be Jews. To them will be given +the last evangel of God's mercy to a lost world. "To every nation, and +kindred, and tongue, and people" (Rev. xiv:6); and the message, "Fear +God and give glory to Him for the hour of His judgment is come, and +worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains +of waters" (Rev. xiv:7). They will preach the Gospel of the coming +Kingdom, that the Kingdom is about to come, and then call upon all +nations to repent and turn to God. +</P> + +<P> +It would be intensely interesting if we could follow the calling of +this remnant of Israelites for this testimony as revealed in different +portions of the Old Testament. Such a remnant of believing Israelites +is anticipated in the Psalms, which speak of the coming final +deliverance of Israel. There we read of their persecutions, their +prayers, and their expectations. The reader will please turn to Psalm +xliv:10-26; Psalms lv to lvii; Psalm lxiv, lxxix and lxxx; Isa. +lxiii:15 to Isa. lxiv. And how well this remnant is fitted to give a +world-wide testimony among all nations, for they are scattered amongst +the nations and acquainted with the different languages. Therefore the +preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom to all nations will be +accomplished before the real end comes. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Revelation—Chapter Seven +</H4> + +<P> +We call attention here to the seventh chapter of Revelation. In this +chapter we read of the sealing of one hundred and forty-four thousand. +How much confusion might have been avoided if expositors and Christians +had not lost sight of two facts in connection with this sealed company. +First, this sealed company cannot be called now, nor are they in +connection with the Church of God, because the Church according to the +scope of the Book of Revelation is no longer on the earth when this +takes place; and secondly, the Word states clearly that these sealed +ones are "of all the tribes of the children of Israel." This sealed +company therefore is of Israel, and will be called after the Church has +been removed to her heavenly destination. +</P> + +<P> +In the second half of this chapter in Revelation we read of another +company. John writes, "After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, +which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and people, and +tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with +white robes and palms in their hands." When one of the elders had +asked, "Who are these which are arrayed in white robes, and whence came +they?" He told John, "These are they which came out of the Great +Tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the +blood of the Lamb." We learn that this multitude of all nations comes +out of the Great Tribulation. It is not the Church, for the Church is +not in the Great Tribulation. This great multitude represents the +Gentile nations who heard the final testimony and who believed, They +turned in repentance to God and were then washed in the Blood of the +Lamb. This great company does not stand before a heavenly throne, but +it is the millennial throne which is in view here, and their +blessedness throughout the millennial kingdom, after having suffered in +the Great Tribulation, is described. They are the nations which the +King calls blessed, and which will inherit the Kingdom. They are the +fruits of the faithful witness of the elect Jewish remnant heralding +the Kingdom before the Lord comes. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +"These My Brethren" +</H4> + +<P> +When our Lord addresses from His throne these converted nations He +says, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my +brethren, ye have done it unto Me." Who are His brethren? He means by +this term His brethren according to the flesh, from whom as concerning +the flesh He came (Rom. ix:4-5). The nations who listened to their +testimony when they appeared with the Gospel of the Kingdom, and who +believed that message, manifested their belief by treating the +messengers with kindness, giving them to eat and to drink, and clothing +them. They did what the Gentile Rahab did to the Jewish spies, the +advanceguard of the victorious host of Israel. And the other nations +who despised the final offer of God's mercy in the preaching of the +Gospel of the Kingdom showed no kindness to the Jewish messengers; and +these nations which spurned the last offer will pass away from the +earth. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +What Else Converted Israel Will Do +</H4> + +<P> +When the Lord comes all Israel living in that day will be saved, except +the apostates (Ezekiel xx:38), those who have worshipped the Beast and +followed Anti-christ. "They shall look upon Him Whom they have +pierced, and mourn for Him" (Zech. xii:10). This converted nation will +be a kingdom of priests, and become the nucleus of that Kingdom into +which the nations converted during the Tribulation, and all nations +throughout the Millennium, will be gathered. Beautiful are the words +of Isaiah, speaking of that time (Isa. lxi:6-9): Then the Gentiles +shall come to the light which has risen among that nation, and kings to +their brightness. Read the sixtieth chapter of Isaiah. In fact the +entire prophetic Word witnesses to the fact that Israel, so long a +curse among the nations, will be a blessing to all the nations. +</P> + +<P> +It seems from another passage that when the Millennium begins with the +coming of the King, that certain portions of the earth must yet be +reached, and that work is to be done among different nations to make +known the great events which have taken place. And God will use Israel +for this work. Isa. lxvi:19: "And I will set a sign among them, and I +will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, +and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, +that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall +declare my glory among the Gentiles." The last sentence of this +prophecy, "they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles," tells us +that they will have a work to do after His glory has been manifested. +There is another passage in Zechariah which also speaks of how they +will be used, Zech. viii:23: "Thus saith the Lord of hosts: In those +days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all +languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that +is a Jew saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is +with you." This necessarily also comes after the Lord has come and set +up His Kingdom. +</P> + +<P> +Israel will therefore be definitely used in bringing the nations of the +earth into the Kingdom. In that coming Kingdom, converted, +Spirit-filled Israel will be the head of all nations, and be used in +world-wide ministry and blessing. Then will be fulfilled what the Lord +said through Isaiah: "Ye shall be named the priests of the Lord; men +shall call you ministers of our God; ye shall eat the wealth of the +nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves." What blessing +is in store for the whole world, when that time comes may also be +learned from Rom. xi:12-15. Let all true believers pray as never +before, "Even so, come Lord Jesus." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08fn1"></A> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap08fn1text">1</A>] We give a few of the many passages which predict these things. +Read them carefully with the contex: Psalm xxii:27-28, xlvii:7-8, +lxvii:4-5, lxxii; Isa. lx:2-9; Dan. vii:13-14; Zech. ii:11. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE FEASTS AND THE NAMES +</H3> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Leviticus xxiii +</H4> + +<P> +The Lord commanded His people Israel to keep seven yearly feasts. We +find them mentioned in their proper order in Leviticus. The feasts, or +holy convocations are: The Feast of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened +Bread, the Feast of First-fruits, the Feast of Pentecost, the Feast of +Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. While +these feasts had a special meaning for God's people Israel and their +worship they are also "the shadow of things to come;" they have a +decided prophetic meaning. In a most remarkable manner they reveal the +whole plan of redemption. All the dispensational dealings of God with +Jews and Gentiles may be traced in these feasts. +</P> + +<P> +We find also in the Old Testament Scriptures seven compound names of +Jehovah. These are the following: <I>Jehovah-Jireh</I> (Jehovah provides), +Gen. xxii:14; <I>Jehovah-Rophekah</I> (Jehovah thy Healer), Exod. xv:26; +<I>Jehovah-Nissi</I> (Jehovah my banner), Ex. xvii; <I>Jehovah-Shalom</I> +(Jehovah is Peace), Judges vi:24; <I>Jehovah-Roi</I> (Jehovah my Shepherd), +Psalm xxiii:1; <I>Jehovah-Tsidkenu</I> (Jehovah our Righteousness), Jer. +xxiii:6; <I>Jehovah-Shammah</I> (Jehovah is there), Exek. xlviii:35. These +names are also prophetic; they tell out the story of redemption and may +be linked with the Feasts of Jehovah. The interesting fact is that +these names are given in the Word in such an order that they correspond +with these feasts of Jehovah. +</P> + +<P> +<B>I. The Passover Feast</B>. This was to be observed on the fourteenth +day of the month of Abib and was kept in memory of Israel's redemption +and deliverance from Egypt, the house of bondage. The Passover-lamb +was slain and its blood sprinkled on the lintel and side-posts of the +door. God assured them when they were in Egypt, "When I see the blood +I will pass over you." And so it was. The blood of the slain lamb +sheltered them and secured immunity from death. The lamb, as a +spotless victim, died that they might live. This feast marked the +beginning of Israel's history as a redeemed people; their years were to +be counted from that day (Exod. xii:1). The blessed story of this +great redemption was not to be forgotten, but to be remembered from +generation to generation (Exod. xii:24-27). The Passover lamb and the +sheltering blood foreshadow most blessedly the atoning work of the +Cross, the sacrifice of our Lord and His precious blood. The paschal +lamb is a type of Christ our Passover. "Christ our Passover is +sacrificed for us" (1 Cor. v:7). Our Lord fulfilled the type in every +detail. When the time came for the Lord Jesus Christ to give His life, +Satan made an effort that His death should not occur on the +Passover-feast. Satan knew that he was the true Lamb, and so he tried +to prevent His death at the proper time (Matt. xxvi:5; Mark xiv:2). +But the Lamb of God died at the very time, thus fulfilling the +Scriptures. Redemption by blood stands first, for it is the foundation +of everything. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Jehovah-Jireh</B>—"the Lord will provide"—is His name in connection +with Abraham when he put his son Isaac as a sacrifice upon the altar. +When Isaac asked, "Where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?" Abraham +answered, "My son, God will Himself provide the lamb for a +burnt-offering" (Gen. xxii:8). The ram was provided to be put upon the +altar and Abraham called the place Jehovah-Jireh. And so the Lord has +provided the Lamb; He has provided a free and full salvation through +His own Son. How beautifully this name of Jehovah fits the Passover +feast needs not to be demonstrated. Every one can see this. +</P> + +<P> +<B>II. The Feast of Unleavened Bread</B>. This feast could not be +separated from Passover. Passover without the feast of unleavened +bread would have not only been an impossibility, but an insult to God. +And so also the feast of unleavened bread without the Passover. Leaven +is always the type of evil, corruption and sin. An unleavened +condition means the opposite, it means holiness. God redeems unto +holiness. What He redeems is destined to share His own holy character. +This feast of unleavened bread was to be kept for seven days. In +Corinthians (1 Cor. v:7-8), where we read of Christ our Passover, the +unleavened bread is likewise mentioned. "Christ our Passover is +sacrificed for us; wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old +leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness but with the +unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." And before this it is +written "Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? +Purge out, therefore, the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye +are unleavened." Redemption delivers from the power of indwelling sin. +Redeemed by blood, and saved by grace, our calling is unto holiness. +Spiritually to keep the feast of unleavened bread means to live in the +energy of the new nature, walking in the Spirit. And ultimately His +redeemed people will be wholly sanctified delivered from the very +presence of sin. He will present the church to Himself, "a glorious +church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it +should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. v:27). That will be when we +shall be with Him in glory. Then the gracious work of redemption is +completed and crowned. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Jehovah-Rophekah</B>, "the Lord thy Healer," He calls Himself in Exod. +xv:26. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; +who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who +redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with loving +kindness and tender mercies" (Psalm ciii:2-4). We look forward to the +day when in the kingdom to come "the inhabitant shall not say, I am +sick" (Isa. xxxiii:24), when His redeemed, blood-washed people shall be +glorified and then wholly sanctified as to body, soul and spirit. When +our body of humiliation is changed that it may be fashioned like unto +His glorious body (Phil. iii:21), then shall we know all the gracious +power of Jehovah-Rophekah. +</P> + +<P> +<B>III. The Feast of First-fruits</B>. The third feast is the Feast of +First-fruits (Lev. xxiii:9-14). While the Passover typifies the death +of Christ, the waving of the sheaf of the first fruits is the blessed +type of the physical resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the +third feast; the number three in the Word of God is almost in every +instance connected with resurrection. One sheaf only was brought into +the presence of Jehovah; this sheaf was the earnest of the harvest to +follow. "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the +first-fruits of them that slept" (1 Cor. xv:20). "But every man in his +own order: Christ, the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's +at His Coming" (1 Cor. xv:23). The grain of wheat had fallen into the +ground and died. But He liveth; the full ear of the sheaf waved before +Jehovah typifies the abundant fruit which He brings unto God. It was +waved "on the morrow after the Sabbath." That is the first day of the +week, the glorious resurrection morning. Thus we see in this feast +Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits, now at the fight hand of +God. And as He was raised from among the dead, so shall His people be +raised from among the dead, when He descends from heaven with the +shout; while living believers shall be changed in a moment. And all +will be with Him in that blessed day when He comes for His own. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Jehovah-Nissi</B>, "the Lord my Banner" (Exod. xvii:15). Israel, as we +read in this chapter, fought with Amalek (the type of the flesh). +Joshua was the leader of God's people in this warfare, while Moses was +on the top of the hill holding up his hands that Israel might prevail. +And Joshua gained the victory over Amalek. Joshua typifies Christ +risen from the dead, who, like Joshua, brings His people through Jordan +into the promised land. And Moses on the top of the hill with his +uplifted hands also represents Christ risen from the dead, at God's +right hand interceding for His people. Through a risen Christ, whose +life we have, and who liveth for us, we get the victory in the conflict +down here. He died for us, which gives us peace; He lives for us and +in us, which gives us power. The risen Christ is our banner and +victory. +</P> + +<P> +<B>IV. The Feast of Pentecost</B> (verses 15-22). This is the Feast of +Weeks, also called Pentecost (the Greek word for fifty) because it was +celebrated fifty days after the Feast of First-fruits. After seven +Sabbaths had passed by, a new Meal-offering was to be brought to the +Lord. It consisted of two loaves, which were of fine flour, leaven +also was to be put in them; they were to be the first-fruits unto the +Lord. In the beginning of Leviticus we read of the meal-offering. The +offering here in the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, was a new +meal-offering. The meal-offering in the first part of this book +(ii:1-16) is the type of Christ in His perfect humanity. In that +meal-offering there was no leaven, but fine flour was mixed with oil, +and oil was poured upon it before it was exposed to the fire. All this +blessedly foreshadows the Lord Jesus in His spotless humanity and the +sufferings through which He passed. But here is a new meal-offering, +into which leaven was put. +</P> + +<P> +Fifty days after Christ arose, when the day of Pentecost had come, the +Holy Spirit descended out of heaven. While He filled the assembled +believers in Jerusalem, He also baptized them into one body; the +church, the body of Christ, began with this great event. The new +meal-offering, therefore, is a prophetic type of the church. Let us +notice that the loaves of this new meal-offering were also called +"first-fruits." This word identifies them with Him who is the +first-fruits of them that slept, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the +First-fruits and His believing people are likewise called by that name. +"Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be +a kind of first-fruits of His creatures" (Jas. i:18). Believers have +the first-fruits of the Spirit (Rom. viii:23). Christ also is the +firstborn, while believers are His brethren destined to share His glory +(Rom. viii:29); and the church is called the church of the firstborn" +(Heb. xii:23). +</P> + +<P> +This new meal-offering, a type of the church, was made of fine flour, +which comes from the corn of wheat. It typifies the true believer, who +is born again, and possesses the new nature, and only those who are +born again are members of the true church. The leaven put into this +offering is the type of sin and the old nature, which is still in the +believer. Therefore the sin-offering was made prominent in connection +with this feast, which tells us of the blessed work of Christ as the +sin-bearer of His people. The two loaves foreshadow believing Jews and +Gentiles, which compose the church. Some day the church will be +presented to the Lord, as the new meal-offering was brought into His +presence. This will happen when the Lord comes for His Saints. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Jehovah-Shalom</B>, "the Lord is Peace" (Judges vi:24). How beautifully +this name of Jehovah harmonizes with Pentecost. He has made peace in +the blood of the Cross. "Peace be unto you" was His blessed word of +greeting to the assembled disciples on the resurrection day. And ever +since He is in the midst of those who gather unto His Name and His +blessed, precious word of peace remains throughout this age for His +redeemed people. Furthermore, "He is our peace, who hath made both +one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition, having +abolished in His flesh the enmity, the law of commandments in +ordinances, for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making +peace. And that He might reconcile both unto God, in one body by the +cross having slain the enmity thereby. And came and preached peace to +you which were far off, and to them that were nigh" (Ephes. ii:14-17). +</P> + +<P> +But let us notice here that four months elapsed before another feast +was kept. During these four months the harvest and vintage took place. +The feast of Pentecost had after it this long period before the trumpet +was blown for another solemn feast. This interval has a prophetic +meaning of much importance. Dispensationally we are still in the Feast +of Pentecost. This age is the age of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is +present to accomplish His great mission, which is to gather out the +church. This blessed work goes on during this age. But some day the +Spirit's work will surely be finished and the new meal-offering, the +church, will be presented in glory. How this will be accomplished we +know from 1 Thess. iv:13-18 and 1 Cor. xv:5 1-54. +</P> + +<P> +Let us remember then that the four feasts foreshadow the Cross of +Christ (Passover); the Work of the Cross which is complete Redemption +(Unleavened Bread); the Resurrection of Christ (First-Fruits); the Holy +Spirit and His Work on earth, the out-calling of the church +(Pentecost). We are living in the interval between Pentecost and the +fifth feast. But the next feast in its prophetic meaning will not come +till the church is completed and presented unto the Lord. The harvest +has to come. And the harvest is in verse 22 the same as in Matt. +xiii:39. +</P> + +<P> +Recently a theory has been advanced according to which the Lord must +come for His Saints on the Jewish feast of Trumpets. But that is only +a speculation. It is disproven by the fact that the new meal-offering +on the feast of Pentecost, typifying the church, must be first +presented to the Lord, before the feast of trumpets can come. What the +feast of trumpets foreshadows we shall see next. +</P> + +<P> +<B>V. The Feast of Trumpets</B>. The feast of trumpets, the day of +atonement and the feast of tabernacles in their prophetic meaning are +still future. Nor will the events foreshadowed come to pass till the +harvest, the end of the age, comes, and the church has been removed +from the earth. The trumpets here must not be identified with the last +trump in 1 Cor. xv:53 or the trump of God in 1 Thess. iv. The feast of +trumpets does not foreshadow the Coming of the Lord for His Saints. +The feast of trumpets shows prophetically the call of God to the +remnant of His earthly people. They are to be regathered and a remnant +of them is to be brought back. But the Lord does not regather earthly +Israel as long as His heavenly people are still here. An awakening +spiritually and nationally is predicted throughout the prophetic Word +for His people Israel. See Isa. xxvii:13 and Joel ii:1. Matt. xxiv:31 +has often been applied as meaning the church. This is incorrect. The +elect to be gathered by the trumpets' sound is Israel. The blowing of +the trumpets on the first day of the seventh month precedes the great +day of atonement and heralds that approaching day. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Jehovah-Roi</B>, "the Lord is my Shepherd" (Psalm xxiii:1). Christians +have almost universally applied this precious Psalm to themselves and +forgotten that Israel also has a part in it. He who is our Shepherd is +the Shepherd of Israel. He gave His life as the good Shepherd for all +His sheep; yea, He died for that nation (John xi:51). There is a day +coming when this loving, caring Shepherd, who was here once and sought +the lost sheep of the house of Israel, will seek them again. "Behold +I, even I, will both search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a +shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his flock +that are scattered, so will I seek out my sheep; and will deliver them +out of all places whither they have been scattered in the day of clouds +and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and +gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, +and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers and in all the +inhabited places of the country" (Ezek. xxxiv:11-14). And when He +gathers them, then will they joyfully praise Him as their Shepherd and +know Jehovah-Roi. +</P> + +<P> +<B>VI. The Day of Atonement</B>. This solemn feast followed immediately +the blowing of the trumpets. Lev. xvi gives us the full description of +that important day. On that day the blood of a sacrificial animal was +carried within the vail and sprinkled by the high-priest on the mercy +seat. When the high-priest has done this and came out from the Holiest +the second sacrificial animal, a goat, was brought before him. He then +put his hands upon the head of the goat and confessed upon it all the +iniquities, the transgressions and sins of the children of Israel. +"And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not +inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness" (chapter +xvi). And here the dispensational aspect comes in. Before the +transgressions of Israel could be confessed over the scapegoat and +before the goat could be sent forever away with its burden, the +high-priest had to come out of the Holiest. As long as He remained +alone in the Holiest, the goat could not carry away the sins of the +people. When the Lord appears the second time, when He comes from +heaven's glory as the King-Priest, then the blessed effect of His death +for the nation will be realized and their sins and transgressions will +forever be put away. Then they will in true repentance look upon Him +whom they pierced and mourn for Him. And their sins will be forgiven +and remembered no more. They will, through grace, become the +righteous, the holy, the Spirit filled nation. "In that day there +shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the +inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness" (Zech. xiii:1). +</P> + +<P> +<B>Jehovah-Tsidkenu</B>—"The Lord our Righteousness." It is significant +that this name of Jehovah appears twice in Jeremiah. Once it means our +Lord and connected with the acknowledgement of Him as "our +righteousness" is the promise that He shall reign as King. "In His +days shall Judah be saved and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is +His name whereby He shall be called 'Jehovah-Tsidkenu'" (Jer. +xxiii:5-6). They will know Him as their righteousness, as we know Him +as our righteousness. But when? When He has come and they accepted +Him as their Lord and King. In Jer. xxxiii:16 the city of Jerusalem +shall be called by that name. One of the future names of restored +Jerusalem will be "the Lord our righteousness." No doubt, because the +King has chosen her and manifests His glory in, round about and above +Jerusalem. +</P> + +<P> +<B>VII. The Feast of Tabernacles</B>. The seventh feast began on the +fifteenth day of the seventh month and was kept after the harvesting. +"Thou shalt observe the feast of Tabernacles seven days, after thou +hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine" (Deut. xvi:13). Besides this +it was a memorial feast of their wilderness journey of the past. +Therefore they made booths of palm trees and willows. The palm is the +emblem of victory and the willow the emblem of suffering and weeping. +This feast is prophetic of the millennium and the coming glory, when +Israel is back in the land and the kingdom has been established in +their midst. Then the King will manifest Himself in the midst of His +people. It will be a time of rejoicing and victory, when sorrow and +sighing, so long the lot of Israel, will no more be heard. It comes +after the harvest (the end of the age) and the vintage (the winepress +of the wrath of God). The Gentiles, too, will join in that feast; it +will be celebrated by Jews and Gentiles throughout millennial times +(Zech. xiv:16), while the glorified church dwells with the Lord in the +heavenly Jerusalem above the earth in marvellous glory, seen by the +inhabitants of the world during the millennial age. It will probably +be during that feast that the King of kings and Lord of lords will +appear in visible glory in Jerusalem to receive the homage of Israel +and the representatives of converted nations. How beautiful is the +order of these last feasts of Jehovah! The blowing of the trumpets, +the remnant of Israel called and gathered; the day of atonement, Israel +in repentance, looking upon Him whom they pierced, when He comes the +second time; the feast of Tabernacles, the Kingdom come, the time of +peace and glory for the earth. +</P> + +<P> +<B>Jehovah-Shammah</B>, "the Lord is there" (Exek. xlviii:35). The name of +that city from that day shall be "Jehovah-Shammah"—the Lord is there. +This is another millennial name of the city of Jerusalem. The closing +chapters of Ezekiel tell us of Israel's restoration, the overthrow of +their enemies, Gog and Magog, the powers from the North. Then the +glory returns (Ezek. xliii:1-5), a wonderful temple is seen once more +in Jerusalem, the Lord manifests Himself in the midst of the city and +living waters will flow forth from Jerusalem. Thus the last compound +name of Jehovah clearly points to millennial times. +</P> + +<P> +We have seen that the feasts and the names of Jehovah are prophetic. +They reveal the great redemption and tell us of the cross, the work +accomplished there, how God made provision and redeems unto Himself. +We traced in them His resurrection and the victory; the coming of the +Holy Spirit, the formation and completion of the church; the +regathering and the restoration of Israel, their spiritual blessing and +the millennium. His Name is blessedly linked with these feasts. How +wonderful is the blessed Word of God! And how we may find His gracious +purposes in every portion of this Book of books. Soon the last three +feasts may be ushered in. Let us therefore as His heavenly people, +with a heavenly hope and destiny, wait daily for the promised +home-call, the gathering shout. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"WHEN THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY" +</H3> + +<P CLASS="intro"> +"Until the day break and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the +mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense" (Sol. Song iv:6). +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +For nearly 6,000 years the shadows of sin and death and all which goes +with it have been upon the human race. It has been a long and dreary +night. Nor has that night become less as centuries passed by. Never +before have the shadows of the night, the shadows of sin, been so dark +and horrifying as now. Never before has there been so much sorrow, so +much weeping and suffering in the earth as during our generation. That +it will not be always so God's holy Word assures us. The night will +end some day. "Watchman what of the night? Watchman, what of the +night? The morning cometh." What morning did the watchman mean? It +is that morning which all the great prophets of God beheld in holy +vision. The morning when the day breaks and the shadows flee away. +Then that which has been shall be again and peace on earth as well as +glory to God in the highest will follow. +</P> + +<P> +How and when will that long-promised morning come? Not through man's +efforts. Not even through the preaching of the Gospel or the +activities of the church. Not through a progressive civilization or +through great reforms. Many expect in our days a better time for this +earth as the result of the great struggle of nations. One of the +slogans has been; "We fight to make the earth a decent place to live +in;" while others believe that after the war a perfect and permanent +peace with world-wide brotherhood and prosperity will solve all the +problems of the human race. The complete overthrow of autocracy with +its horrible crimes is in sight. Democracy will be victorious. +Nations, we doubt not, will be brought together in a great league of +nations, and all we have been fighting for as a nation to maintain +justice and righteousness will be accomplished. But is this going to +end sin? Will this mean that all the world turns now to God and to His +Son? Will this victory end human suffering and wipe away all tears? +</P> + +<P> +Will it bring back the lost paradise? Will famines and pestilences, +earthquakes now be stopped? Will as a result of the victory of +democracy groaning creation be delivered from its groans by the removal +of the curse which has rested upon it so long? Has the perfect day +come when all strife ceases forever and the sword can never again be +unsheathed? +</P> + +<P> +With all the achievements of our times and the realization of our human +hopes the age is still "this present evil age," Satan is not yet +dethroned, but he is still the ruler and the god of the age. The night +is still on. The promised daybreak has not yet come when the shadows +flee away. May God's people remember this now when a wave of optimism +no doubt will soon sweep this world, when everywhere the message of +"peace and safety" will be preached, when the rush for world betterment +will become almost irresistible. +</P> + +<BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +Not Till He Comes +</H4> + +<P> +Not till the Lord Jesus Christ comes again and is enthroned as King +over this earth will that day break when the shadows flee away. He +alone can bring that longed for better day for the earth. His is the +power and the glory to do it. He came from heaven down into this night +of sin to purchase back His alienated creation. He paid the price so +wonderfully great which only God can rightly value. The crown of +thorns He wore because the thorns are the emblems of the curse which +rests now upon creation as the result of man's sin. He tasted death +for everything. On the cross He accomplished the mighty work, procured +salvation for believing sinners, sealed Satan's doom, and that work is +furthermore the pledge and guarantee of the victory for God in bringing +back creation to its former perfect condition, only with greater glory +added. +</P> + +<P> +The once thorn-crowned Christ is in glory yonder. There faith's eye +sees Him, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering +of death crowned with glory and honor. But some day He will get the +many crowns of which He is worthy, and when that glorious day comes, +the shadows flee away. +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +"Come then, and, added to thy many crowns,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Receive yet one, the crown of all the earth,</SPAN><BR> +Thou who alone art worthy! It was thine<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">By ancient covenant, ere Nature's birth;</SPAN><BR> +And Thou hast made it thine by purchase since,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">And overpaid its value with Thy blood."[<A NAME="chap10fn1text"></A><A HREF="#chap10fn1">1</A>]</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +Let us see then what shadows will flee away when He comes back to earth +again and claims His blood-bought inheritance. Let us see what glories +are in store for this earth when the Son of Man receives that kingdom +which will extend from sea to sea unto the uttermost parts of the earth. +</P> + +<P> +<B>I. As to His Redeemed People</B>. The breaking of the day is heralded +by the Morningstar, followed by the rising of the Sun in all his glory. +Thus nature teaches us Scripture truths. Christ comes first for His +own Saints; that is the Morningstar. And then He comes in fullest +glory with all His Saints as the sun of righteousness with healing in +His wings; that is the sunrise when all shadows of the night will flee +away. +</P> + +<P> +The Saints of God wait now for the breaking of the day, for His coming +as the Morningstar. And when He comes and opens with His triumphant +shout the graves of the righteous dead, and calls the living Saints for +the unspeakable change, in a moment, the twinkling of an eye, to put on +immortality—then the shadows for His people are forever, yes forever, +gone. No more bodies then of humiliation, but glorified bodies; no +more separation from loved ones and from saints, but a blessed eternal +reunion and fellowship; no more sorrow, but everlasting joy; no more +crying and tears, but all tears wiped away; no more sinning, but +perfect holiness; no more troubles, but perfect rest. What a glory +time it will be when for us, His own beloved people the day breaks, and +the shadows flee away. As shadows now increase, because the night is +far spent and the day is at hand, the Saints of God should daily think +of the soon coming day-break, that blessed, happy moment when we shall +see Him as He is and shall be like Him. +</P> + +<P> +<B>II. The Shadows Will Flee Away from Israel and Israel's Land</B>. No +pen can describe the history of this people and the dark shadows which +have been upon them. As the homeless nation they have wandered +throughout this age, in fulfillment of the predictions of their own +prophets, among the nations of the earth. Awful have been their +persecutions, and tribulations upon tribulations have been their lot. +Suffering and sorrow, the meat and drink of every generation since they +were driven from their God-given land. How dark are the shadows which +have come upon that people once more as the result of the world +conflict. Millions have lost their all. Hundreds of thousands are +homeless wanderers in eastern Europe. Perhaps the story of their +suffering in connection with the war will never be written. And the +end is not yet. +</P> + +<P> +On the other hand their national hope has been revived as never before +in their history. Regiments of Jews have gone forth into the war with +their own flags, with David's shield in the center and the Hebrew word +"Immanuel." They have been fighting like the Maccabees of old. +Jerusalem has been captured from the Turks; all Palestine has passed +into the hands of the Allies; never again can Turkey have dominion over +the land she has so horribly misruled. What is to become of Palestine +and Jerusalem? Let the answer be given through the letter which A. J. +Balfour wrote in behalf of the British Government to Baron Rothschild: +"The Government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a +national home for the Jewish people and will use their best endeavors +to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly +understood that nothing will be done that may prejudice the civil or +religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine." +Here is the answer of the French Government. "M. Sokolow, representing +the Zionist organizations, was received by Monsieur Pichon, Minister +for Foreign Affairs, who was happy to inform him that there is complete +argeement between the French and English Governments in all matters +which concern the establishment of a Jewish national home in +Palestine." Our own country has fallen in line and pledged itself to +see that at last the Jew is going to be treated with justice and that +Palestine will become an independent Jewish state. No wonder there is +great joy among the masses of Jews and that they too see a better day +looming up for their people. +</P> + +<P> +But do these tremendous events in the East mean that the day has come +when the shadows flee away from the seed of Abraham? Not by any means. +The time of Jacob's trouble has not yet been. The last siege of +Jerusalem, prewritten in Zechariah's prophecy (chapter xiv) still +awaits its fulfillment. To deliver that nation and that land +completely and bring about the glories promised in God's infallible +Word needs more than the conquest of the land. The flag of the British +lion now flies over Jerusalem. Some day another flag will be raised +above that city—the flag of the Son of Man, the Son of David, the Lion +of the tribe of Judah. +</P> + +<P> +Only when He comes again and His blessed feet stand once more upon the +Mount of Olives, will that day of blessing and glory break for Israel +with all shadows fleeing away. What it all will mean is fully written +in prophecy. Much of what is written in the Book of Isaiah from +chapter xl to the end of the vision of Isaiah refers to that glory +time, when the King comes back, and when for Jerusalem the shadows flee +away. Read especially chapters liv and lv; lxvi. In the other +Prophets read the following chapters: Jeremiah xxx and xxxi; Ezekiel +xxxiv-xlviii; Daniel vii:13-28 and chapter xii; Hosea iii:5, v:15, +vi:1-3, xiv; Joel iii; Amos ix:11-15; Obadiah, verses 17-21; Micah +iv-v; Habakkuk iii; Zephaniah iii:8-20; Haggai ii:6-9; Zechariah +ii:6-13, viii, ix:9-11, xii-xiv. Here we have unfailing predictions of +what will be when the day breaks and the shadows flee away from Israel. +</P> + +<P> +<B>III. The Shadows for All the Nations of the World Will Flee Away</B>. +In Revelation xx:3 we read that Satan, the Devil, that old Serpent is +the deceiver of the nations. As we have seen in the lecture on the +history of Satan he is the murder and liar from the beginning. He is +responsible for every war which has ever been fought; he is the author +of all idolatry; he blinds the nations and keeps them away from knowing +God. For this reason peace cannot come till this dark shadow is +chained, the world cannot be brought to God and do righteousness till +this arch-deceiver is robbed of his power. We can rest assured that as +long as this being is loose, world conversion and universal peace are +unobtainable. And he will be chained by Him who is the strong One and +has conquered him already—our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore when +He comes again the shadows will flee away from the nations of the +earth. China will no longer be domineered over by demon influences; +India, Africa and the islands of the sea will cast their idols away. +All swords will become plowshares, all spears pruning hooks. Wars will +cease even unto the ends of the earth; nations will learn war no more. +The nations will learn righteousness; all oppression will cease; +capital and labor has ended its strife; poverty is unknown; wickedness +and crime of every description ends, for the King reigns in +righteousness, and "in His day shall the righteous flourish and +abundance of peace.... He shall have dominion also from sea to sea and +from the river unto the ends of the earth.... all kings shall fall down +before Him, all nations shall serve Him" (Psalm lxxii). Under His +gracious reign of power famines and pestilences can no longer devastate +this earth. Sickness and diseases will be banished and those who obey +the laws of His kingdom will continue to live on earth, so that death, +the common thing now, as the wages of sin, will become uncommon during +the coming age. What a glory time there is in store for this earth! +But we must not forget that day, when the shadows flee away, will be +ushered in by a judgment of nations. Nations now in existence, steeped +in unspeakable wickedness, having cast even a skin-deep civilization to +the winds and outraged the laws of God and man, will be dealt with in +judgment and pass away as nations (Matthew xxv:31). +</P> + +<P> +<B>IV. The Shadows which are upon Creation Will Also Flee Away</B>. The +Apostle Paul tells us of creation's curse, creation's groans and +creation's deliverance: "For the earnest expectation of the creature +waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was +made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath +subjected the same in hope. Because the creature itself also shall be +delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of +the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and +travaileth in pain together until now" (Romans viii:19-22). Creation +has fallen under the curse through man's sin. As man has continued in +sin and has become worse in his deeds of defiance of God, creation has +also seen degradation in a like degree. Blights are seen everywhere. +Tidal waves and terrific earthquakes have destroyed human lives by the +millions. All creation is suffering and groaning under the curse. But +it is not to be so forever. The King who comes back is also the +Creator, He who called all things into existence out of nothing. He +surely will set all things in order and deliver groaning creation. He +will put all things back as they were in the beginning and then earth +will be once more a paradise. If He would do anything less than that +the dark shadow of the one who brought sin and death into the world +would have the last word, and could then sneer into the face of God the +fact that in spite of the redemption price He could not restore things +as they were in the beginning. +</P> + +<P> +We quote but one passage from the Book of Isaiah in which this blessed +time is predicted when the shadows flee away for a groaning creation: +"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie +down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling +together, and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear +shall feed; their young shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat +straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play at the hole of the +asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den" +(Isaiah xi:6-8). Do not say this has a spiritual meaning. It has not; +it means what it says, and when the King comes back He will do it all +in His mighty power. +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +"O scenes surpassing fables, and yet true,<BR> +Scenes of accomplish'd bliss! which who can see,<BR> +Though but in distant prospect, and not feel<BR> +His soul refreshed with foretaste of the joy?<BR> +Rivers of gladness water all the earth,<BR> +And clothe all climes with beauty; the reproach<BR> +Of barrenness is gone. The fruitful field<BR> +Laughs with abundance; and the land, once lean,<BR> +Or fertile only in its own disgrace,<BR> +Exults to see its thistly curse repeal'd;<BR> +The various seasons woven into one,<BR> +And that one season an eternal spring.<BR> +The garden fears no blight, and needs no fence,<BR> +For there is none to covet, all are full.<BR> +The lion, and the leopard and the bear<BR> +Graze with the fearless flocks; all bask at noon<BR> +Together, or all gambol in the shade<BR> +Of the same grove, and drink one common stream.<BR> +Apathies are none. No foe to man<BR> +Lurks in the serpent now; the mother sees<BR> +And smiles to see, her infant's playful hand<BR> +Stretch'd forth to dally with the crested worm,<BR> +To stroke his azure neck, or to receive<BR> +The lambent homage of his arrowy tongue.<BR> +All creatures worship man, and all mankind<BR> +One Lord, one Father. Error has no place;<BR> +That creeping pestilence is driven away;<BR> +The breath of heaven has chased it. In the heart<BR> +No passion touches a discordant string,<BR> +But all is harmony and love. Disease<BR> +Is not; the pure and uncontaminate blood<BR> +Holds its due course, nor fears the frost of age.<BR> +One song employs all nations; and all cry<BR> +'Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain for us!'"[<A NAME="chap10fn2text"></A><A HREF="#chap10fn2">2</A>]<BR> +</P> + +<BR> + +<P> +"Until the day break and the shadows flee away I will get me to the +mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense." The mountain of +myrrh must mean the cross for myrrh means "bitterness" and was used in +embalming the dead. As long as He tarries let God's people tent by His +Cross and feast on His great love. And frankincense has the meaning of +worship and praise. Let us worship and praise Him—"until the day +break and the shadows flee away." +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10fn1"></A> +<A NAME="chap10fn2"></A> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap10fn1text">1</A>] William Cowper. +</P> + +<P CLASS="footnote"> +[<A HREF="#chap10fn2text">2</A>] William Cowper. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +"FOR SOON SHALL BREAK THE DAY" +</H3> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Up to the fair myrrh-mountain,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">The fresh frankincense hill,</SPAN><BR> +I'll get me in this midnight,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">And drink of love my fill.</SPAN><BR> +O hills of fragrance, smiling<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">With every flower of love;</SPAN><BR> +O slopes of sweetness, breathing<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Your odors from above!</SPAN><BR> +Ye send me silent welcome,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">I waft you mine again;</SPAN><BR> +Give me the wings of morning,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Burst this still-binding chain;</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">For soon shall break the day,</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">And shadows flee away.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Amid time's angry uproar,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Unmoved, unruffled still,</SPAN><BR> +Keep, keep me calmly, truly,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Doing the Loved One's will.</SPAN><BR> +'Mid din of stormy voices,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">The clamor and the war,</SPAN><BR> +Keep me with eye full-gazing<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">On the eternal star;</SPAN><BR> +Still working, suffering, loving,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Still true and self-denied,</SPAN><BR> +In the old faith abiding,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">To the old names allied;</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">For soon shall break the day,</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">And shadows flee away.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +From earthly power and weakness<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Keep me alike apart;</SPAN><BR> +From self-will and unmeekness,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">From pride of lip or heart.</SPAN><BR> +Without let tempests gather;—<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Let all be calm within,</SPAN><BR> +Unfretted and unshaken<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">By human strife and sin.</SPAN><BR> +And when these limbs are weary,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">And throbs this sleepless brain,</SPAN><BR> +With breath from yon myrrh-mountain<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Revive my soul again;</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">For soon shall break the day,</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">And shadows flee away.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +There my beloved dwelleth,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">He calls me up to him;</SPAN><BR> +He bids me quit these valleys,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">These moorlands brown and dim.</SPAN><BR> +There my long-parted wait me,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">The missed and mourned below;</SPAN><BR> +Now, eager to rejoin them,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">I fain would rise and go.</SPAN><BR> +Not long below we linger,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Not long we here shall sigh;</SPAN><BR> +The hour of dew and dawning<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Is hastening from on high;</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">For soon shall break the day,</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">And shadows flee away.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +O streaks of happy day-spring<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Salute us from above!</SPAN><BR> +O never setting sunlight,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Earth longeth for thy love;</SPAN><BR> +O hymns of unknown gladness,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">That hail us from these skies,</SPAN><BR> +Swell till you gently silence<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Earth's meaner melodies!</SPAN><BR> +O hope all hope surpassing,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">For evermore to be,</SPAN><BR> +O Christ, the Church's Bridegroom,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">In Paradise with thee;</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">For soon shall break the day,</SPAN><BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 2em">And shadows flee away.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE COMING REIGN +</H3> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +King of kings! ascend Thy throne;<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Visit this Thine earth again;</SPAN><BR> +Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh;<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Take Thy mighty power, and reign</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +King of nations! claim this world<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">With its kingdoms for Thine own.</SPAN><BR> +Raze each rebel fortress here,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Level every hostile throne.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +King of Israel! now arise,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">And rebuild Thy Salem's walls;</SPAN><BR> +Gather Jacob's scattered flock;<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Hear Thine Israel when he calls.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +King of saints! Thy ransomed own,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">They the members, Thou the head;</SPAN><BR> +Speed the great deliverance,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">First-begotten of the dead.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +King of glory! King of heaven!<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">King of earth! arise and reign;</SPAN><BR> +All creation sighs for Thee;<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Visit Thine own earth again.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +King eternal! Son of God!<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Earth and heaven shall Thee obey;</SPAN><BR> +Principalities and powers<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Own Thine everlasting sway.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THESE ARE THE TRUE SAYINGS OF GOD +</H3> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Sure the record; Christ has come!<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Rich, for us became He poor.</SPAN><BR> +O my soul, then know His love;<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Love Him, serve Him evermore.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Sure the record; Christ has died,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Bearing on the cross our sin;</SPAN><BR> +Is not this the gate of life?<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Son of Adam, enter in!</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Sure the record; Christ is risen,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">He hath broken every chain:</SPAN><BR> +Silent stands the empty tomb,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Never to be filled again.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Sure the promise; Christ will come,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Though the promise lingers still;</SPAN><BR> +Heavy seems the wing of time,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Weary with the weight of ill.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Signs are mustering everywhere,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">And the world is growing old;</SPAN><BR> +Love is low and faith is dull,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Truth and right are bought, and sold!</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Then when men are heedless grown,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">And the virgins slumber all,</SPAN><BR> +When iniquity abounds,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Then He cometh, Judge of all!</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Cometh He to raise His own<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Wipe the tear from every eye;</SPAN><BR> +Cometh He to right the wrong.<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Trodden truth to lift on high.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +To dethrone the lie of lies,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Each dark falsehood to destroy;</SPAN><BR> +To begin the age of light,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Earth's long sighed-for Sabbath-joy.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +THE SUPPER AND THE ADVENT +</H3> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Till He come we own His name,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Round His table gathering;</SPAN><BR> +One in love and faith and hope,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Waiting for an absent King.</SPAN><BR> +Blessed table, where the Lord<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Sets for us His choicest cheer;</SPAN><BR> +Angels have no feast like this,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Angels wait, but sit not here.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Till He come we eat this bread,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Seated round this heaven-spread board;</SPAN><BR> +Till He come we meet and feast,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">In remembrance of the Lord.</SPAN><BR> +In the banquet house of love,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">In the Bridegroom's garden fair;</SPAN><BR> +Thus we sit and feast and praise,—<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Angels look, but cannot share.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Till He come we take this cup,—<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Cup of blessing and of love;</SPAN><BR> +Till He come we drink this wine,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Emblem of the wine above,—</SPAN><BR> +Emblem of the blood once shed,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Blood of Him our sins who bare;</SPAN><BR> +Angels look, but do not drink,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Angels never taste such fare.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Till He come, beneath the shade<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Of His love we sit and sing;</SPAN><BR> +Over us His banner waves,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">In His hall of banqueting.</SPAN><BR> +Happy chamber, where the Lord<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Spreads the feast with viands rare;</SPAN><BR> +Angels now are looking on,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Angels serve, but cannot share.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Till He come, we wear the badge<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Of the ancient stranger-band;</SPAN><BR> +Leaning on our pilgrim-staff,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Till we reach the glorious land.</SPAN><BR> +Homeless here, like Him we love,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Watch we still in faith and prayer;</SPAN><BR> +Angels have no watch like ours,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Angels have no cross to bear.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Till He come, we fain would keep<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">These our robes of earth unsoiled;</SPAN><BR> +Looking for the festal dress,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Raiment of the undefiled.</SPAN><BR> +Ha! these robes of purest light,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Fairest still among the fair!</SPAN><BR> +Angels gaze, but cannot claim,—<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Angels no such raiment wear.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<P CLASS="poem"> +Till He come we keep this feast,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Emblem of the feast above;</SPAN><BR> +Marriage-supper of the Lamb,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Festival of joy and love.</SPAN><BR> +Angels hear the bridal-song,<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Angels set the festal fare;</SPAN><BR> +Angels hear, but cannot join;<BR> +<SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Angels wait, but cannot share.</SPAN><BR> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Studies in Prophecy, by Arno C. 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