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May-June 2009

1. SAFETY IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE
2. THE MESSIAH — GOD'S SERVANT
3. HELL — NOT A PLACE OF TORMENT
4. A CHRISTIAN HOME
5. SONS OF GOD — DAUGHTERS OF MEN
6. LETTER TO THE EDITOR
7. PUBLICATIONS
8. ANNOUNCEMENTS

"They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, from the terror of the LORD and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily" (Isa. 2: 19, 21 NKJ).

This text, like Daniel 12: 1, shows us that Jesus’ Second Advent would be accompanied by “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time.” Jesus speaks of this same Time of Trouble in Matt. 24: 21, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

We are glad indeed for these last few words, for another world-wide Time of Trouble such as we are now experiencing will never need to be repeated. This great time of trouble, prophesied in the Scriptures, was to set in with the ending of the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21: 24); and these times (of Gentile rulership), according to the Scriptures and Bible chronology, were due to begin to end in 1914 A.D. (see SITS, Vol. 2, The Time is at Hand, Chapter 4). We see the eviction since that time is now working. History demonstrates the fact that “the Time of Trouble such as never was since there was a nation” actually did break out at that very time, for it was in 1914 that the first phase of the great World War broke out, since which time the whole earth, the present order of affairs among men, is being engulfed by the fire of God’s jealousy (not a literal fire), for as prophesied, He has gathered the nations and assembled the kingdoms (by giving to mankind the many modern inventions—methods of rapidly running to and fro [increased travel Dan. 12: 4], means of instantaneous communication, etc.), to pour upon them His indignation, even all His fierce anger: for all the earth is being consumed with the fire of His jealousy (Zeph. 1 : 15-18; 3: 8). If it were not for the wonderful promise v. 9, “For then will I turn to the people a pure language [the pure message of Truth], that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent,” and many other similar promises of God, we might despair indeed. This text proves that the fire is not to be literal fire for after its work of destruction is completed, the people are to receive a pure language with which they will repent and serve the LORD God.

WATCHERS

Christian people who are carefully “watching” the “sure word of prophecy” (2 Pet. 1: 19) will not be overwhelmed by the “day of wrath,” and the “great tribulation” through which the world is now passing; for “the children of light” are not ignorant of “the times and seasons” and “are not in darkness,” that that day should overtake them as a thief (1 Thes. 5: 1-5); furthermore, they know from the Scriptures the glorious outcome which God is to accomplish for the children of men. The Scriptures teach that the rulership of earth has degenerated from the gold to the iron and clay, as pictured in the prophetic vision of the great image (Dan. 2: 32, 33; see SITS, Vol. 1, The Divine Plan of the Ages, Chapter 13, for details), and that “in the days of these kings [represented in the iron mixed with clay] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and . . . it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2: 44; 7: 13, 14, 27). God says “it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain [rulership] of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains [above all the kingdoms of earth], and shall be exalted above the hills [republics]; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, “Come let us go up to the mountain of the LORD. . . and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion [the glorified Christ, Head and Body—Rev. 14: 1] shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem [the earthly phase of the kingdom]. He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa. 2: 2-4).

JESUS’ SECOND COMING

The wide-awake Christians, “the watchers” realize that, as the Lord said (John 14: 19), the world will never see Him again with their physical, natural eyes, for human eyes are not so constructed as to be able to see spirit beings, and Jesus in His resurrected Divine body “is the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1: 15); it is He “who has immortality [God is excepted here, as in 1 Cor. 15: 27], dwelling in unapproachable light whom no man has seen, nor can see” (1 Tim. 6: 16). These enlightened people of God realize that Jesus gave His flesh “for the life of the world” (John 6: 51) and that He cannot and did not take back this ransom price, but that, “being put to death in the flesh,” but made alive in the Spirit (1 Pet. 3: 18 ASV), and that now He is a life-giving spirit being (1 Cor. 15: 45), for “Now the Lord is that Spirit” (2 Cor. 3: 17). They know that He is no longer flesh and blood, for “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Cor. 15: 50), and that “though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him [so] no more” (2 Cor. 5: 16), for “a spirit has not flesh and bones” such as Jesus assumed for the purpose of manifesting Himself to His disciples (Luke 24: 39) after He had been put to death in the flesh, but raised a life-giving spirit being, for He was “raised in a spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15: 44), the brightness of God’s glory, “the express image of His person” (Heb. 1: 3).

The manner of the first stage of Christ’s Second Advent was to be quiet and secret, so far as the world is concerned, and unknown except to His faithful followers; for this was the manner in which He left the earth at the time of His ascension (Acts 1: 11). He was to come again as a thief (Rev. 16: 15), His presence being unknown to the world, for in the days of His presence it was to be as it was in the days of Noah and Lot—the people in general followed their daily pursuits and knew not until sudden destruction came upon them (Matt. 24: 37-39; Luke 17: 26-30).

Keeping these truths in mind, the Lord’s faithful watchers (Luke 12: 37), as they look for “the coming [Greek, parousia, presence] of the day of God, wherein the heavens [the false religious systems of this present evil world—certainly not the literal heavens, separated by millions of miles of space with nothing between to take fire] being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements [the religious, governmental, financial and labor,] shall melt with fervent heat, the earth [human society as now organized under Satan’s control] also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Pet. 3: 12, 10), watch for the evidences (“signs”) that indicate that it has indeed come. Now, in the light of God’s Word, we see these signs on every hand, for many prophecies pertaining to the end of the Gospel Age and the Lord’s Second Presence are being fulfilled in our midst.

THE DAY OF THE LORD

The day of the Lord, with its “sudden destruction,” indeed came “as a thief in the night” amid proclamations of “Peace and Safety,” and its painful experiences are ever growing more severe and more frequent, “as travail upon a woman with child”; and not a nation on earth has been able to escape it (1 Thes. 5: 2, 3). Trouble is found on every hand, and it is ever more and more threatening. Did not the Lord tell us that “they [the world] shall see [with the eyes of their understanding] the Son of man coming in the clouds [the tribulation of this Time of Trouble] with great power and glory” (Mark 13: 26; Matt. 24: 30)?

This “day of the Lord” is indeed “a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the [Millennial] morning begins to spread upon the mountains [kingdoms]” (Psa. 30: 5; Joel 2: 2); it is “darkness, and not light, even very dark, and no brightness in it” (Amos 5: 20). “A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with the nations . . . Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind [intense and complicated trouble and commotion] shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth [world-wide]” (Jer. 25: 31-33); “for the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies . . . He has delivered them to the slaughter” (Isa. 34: 2). “Hear you, O mountains [kingdoms], the LORD's controversy, and you [hitherto] strong foundations of the earth [human society]: for the LORD has a controversy with His [professed] people” (Micah 6: 2); for this is “the day of the LORD'S vengeance, the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion” (Isa. 34: 8). “Behold, He [the Lord] comes with clouds [the trouble of this Day of Wrath]; and every eye shall see [Greek, horao, the same word used in 3 John 11 ‘has not seen God’—in the sense of discerning, or attaining to a true knowledge of] Him [shall recognize His presence, power and authority], and they also which pierced Him (Zech. 12: 10): and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him” (Rev. 1: 7).

The above is all in harmony with St. Paul’s statement (2 Thes. 1: 6-9) that Jesus will reveal His presence to the world from His position of spiritual control (“heaven”) in consuming wrath and destruction [“in flaming fire, taking vengeance”—fire is used in the Bible as a symbol of destruction]. He is sharing His “power over the nations” with His glorified Church, His Bride, “the Lamb’s Wife,” and their rule over the nations with a rod of iron has begun in the present great Time of Trouble; and “as the vessels of a potter shall they [the nations] be broken to shivers” (Rev. 2: 26, 27; Psa. 2: 8, 9). Indeed the prophecy of Psa. 50: 3, 4 is being fulfilled before our very eyes: “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence [any longer]: a fire [the destruction of this Time of Trouble, which began in 1914] shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall call to the heavens [the high or ruling powers] from above, and to the earth [the masses of the people], that He may judge His [professed] people [Christendom].”

For some time past we have witnessed “upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves [the restless and lawless elements] roaring [against the bulwarks of the present social system]; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth [society]: for the powers of heaven [the present false religious systems] shall be shaken”; and as a result many are more and more coming to see that there is a power operating in the affairs of men with which they are not able to cope—that the Lord is present in this great cloud of trouble with His great power and glory (Luke 21: 25-27); for the time has come in which He is “yet once more” shaking “the heavens [the powers of spiritual control], and the earth [all organized and law abiding society], and the sea [the restless, anarchistic masses of mankind], and the dry land [the social aristocracy of wealth and social independence],” even as He said: “I will shake all nations [not just a few in this great Time of Trouble, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be, was to be world-wide—but surely we thank God for His promise that follows, to which this tribulation is but a means to that glorious end], and the desire of all nations [the reign of peace and prosperity—the Kingdom reign of peace on earth, good will toward men—Luke 2: 10, 14; for which we pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”—Matt. 6: 10] shall come: and I will fill this house with glory” (Haggai 2: 6, 7; Heb. 12: 26-29).

Our text portrays in other words the same conditions as described above. Just as Dan. 12: 1 specifies that Michael [another name for Jesus—the Archangel, the Chief Messenger, of God] shall stand up [assume control at His Second Coming] and there shall be an unprecedented Time of Trouble; so our text specifies that it will be “when He arises” that the terrible shaking of human society—the nations, etc.—will take place. We have seen this going on ever since 1914. We are not to forget that the Lord’s Second Presence was to be “revealed” to the world “in flaming fire [destruction],” as He would be “taking vengeance” in His consuming wrath against evil and evil-doers. These are being exposed right and left on every hand, even the very highest ranks of human society, from the highest authorities and men in power in governmental, financial, social, educational and religious circles right on down to the masses in general; for this is the time of the Lord’s revealing, in which He starts His great work, which will last throughout the thousand year Judgment Day, of revealing things that were covered, and making known things that were hidden; and already we see many things that were spoken in darkness brought to light, and many things spoken in the ear in closets now proclaimed from the housetops (Matt. 10: 26; Luke 12: 2, 3; 1 Cor. 4: 5).

Furthermore, our text informs us that “when He arises to shake terribly the earth” men “for fear of the Lord” will “go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth.” As Rev. 6: 15-17 (Luke 23: 30) expresses it, they will say to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” This does not signify that people will be so foolish as to pray for literal rocks to fall upon them. Rather, the thought here is that they would desire protection, shielding, hiding, covering from the devastating trouble of the day of the Lord. The “holes of the rocks” and “caves of the earth” symbolically represent the various human organizations, insurance companies, banks, secret societies, trusts, combines, etc., in which men seek this protection.

CIVILIZATION GOES UNDERGROUND

As men’s hearts are more and more “failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21: 26), it is remarkable to note how they are literally going into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth, thus indicating also a literal fulfillment of this prophecy. Man with modern civilization boasts of the conquest of space, but he is being forced more and more to seek refuge underground for fear of the devastation which modern warfare would bring with it. Note these instances: AMERICA BUILT A HIDEOUT IN THE HEART OF ROCK RAVEN, a Mountain sixty-five miles from Washington, D.C. According to The Defense Department it took three years to build. It has six stories of underground offices, subterranean water reservoir, and banks of mysterious antennas, dishes and massive, steel doors. It has been designated a backup command center since it was hewn out of the mountain in 1951.The hideout has direct communication with the White House. Another underground location is Mount Weather, located in the Blue Ridge mountains. The facility is a major relocation site for the highest level of civilian and military officials in case of national disaster.

NO REAL SAFETY WITHOUT GOD AND CHRIST

But though men may plan and arrange ever so well and wisely for the protection of themselves and their interests in this day of trouble, if they do not recognize God and Christ, if God is not in their thoughts (Psa. 10: 4), and they do not abide by the principles of truth and righteousness, their plans will ultimately prove futile.

The three parts of this great Time of Trouble—World War, World Revolution and World Anarchy—are pictured in the vision of Elijah (1 Kings 19: 11, 12) by the wind, earthquake and fire. After the desolations of this great Time of Trouble in its three features have all run their course (Psa. 46: 8), Jehovah will make “wars to cease unto the end of the earth” (v. 9), and will say to those remaining on earth at that time, “Be still, and know that I am God” (v. 10). Humbled by their experiences in this great Time of Trouble, they will then be ready to hearken to “the still small voice” (1 Kings 19: 12). They will finally have been convinced that the only feasible way of correcting earth’s problems is by the setting up of a strong and righteous government, which will subdue all classes, and enforce principles of righteousness, until gradually the stonyheartedness of men will, under favorable influences, give place to the original image of God. This is just what God has promised to accomplish for the human race, by and through the Millennial reign of Christ, which Jehovah introduces by the lessons of this trouble day (Ezek. 11: 19; 36: 25, 36; Jer. 31: 29-34; Zeph. 3: 9).

Though this day of trouble comes as a natural and unavoidable result of man’s fallen, selfish condition, and was fully foreseen and declared by the Lord, who foresaw that His laws and instructions would be disregarded by all but the few until experience and compulsion force obedience, yet all who realize the state of things coming should set themselves and their affairs in order accordingly. We say to all the meek—to those who are teachable and leadable, both in the world and among professed Christians: “Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice; seek righteousness, seek humility, it may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD'S anger" (Zeph. 2: 3). Mankind in general will not escape the trouble, but those seeking righteousness and rejoicing in meekness will have many advantages over others. Their manner of life, their habits of thought and action, as well as their sympathies for the right, which will enable them to grasp the situation of affairs, and also to appreciate the Bible account of this trouble and its outcome, will all conspire to make them suffer less than others—especially from harassing fears and forebodings. * * *

2009 MOTTO TEXT

 

As a companion hymn to our text, we recommend “More Likeness To Thee,” No. 198 in our hymnal, Hymns of the Millennial Dawn ($6.00), the first stanza of which is as follows: