Mar-Apr 2007

  1. THE CRUCIFIXION
  2. PREPARATIONS FOR CHRIST'S REIGN—"CONTINUED"—BABYLON'S DESTRUCTION
  3. ADVICE FOR BIBLE STUDY
  4. THE FIRST DAY OR EPOCH
  5. LETTERS
  6. PUBLICATIONS
  7. ANNOUNCEMENTS

Preparations For Christ's Reign
BABYLON'S DESTRUCTION

Continued from last issue (January-February 2007)

Miry clay looks very much like stone; and God used a stone to symbolize His Kingdom in the same symbolic picture that He used the miry clay smeared over the iron feet to represent mainline Christianity. Christ’s Kingdom has not yet been established; but it will be built on the wreck of these present secular and religious institutions, which outwardly resemble Christ’s Kingdom, calling themselves Christian nations on all their coins and declaring that God is reigning in these kingdoms (Dan 2: 44, 45). Collectively they call themselves Christendom, which means Christ’s Kingdom; for they were led to do this through the teachings of the church during the Dark Ages—not the True Church, and people being deluded, thought that they were the Church of Christ but who, in actuality, were opposed to and persecuted the real Church.

We include as sectarian churches all that are not the real Church. There are many spurious churches; not all can be right. The question is which one is the right one? None will acknowledge the others to be the right one, all claiming to be right. Not one of them is the right one, as we have concluded from the Bible description of the Church of Christ. God recognizes only the one composed of those who are consecrated to Him—those found in the Greek, the English, the German, the Italian Churches, among the Catholics, the Episcopalians, the Baptists, the Methodists, the Lutherans, the Presbyterians and among people who do not attend any denomination at all. All who are God’s dedicated Christians, no matter to what affiliation they belong, are members of His Church; all others are merely imitation Christians. These great systems calling themselves His churches are without Divine authority, without Scriptural recognition. They are merely human institutions, and in them only the true Christians are recognized of God at all as His people.

The Bible sets forth these spurious churches are called by the name Babylon; a term which signifies confusion. They are a mixture, not only of all classes of people, but of a confusing assortment of doctrines, and quite contrary therefore to anything that God and His Word uphold. From this confused mass of people, God is calling out His people, saying, “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues” and telling them that a great calamity will come upon all of these erroneous secular and religious systems (Rev. 18: 4).

THE END OF THE GENTILE TIMES

Studying God’s Word, we have measured the 2520 years, the seven symbolic times, from the year 607 B.C. and have found that it reached down to October, 1914. Many of us concluded that October of 1914 would show the end of the Gentile lease of power; for when October arrived, it indicated the end of the Jewish year and the Bible’s prophecies are determined by lunar (moon) time.

Now the question comes, Have the Gentile Times ended or not? Some perhaps may be inclined to say, “No, they have not ended.” Others would say, “When the Gentile Times ended in 1914, we would expect that the Gentiles would have been entirely ousted from all power and control, and that Christ’s Kingdom would be established.”

We find that some have one idea and others another. Some thought that just the next hour after midnight would see a great, supernatural change every-where—evil blotted out in minutes. But would it be a reasonable expectation for the Gentile kingdoms to be snuffed out inside of an hour or inside of a day? If God had said so, it would be different; we know that God has all power to do His will everywhere. Should we, in any sense of the word, expect such a sudden transition? That going to bed at night and the following morning would find all the kingdoms of the world overturned and the Kingdom of Christ set up; the great awakening of earth’s millions from the sleep of death, etc. (John 5: 28)? Such would be a lightning change! We do not think that any would have been justified in so thinking. If any had such expectation, it was unwarranted.

GOD’S TWO WITNESSES

Now look back and see what happened immediately after the expiration of the different time periods. For instance, there are great day periods mentioned in the Bible, namely, the 1260 symbolic days, the 1290, the 1335 and also the 2300 days (Daniel 12: 7, 11, 12; 8: 13, 14). We have not the time to go into details concerning all of these time periods. They may be familiar to us and are treated in detail in (Studies In The Scriptures, Volumes 1-6; Library set $24.95). Therefore, we merely refresh your memories.

The 1260 years began in 539 A.D. ending in 1799. From their beginning to their culmination, the power of persecution held sway. When the 1260 years ended, was anything done in an hour, in a day, or in a year to stop the persecution? No! One of the results was that God’s Two Witnesses were exalted in the earth. These Two Witnesses of God, the Old and New Testaments, were exalted in the sight of the people, taken up to a position of greater influence and dignity to which they had never before been so regarded.

EXALTED TO HEAVEN

Previous to that time, the false church held that the Bible went hand in hand with the voice of the church; that the voice of the church was the voice of the bishops and the popes; and that the Bible was only to corroborate the voice of these leaders. But after the expiration of the 1260 prophetic days, the Bible began to take a new position.

We remind you that it was between the years 1803 and 1813 that many of our great Bible Societies were organized. Only then, the printing of the Bible in every language and in an economical form became available, and the Bible began to go out to all nations. The Bible was lifted up before the people—the Word of God was greatly exalted, in contrast to the degraded position which it had occupied during the Dark Ages. Undergoing this process therefore, took many years to elevate it to this higher position.

“THE TIME OF THE END”

“The vision refers to the time of the end” Dan. 8: 17. Of course, error all along has more or less opposed the Truth, but the Truth has been going forward gradually. The year 1799 marked the beginning of the “Time of the End,” when various events were to occur. Some of these according to prophecy were: “Knowledge shall be increased”; “the wise shall understand”; and “there shall be a Time of Trouble such as was not since there was a nation” (Daniel 12: 1-10). These various predictions, the fulfillment of which was to follow 1799, have been in process of fulfillment throughout the past two centuries. The running to and fro did not reach any particular development for some time after the Time of the End had begun. The progress in the mode of travel was gradual. First came the steamboat; then came the first railway train. These inventions of necessity had to precede the predicted “running to and fro.”

With the ensuing years we have seen the speed and options for travel increased by leaps and bounds. We see improvements being made in water, land, rail, air and space travel.

These wonderful inventions, which characterize our day, have come gradually since 1799. The first part of the period brought the increase of knowledge, which is proving to be a never-ending desire and source for further information along every avenue (Dan. 12: 4). Some authorities are saying that we are now at the point where, in civilized lands, compulsory education needs to have some limits placed on it; and some nations are trying to restrain education. What many leaders fail to recognize is that much of the knowledge taught is erroneous and that many important points of history and instruction are not taught. This view seems to be supported by the prophet Daniel’s declaration that, with the advent of the Great Time of Trouble now upon us, there would be associated with it the increase of knowledge, which in turn would bring about the worldwide increase in the quality and modes of travel “running to and fro.” It is painfully true that with every earthly blessing leading to the Kingdom, the Adversary and those supporting him are very actively seeking to impede the progress of truth and righteousness. In due time all the nations will learn the lesson that without some restriction, education is a dangerous thing. To an unregenerate heart, it means power in an unregulated hand, which is not always safe or beneficial.

DUE TIME FOR UNDERSTANDING CHRONOLOGY

The Prophet Daniel’s statement that “the wise shall understand” apparently refers to the end of the 1290 days mentioned in the same chapter. This period, using a day for a year, beginning in 539 A.D. terminated in 1829. Shortly after 1829 the premature message of the Second Coming of Christ began to be promulgated especially by William Miller. As a result of the prominence given to the Word of God, certain doctrines were brought forth in a clear, understandable way.

We may have read about how the Miller Movement started in this country. (See Studies In The Scriptures, Volume 3, page 84.) We are not endorsing the teachings of Brother Miller. While he had some correct thoughts on Scripture, he also had some incorrect ones—just as Brother Calvin and other brethren since his day. But the time had come for making God’s people aware of the Second Coming of Christ; and while the Second Advent did not occur in 1844, as they had anticipated, yet beginning gradually in the year 1829 certain doctrines were brought to the attention of the Church which had never before been noted. Such as, man is not immortal and that spiritual and human natures are separate and distinct, etc. These subjects led to a careful searching of the Scriptures and to confidence in the Word of God above the false pride and traditions of men.

The increase of light has gradually progressed, and is dispelling the darkness of error in both doctrine and conduct; until today, the Lord’s people have a great deal of blessing. We are now more than two hundred years from the beginning of the Time of the End; and this development of Christian knowledge has been steadily progressing, opposed in various ways, but nevertheless making progress toward the bright shining of the Kingdom (Prov. 4: 18). One of the prophetic periods mentioned by the Prophet Daniel and emphasized by Bro. Miller was the 2300 days (years). This period was to mark certain things, and at the expiration of these days, the Sanctuary was to be cleansed. This work of cleansing the true Church, the Sanctuary class, from the defilements of the Dark Ages came to an end as fulfillment of the prophecy, we believe, in 1846—the prophecy having its start in 454 B.C., the time of the fulfillment of the 2300 days. But the work of cleansing was not accomplished in a moment or a day or even a year; and the cleansing was limited in large degree to the Miller movement and to those faithful watchers who continued to look for the Lord’s Second Coming.

539 A. D. + 1260 YEARS = 1799
539 A. D. + 1290 YEARS = 1829
539 A. D. + 1335 YEARS = 1874
Daniel 12: 7-12

We come now to the 1335 days (years), which commenced in 539 A.D. and culminated in 1874. (Note here that the three prophecies— 1260, 1290, and 1335 days or years commenced in 539 A.D.) Of these days the Prophet had said, “Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1335 days (years)” Dan. 12: 12). At that time great blessings came to the people of God; for then our Master returned, preparatory to taking up His great power and commencing His long promised reign of a thousand years. (See Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 2, The Time is At Hand $6.75.) The time for His Parousia had come, and He was and is here (invisibly)! The nature of those blessings we need not repeat; in fact, they cannot be explained in a few words. But ever since the Presence of the Master we have had evidences of great blessings coming to God’s people especially, and also to the world in general, although there is much progress yet to be made, as foretold by the Prophet Daniel. [Continued — next issue]