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Mam with the Writer’s Inkhorn The Facts____________

The Slaughter _______________________

Questions for Berean Study_____

Kinos or Israel..................

Pupuixa the Wat Before the Lord True Limb or the Great Kino_____

Restoration foretold ____

Service Appointments__

Service Conventions ........................

Berean Bible Studies.........

"I will etand spoil mv watch and will act my foot upon the Tower, and will watch to ecfi what lie will eay unto me, and what anewer I shall maha to than that oppose me."—Uahakkuh t:l.

THIS JOURNAL

ITS SACRED MISSION

THIS journal is published for the purpose of aiding tho people to understand Jehovah’s purposes. It provides systematic Bible study in which all its readers may regularly engage. It gives announcement of the visits made to Bible classes by traveling speakers, announces conventions, and gives reports thereof. It announces radio programs and publishes suitable Bible instruction for broadcasting.

It adheres strictly to the Bible as God’s revealed Word of Truth. It stands firmly upon the great ransom sacrifice as tho fundamental doctrine by which all doctrines are measured. It is free from parties, sects and creeds of men. It does not assume a dogmatic attitude, but confidently invites a careful examination of its utterances in the light of the infallible Word of God. It does not indulge in controversies, and its columns are not open to personalities.

TO US THE SCRIPTURES CLEARLY TEACH

THAT JEHOVAH is the only true God, the Maker of heaven and earth, and is from everlasting to everlasting; that the Logos was the beginning of his creation; that the Logos became a man; that he is now the Lord Jesus Christ in glory, clothed with all power in heaven and in earth.

THAT GOD created the earth for man, and created perfect man for the earth and placed him upon it; that man wilfully disobeyed God’s law and was sentenced to death; that by reason of Adam’s wrongful act all men are born sinners and without the right to life.

THAT JESUS was made a human being in order that he might become the Redeemer of man; that he gave his life a sacrifice for man and thereby produced the ransom price; that Jesus the divine was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and presented the value of his human sacrifice as the redemptive price for man.

THAT FOB MANY CENTURIES God, through Christ, has been selecting from amongst men the members of his church, which constitutes the body of Christ; that the mission of the church is to follow in the footsteps of her Lord Christ Jesus, grow in his likeness, give testimony to the name and purpose of Jehovah God, and ultimately be glorified with Christ Jesus in his heavenly kingdom; that Christ, Head and body, constitutes the “seed of Abraham’’ through which all families of the earth shall be blessed.

THAT THE WORLD HAS ENDED; that the Lord Jesus has returned and is now present; that Jehovah has placed Christ Jesus upon his throne and now commands all nations and peoples to hear and obey him.

THAT THE GREAT ISSUE before all creation now is the vindication' of Jehovah’s word and name, and that it is tho privilege and duty of every true Christian to give the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to make known that the kingdom of heaven is come. This gospel of the kingdom must he preached.

PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY BY

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LB.S.A. Berean Bible Studies

by means of

WATCH TOWER

“Esther and Mordecai” (Part 6)

Issue of August 1, 1931 Week beginning October 4......IF 1-26

Week beginning October 11......V 27-53

“Abominations in Christendom” Issue of August 15, 1931 Week beginning October 18 . F .... If 1-11 Week beginning October 25......T 12-22

sSWATCH TOWER

AND HERALD OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE

Vol. LII                                        Septembeb 1, 1931                                         No, 17

MAN WITH THE WRITER’S INKHORN

“And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry, for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.”— Ezek. 9:4.

JEHOVAH caused Ezekiel to prophesy against the city of Jerusalem concerning its destruction. That prophecy was notice and warning to Jerusalem and was given a short time before the city was razed. The city of Jerusalem foreshadowed Christendom in particular, which is the wickedest part of Satan’s organization on earth. ‘The man with the writer’s inkhorn’ occupies an important place in the ninth chapter of the prophecy of Ezekiel. For a long time it was honestly and sincerely thought that the man with the writer’s inkhorn foreshadowed one individual person. The Lord’s people now see that that could not be the correct understanding. When the anointed people of God find that he has used them to carry out some of his purposes, and later shows them where this work is foreshadowed in his prophetic Word, such facts should serve and do serve as a great stimulus to those who are wholly devoted to God. The ninth chapter of Ezekiel's prophecy should be very encouraging to the anointed and clearly seems to be some of the meat which the Lord now puts upon his table for his faithful people on earth.

* Jehovah, by and through his chief executive officer Christ Jesus, executes his commandments. Since the prophecy of Ezekiel here considered has to do with the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, which foreshadowed the destruction of Satan’s organization, particularly Christendom, it is certain that the Lord Jesus Christ is in command acting under the direction of Jehovah God. This conclusion is abundantly supported by the 110th Psalm and other scriptures. Jehovah gave promise to the Lord Jesus that he would put the enemy under foot and that Christ Jesus must wait until the due time thus to do. The period of waiting ended, and God sent forth out of his organization Christ Jesus and commanded him to rule amidst all his enemies. Necessarily that means that Christ must destroy the enemy, Satan’s organization. This is further supported by the words of the prophet: “The Lord [Jehovah] at thy [Christ Jesus’] right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the [nations], he shall fill the places

with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads [of Satan’s organization] over many countries. ” (Ps. 110: 5, 6) According to another translator, “He will judge among the nations; there shall be a fulness of corpses, he crusheth heads on a wide-spread land.” (Leeser) Another renders the text: “He judgeth among the nations, full of dead bodies, [and] hath crushed the head over a wide land.” (Roth.) Whether the word “head” means the Devil alone or includes other heads, either construction is in harmony with the Scriptures. The Devil’s organization is made up of divisions, each division of which has a head; and this applies both to the invisible and to the visible. Since the destruction of the city refers to Christendom in particular, then the application to the leaders or heads thereof is proper and in harmony with other scriptures. Christ Jesus comes forth to this work of judgment and is attended by a host of angels. “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.” (Matt. 25:31) “The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all.” (Jude 14,15) The inspection completed, as described in the eighth chapter of the prophecy of Ezekiel, then Ezekiel heard a loud voice that cried out: “He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.” (9:1) The language used shows that the cry was a loud and threatening command and that it was sharp and powerful, and that it had a striking effect upon Ezekiel’s ears. That thunderous command was not to Ezekiel, but was given to “them that have charge over the city [Christendom] ”, to destroy it, “those that have charge to punish the city.” (Leeser) This work of destruction will not be done by the “servant” class on earth, whom Ezekiel foreshadowed, but, as the Scriptures show, it will be done by the Lord Jesus Christ and his holy angels acting under his command. It was that angelic army of the Lord that fought against Satan and ousted him from heaven. (Rev. 9:16; 12:7) Undoubtedly in this army are also included those faithful overcomers whom the Lord has raised to life upon coming to his temple. (See Light, Book Two, page 168.) The commandment or cry which Ezekiel heard, therefore, was from Christ Jesus the executive officer of Jehovah. I'he cry or command directs the organization of the Lord to prepare for the final assault upon the enemy organization. They are told to draw near, not with l heir weapons sheathed, but with their weapons of destruction drawn and ready for offensive action, '('hose weapons that will be used for destruction by violence are held by the Lord Jesus Christ and the invisible members of the organization under him. The visible part of his organization on earth will do no part of the destroying. The work assigned to the earthly division, to wit, God’s “faithful servant’’ class, is to sing forth the praises of Jehovah’s name before and while the fight is in progress, and which was foreshadowed on another occasion when the Israelites went forth to war.—2 Chron. 20: 22.

’Those to whom the commandment was given responded, and Ezekiel beheld them approaching. ‘ ‘ And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side; and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar. ’ ’ —9:2.

* These six men that approached were fully equipped for the slaughter that must follow. Six is a symbolic number denoting incompleteness, while the number seven symbolizes or denotes completeness. Jehovah’s organization is one, and is therefore complete, and is pictured by the number seven. There were six men armed and one clothed with linen. The entire number of seven men manifestly represented Jehovah’s complete organization, both that which is invisible to man and that which is visible on the earth. The six men represent all of the invisible organization, with Christ Jesus, and including the risen members of his body, cherubim, seraphim, and angels. The one man represents the anointed “servant” class on the earth, and which is the only part of the organization that is visible to human eyes. The fact that the division shows six to one would further mean that the greater and more important part of the work assigned to the organization must be done by the invisible division, while the lesser work thereof is assigned to and must be done by the earthly division, represented by the one. The six men had ‘slaughter weapons in their hands’ (R. V.); “every man with his weapon of destruction.” (Roth.) The marginal rendering of this authority is: “Dashing weapon [that dashes to pieces], shattering weapon.” The Prophet Nahum, prophesying concerning the preparation of God’s organization to make assault upon the enemy, says: “He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face.” (Nah. 2:1) This further and definitely identifies Christ Jesus as in command and as the one who cried with a loud voice and was heard by Ezekiel. Six men approached from the way of the north, which is the appropriate direction from which judgment should and docs come. Without doubt the six men in the vision represent ‘the armies which are in heaven’, under the command of the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore that part of God’s organization which is invisible to man. This is supported conclusively by the fact that they proceed from the north, the seat of authority and judgment, and that they have charge over Christendom to destroy it, and that they are armed with weapons of destruction and are under the command of Christ Jesus, who is commissioned to dash to pieces Satan’s organization.—Ps. 110:5; Nah. 2:1; Rev. 19:14,16.

⁵ The one man clothed with linen and with a writer’s inkhorn by his side, who is he? Whom does he represent in God’s organization? Manifestly he could not picture any one individual in the flesh. Aside from the Lord Jesus Christ, God has never since committed to any one individual on earth an exclusive work to be done by that individual. From the very beginning of his ministry Christ Jesus had a visible organization, and his apostles, acting collectively under his direction, formed the visible part thereof. There was unity of action by the faithful apostles; but with the passing away of these the unity did not again exist in the church until the coming of the Lord to the temple of Jehovah, as indeed it could not be complete until that time. Upon the coming of the Lord to the temple he found a faithful class, and these faithful ones are made the keepers or custodians of his goods, to wit, the kingdom interests. (Matt. 24:47) Those faithful ones brought into the temple are incorporated into God’s organization and made a part of the ‘elect servant’, because such are in Christ and form a part of The Christ. Such the Lord designates as “the feet of him, [The Christ] ”. (Isa. 52:7) Throughout the prophecy the Lord addresses Ezekiel as “son of man”, manifestly because Ezekiel pictures that class which is counted in and made a part of The Christ, who is “the Son of the man”. ‘The man with the writer’s inkhorn by his side, ’ therefore, clearly represented the anointed “servant” class of the Lord on earth, and which class is a part of God’s organization.

⁸ The prophecy uttered by Ezekiel, therefore, pictures the greater part of God’s organization, in heaven, and which is invisible to men and to which the major part of the work is committed, and the lesser part, on the earth; the greater part being indicated by the number six, and the smaller part of the organization being indicated by the number one, and together the two parts, making seven men, represent God’s entire organization under Christ Jesus the Head. Individuals do not appear at all in the picture, because God deals with the members of his organization on earth collectively. There is not one scripture to support the conclusion that the man with the writer’s inkhorn by his side and clothed with linen pictures an individual. There are numerous scriptures proving that this one man pictures all of the anointed ones on earth, and which constitute the “servant” class, the remnant of the Lord. This one man is further described as “clothed with linen”. Concerning the faithful approved ones, counted as members of the “bride” of Christ, it is written: “And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Rev. 19: 8, R. ¥.) Such represents the approval received by the remnant, or “servant” class, from Jehovah, because they are in Christ and there is committed to them the testimony of Christ Jesus, and they keep the commandments of God and faithfully deliver this testimony. This fine apparel is the approval of the “servant” and his faithful service. (See Light, Book Two, pages 155, 156.) This further identifies the man with the writer’s inkhorn as the “faithful servant” class.

’ It would be utterly inconsistent, and therefore impossible, for the six men described in the vision to picture any part of the world organization. The world organization is the Devil’s organization. The Devil’s organization is not under the command of the Lord. Satan will not destroy his own organization. Every one of the seven must of necessity be in the Lord’s organization and wholly devoted to Jehovah God.

• • When the command was given, every member of the organization responded and registered before the Lord for service; and this is pictured by the statement that “they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar”. Not one of these sat down and meditated and consoled the others; but every one stood at attention, ready to hear and to obey further commands. Each one of the earthly division of the organization ‘presents his body a living sacrifice, wholly devoted to and acceptable to God, which is his reasonable service’, and which he must gladly perform. (Rom. 12:1) Anyone who is not willingly and joyfully ready for service could surely not be of that organization, and hence could not be represented among those who registered at the altar for service. The fact that the earthly division is described as ‘the man with the writing material by his side’ (Leeser) shows that the work assigned to this servant is to write down the Lord’s will as revealed and to publish and to distribute the truth to the people who would hear. This means that the “servant” class do not sit down or stay at home or confine themselves to one place of worship and talk among themselves, but that those composing the “servant”, or earthly division, go out among the people as representatives of God’s organization to perform the duty assigned them. Their work is to be a witness work, as shown by the order given, as set forth in verse four of the prophecy. This conclusion is likewise supported by the commission given to the anointed of the Lord.—Isa. 61: 2.

• • The entire organization is under orders from Jehovah God, who is present, directing the movement thereof. The glory of his presence was at the threshold of the house (the point of beginning); showing the entire organization of the Lord alert and ready to begin action upon command’s being given. The one in command gives direction to the man with the writing material and who is clothed with linen. He is called and given orders as to what shall be done: “And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house; and he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side; and the Lord said unto him, Go through . . . the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry, for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” (9:3,4) The vision discloses God’s expressed purpose to destroy Christendom with his army of destruction, which is in readiness, but before the assault is begun he would have notice served upon the rulers and upon the peoples of Christendom. While this is being done also an opportunity is afforded for those people of good will and proper condition of heart to escape from or be hid from what is about to fall upon Christendom.

• ¹⁰ The “servant” class, pictured by the ‘man with tide writing material and clothed in linen’, must go through the midst of Christendom, symbolized by the city, and mark in the head (or seat of intelligence) a certain class, that these might be spared from the slaughter weapons of those that follow. This marking would indicate that the ones thus marked must by some public confession or action take their stand on the side of the Lord before the destruction begins. This work must be done by the “servant” class of God’s organization on earth; and when it is done, then the slaughtering work must begin by the ones represented by the six men with the slaughter weapons. This is in exact accord with the words uttered on another occasion to the “servant” class, to wit: “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.” (Matt. 24:14) Jesus also said that, at the conclusion of that witness work, “then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”—Matt. 24:21.

• ¹¹ These words of Jesus serve to further identify the man clothed in linen with the writer’s inkhorn by his side, and definitely show that he represented the “servant” class, and that those who do the slaughtering work are the invisible ones of the army of the Lord. This shows the entire organization of the Lord in action against the enemy in declaring and in enforcing the judgments of Jehovah that are previously written. In harmony with this the psalmist says: “Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the [nations], and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written; this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord.” (Ps. 149:5-9) This shows the entire organization working in exact harmony, as indeed God’s organization must and does act. No one who is today in present truth could have the slightest doubt concerning the work that the anointed must now do in obedience to God’s commandments. For anyone to say that the active service in the field is improper is to demonstrate clearly that such one is not in the truth and no part of God’s organization.

• ¹² The commandment is given to put a ‘‘mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry, for all the abominations that be done in the midst” of Christendom. Who are the ones that receive the mark in their foreheads? Whoever they are, they cry for the abominations that are done in Christendom. It could not have reference to those who come to a knowledge of the truth and who are anointed of the Lord, because such are in ‘‘the joy of the Lord”, rejoicing in the fact that the time has come to clear out those that cause abominations and to destroy Satan’s organization and to completely vindicate the name of Jehovah. These are described as singing the praises of Jehovah and declaring his wondrous works.—Isa. 12: 4-6.

• ¹² The ones marked could not refer to the “great multitude” or “tribulation” class, because, while it is true these do mourn and ‘sigh as prisoners’, yet they will not be spared in the great time of trouble, but, on the contrary, they are appointed to die; and when the great assault is made upon the city, they will fall. (Zech. 14:2) They will not be carried through the time of trouble. They will be forced into the time of trouble to take their stand on the side of the Lord, but must die in order to live as spirit creatures.

• ¹⁴ There is but one other class of people on the earth to whom the prophecy could apply. Within the land of Christendom there is a class of people who are under the Devil’s organization but who are no part of it and do not sympathize with it. They are people of good will who have a desire for righteousness but have not had an opportunity to learn the truth, this being due to the unfaithfulness of the clergymen in Christendom. These people of good will observe the great degeneracy in Christendom, and they see the hypocrisy practiced by the leaders thereof, but they are powerless to bring about any better condition. They sigh and cry because of the abominable deeds committed by the ruling factors who wrongfully call themselves by the name of the Lord God but who reproach his holy name. These people of good will, seeing that the leaders in Christendom are hypocrites and practice hypocrisy, while claiming to represent God, refuse to join any of the church organizations, because they wish not to serve a god such as the clergy represent that they serve. These people of good will are ignorant of God’s

Word and his purposes of redemption and deliverance of the human race by and through the ministration of the kingdom. They have much consideration for the poor and oppressed and a great desire to see them relieved. The Lord tells of a class of persons whom he will ‘deliver in a time of trouble and keep alive and bless upon the earth’. (Ps. 41:1, 2) This must be the class of persons that are often described as ‘the millions now living that will never die’. This is the class of men and women that receive the mark in their foreheads, that is to say, are given some knowledge of God’s purposes to destroy the wicked organization and to establish his own government of righteousness under Christ and according to his promise to bless all the families of the earth. The persons in this class have tried to do right in proportion to the knowledge they had, but now, just preceding the great day of the wrath of God upon Christendom, they must be given an opportunity to gain more knowledge, that they may profit thereby. They are not a people that are desired by the rulers and chief ones in Christendom, because they will not willingly lend their support to Christendom. Therefore the Lord says to such: ‘ ‘ Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, 0 nation not desired; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zeph. 2:1-3) This they could not do without some knowledge; and it is the “servant” class that must bear to them the precious truths of the kingdom, that they may see the way to go and what to do. The work of the “servant” class, pictured by the man in linen and with the writer’s inkhorn, is therefore clearly and definitely marked out.

THE FACTS

• ¹⁵ The facts that are well known, when applied to the prophecy, enable us to determine whether or not we have the correct understanding of the prophecy. The physical facts which are well known support the foregoing conclusion concerning the prophecy. In the year 1918 the Lord Jesus Christ suddenly came to the temple of Jehovah. He came for judgment and as Jehovah’s great executive officer and to execute judgment. As such officer he gives commandment saying: “Jehovah is in his holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Hab. 2:20, A. R. V.) Jehovah, as represented by Christ Jesus, is in his temple. This means that the people must be told of God’s purposes to judge Christendom and to destroy it. Otherwise there would be no occasion to command that all the peoples of earth give ear. It means that there must be a worldwide public witness work done by the faithful servants of the Lord. The Lord’s standard for the people must be lifted up. This gospel of the kingdom must be preached as a witness, to the end that those who would hear may hear and take their stand on the side of the Lord and his kingdom of righteousness. Such is not a “harvest” work, but it is a work of the Lord of separating the sheep from the goats; and his “servant” class is permitted to give the testimony which causes the people to take sides for or against the Lord and his kingdom. (Matt. 25:31-46) It was early in the year 1918 that, for the first time, the slogan was sounded: “Millions now living will never die.” Within a very short time after a public lecture on this subject was delivered, “the goats” got busy and shut up many of the Lord’s “servant” class in prison and for a time effectually stopped the work. Then in the year 1919 the Lord again revived his work and brought forth those devoted to him to engage in it. Shortly thereafter, to wit, in the year 1920, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society published a book under the title “Millions Now Living Will Never Die”. This book was printed in a number of languages, and millions of copies were distributed throughout Christendom and put in the hands of order-loving people. With the coming of the year 1922 the witness work of the Lord was getting well under way, and within a short time there was a world-wide witness given by public lectures on the subject “Millions Now Living Will Never Die”; and this was done in many countries of Christendom.

• ¹⁶ Furthermore the Lord provided the radio to broadcast the truth, and today, in spite of much opposition, the message of the kingdom is being more widely broadcast than any other information given by radio. Within ten years the message of the kingdom of God, put in book form, has had a wider circulation and publication than any message ever issued by any other organization on earth. Many persons of good will who are under the power of Satan’s organization have received the truth and accepted it as true, and are thus marked in their foreheads, that is to say, have been given an intelligent understanding of and concerning God’s purpose to establish his kingdom for the vindication of his name and for the blessing of the people. How many of such will give heed to the message and take their stand on the Lord’s side, no man can tell. That is not a matter with which the “servant” class is chiefly concerned. The duty of the “servant” is to obey the commandment and go throughout Christendom and do the marking. It must be remembered that this work of giving the testimony is not for the purpose of converting the people of the world and bringing them into some organization, but it is to make known the fact that those who desire to flee from the wicked organization of Christendom may do so and declare themselves on the Lord’s side, and thus be in line to be brought through the time of trouble when the slaughtering begins.

• ¹⁷ The work of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is not spoken of in a boasting manner from the standpoint of men, but those who are privileged to have a part in it do ‘boast in the Lord’ and give honor and glory to his name. They rejoice in the fact that the time has come for the establishment of God’s kingdom, and therefore faithful men and women are given some part in telling others of this good news. The fact that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is bitterly opposed by “the man of sin” and by the clergymen and the principal of their flock, who are members of the Devil’s organization, is further proof that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is doing the work that the Lord commanded should be done and which was foreshadowed in the vision given to Ezekiel. Individuals who have part in that work are greatly blessed, but no individual is singled out and made more prominent than another. The “servant” of the Lord is one. The “servant”, therefore, sees God’s purposes, and each one of the “servant” class sees eye to eye with the others, and they are going on performing this witness work according to the Lord’s commandment. When it is recognized that this witness work or marking is the work of the Lord, and being done under his commandment, then those who thus recognize it will know that no power or opposition can stop it. The marking work must be continued until it is completed; and when it is completed, the other order given by the Chief Commander, as heard by Ezekiel, will be performed.

THE SLAUGHTER

• ¹⁸ Ezekiel heard the Lord give order to the “six men”, which six men represent the invisible part of the organization of the Lord, aside from the remnant on earth. As soon as the witness work is completed, then the following order is due to be carried out, to wit: “And to the [six] others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite; let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity; slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain; go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city. ’ ’—9: 5-7.

• ¹⁹ Please take note that the order from the Lord is to slay and to spare none, “but come not near any man upon whom is the mark,” that is to say, those who are on the Lord’s side are marked and are not to be slain. The slaughter begins “at the ancient men”, that is, with the elders and leaders, the clergy and the principal of their flocks. This slaughter is without regard to age or sex. Organized religion and the entire organization of Satan must be destroyed. Seeing that the slaying by the six begins with the clergymen, and none are spared, then surely ‘the man with the writer’s inkhorn’, that is, the “faithful servant” class, must not for pity or policy spare the clergy, when declaring the day of the vengeance of our God. It must mean that it is the duty and obligation laid upon the “servant” class to boldly declare the truth of God’s judgment against the hypocritical organization called “organized Christianity”. The “servant” class cannot be faithful in the performance of duty unless the truth is plainly and boldly told. Those who would oppose the bold proclamation of the truth, therefore, give positive evidence that they are not of the Lord’s organization.

• ²⁰ The eighth verse of this ninth chapter of Ezekiel strongly indicates that the remnant will stand by after the witness work is completed and watch the Lord finish the wicked organization. Ezekiel prostrated himself before the Lord and propounded a question. The attitude of falling down or prostrating oneself before the Lord is the proper one for the creature to take before the almighty Creator. The question propounded by Ezekiel while in that prostrate condition does not at all indicate that the “servant” class cries out in horror at the slaughter and begs for mercy, but rather that the “servant” speaks to the Lord, as the prophecies show, to call forth a statement of Jehovah showing that the slaughter is entirely justified. Hence it is written: “And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah, Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?” (9: 8) The battle of Armageddon will witness the complete downfall of Christendom, and that without any quarter or pity from the Lord. The reply given to Ezekiel from the Lord proves this fact: “Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness; for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not. And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; but I will recompense their way upon their head.”—9: 9,10.

• ¹¹ The order-loving people of today plainly see and well know that the nations called Christendom are full of injustice and wickedness. Many of the clergy tell the people that God has forsaken them because of their indifference toward the church organizations and their neglect to support the same, while other clergymen tell the people that there is no Almighty God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and that the Bible is unworthy of belief. God will not spare them, but will fully recompense them for their wickedness. Ho will make a clean-up of the whole outfit in order that all who survive may know that Jehovah is the only true God.

• ²² In support of the conclusion that the slaughter will be widespread the Prophet Jeremiah adds this testimony: “And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard; for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture. And the peaceable habitations are cut down, because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”—Jer. 25: 33-37.

• ²³ To each division of God’s organization a certain part of the work of ridding the earth of Satan’s organization is assigned, and it will be required that each division be faithful in the performance thereof. In Ezekiel 9:11 it is written: ‘ ‘ And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.” Manifestly the matter is so stated in this text of the prophecy to show that the “servant” class faithfully perform the work assigned to them and, when it is done, in some way make report thereof. That means that the witness work must be done and will be done, and every one who hopes to have the final approval of the Lord as one of his remnant will joyfully participate in the witness or marking work. The faithful remnant will fully obey the commandments of the Lord and will receive his approval. This scripture further indicates that some of the remnant will be on earth when the work is done, and will witness Armageddon from their vantage point under the Lord’s protection. These will maintain their integrity toward Jehovah, and by their faithfulness will be a testimony to the supremacy of the Most High and to the honor of his name.

QUESTIONS FOR BEREAN STUDY

If 1. What was foreshadowed by the notice and warning given to Jerusalem concerning its destruction!

V 2. How are Jehovah’s commandments executed! How does the element of time enter into consideration here! What constitutes the enemy organization! Identify those referred to in Ezekiel 9: 1. What is the commandment there given!

H 3, 4. How can we identify the “six men” and the “one man” mentioned in verse 2!

H 5, 6. Prove the identity of “the man with the inkhorn”. Why is he described as “clothed with linen”!

If 7, 8. Who were they that “went in, and stood beside the brazen altar”! Explain what was pictured in this! What is pictured in the man’s having the writing material by his side!

If 9-11. What was shown by the fact that the glory of Jehovah was at the threshold of the house! What was the work that the man with the writing material and clothed with linen was instructed to do! How do other scriptures support this conclusion as to the identity and work of the man with the inkhorn!

V 12-14. Prove the identity of the class to be marked. How is the marking to be accomplished! For what purpose is this to be done!

U 15. Point out the physical facts supporting the foregoing conclusion concerning the prophecy.

T 16, 17. What is the evidence that this work of marking is now in progress! What are the facts which clearly establish the identity of the servant used to do this work!

T 18, 19. To whom was the order given to 'slay and spare none’! Who, however, were not to be smitten, and why!

In the prophecy, and in the fulfilment, where was the ■laughter to begin! What is here clearly indicated as to the duty and obligation laid upon the "servant”!

I 20-22. What is indicated by the question asked in verse 8

and the answer thereto in verses 9 and 10!

f 23. What is meant by the statement contained in verse 11! This scripture indicates what great privilege awaiting the faithful remnant!

KINGS OF ISRAEL

THE fact that Jehovah God provided for a king over his chosen people Israel is clearly an implied promise on the part of God that in his due time he would provide a governor and ruler that would rule in righteousness for mankind. But of course such king over Israel would be chosen and set over them in God’s due time, and any attempt to run ahead of the Lord would be displeasing to him. (Deut. 17:14-18) “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. . . . For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. ’ ’—Ps. 37: 7, 9, 34.

These scriptures state God’s rule to be that he would have his creatures know that the way to receive his approval and blessings is to be obedient to him in each step they take. The Jews showed a lack of faith in God and an unwillingness to wait upon him. He was the mighty God who had delivered them and had protected them for many years. He was their invisible Ruler.

God had made Samuel a judge among the Israelites. The elders of Israel called upon Samuel and said: “Make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” Their request displeased Samuel because he knew it was contrary to God’s way, and he placed the matter before the Lord. “And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. ’ ’—1 Sam. 8:7.

All the nations round about had kings or visible rulers, and the invisible ruler of all these nations was Satan the Devil. The leaders in Israel were not willing to wait upon the Lord, but they wanted a visible king like the other nations. God permitted the Jews to have their own way, that he might teach them a lesson and through their experiences teach others a lesson.

Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin, was selected by the Israelites by lot. (1 Sam. 10:18-23) Samuel the prophet assembled the people and said to them: “Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired!” (1 Sam. 12:13) Although the Jews had run ahead of the Lord, yet the Lord told them that if they would be obedient to his law both the people and the king would have his favor. (1 Sam. 12:14, 15) Both the people and Saul, whom they had selected as their king, disobeyed God, thereby showing a lack of faith in him. God therefore withdrew his favor and rejected Saul.

“And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” (1 Sam. 15:22, 23) Saul became a worshiper of the Devil, and the people also turned to idolatry.—1 Sam. 16:14; 28:1-16; 1 Ki. 21:26; 2 Ki. 17:12.

The Israelites, who were God’s chosen and professed people, foreshadowed the professed people of God during the Christian era. Within that period of time God has, taught his professed people that he will set up a government of righteousness for men, and this he will do in his own due time by and through his Anointed One at his second coming. The elders and leaders, otherwise called clergymen, among the professed people of God, like the leaders of Israel, have refused to wait upon the Lord but have attempted to set up the kingdom in advance of his time. They join hands with the commercial and political rulers of the earth in the formation of earthly governments, particularly the League of Nations; and the latter they hail as a special expression of God’s kingdom for men on earth.

Like Saul and the Israelites, they have turned to devil worship and have become a part of the Devil’s organization, which is called Babylon; and their organization “is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird”. (Rev. 18:2) The clergy, like Saul, have turned to spiritism and have led their flocks in the way of Satanic worship. This came to pass because of their unwillingness to wait upon the Lord and obey his commandments, and thereby they have shown a lack of faith in him.

In his own due time Jehovah God selected and anointed David, of the tribe of Judah, to be king over his chosen people. (1 Sam. 16:6-13) In so doing God gave an implied promise that in his own due time he would establish a righteous government in earth by and through the One whom David foreshadowed.

This implied promise is exactly in line with the direct promise God had given by the prophecy of Jacob. (Gen. 49:10) David was an imperfect man, to be sure, because he was a son of Adam. (Ps. 51:5) But David was faithful and obedient unto God, and for this reason God was pleased with him.

Because of David’s loyalty and faithfulness God said of him: “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” (Acts 13:22) Jehovah God so appreciated David’s faithfulness and obedience that he made David to be a type of the Messiah whom he would make ruler over all the nations of the earth.

The name David means “beloved”, and he foreshadowed the beloved One of God who is both the Savior and the Ruler of men. God so arranged it that the coming Mighty One should descend from the line of David, and provided that such Mighty One should sit upon his throne for ever and should be the Head of Zion, God’s organization.

“If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore. For the Lord hath chosen Zion: he hath desired it for his habitation.” (Ps. 132:12, 13) After David had served for some time as king, God spoke to him by his prophet and said: “I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.”—2 Sam. 7:12.

Solomon, the son of David, was chosen by the Lord to be ruler over all Israel. God bestowed upon Solomon unusual honor. Thus God gave his implied promise that in his due time he would establish a righteous government for the people on earth by and through the One whom Solomon foreshadowed and that such Ruler should be the recipient of God’s unusual favor and his greatest honor. “And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.”— 1 Chron. 29: 25.

The name Solomon means “the peaceful one”. His reign was marked by peace, wisdom, riches, and glory. “Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.” (1 Ki. 10:18) His throne was of ivory covered with pure gold; and the vessels of his house, even the vessels out of which he drank, were gold. “So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.” (1 Ki. 10:23, 24) “And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.”—1 Ki. 4:21.

Thus God, by bestowing great riches and wisdom upon Solomon and by making his reign one of peace and prosperity, gave his implied promise that in due time he would establish a government on earth among men and that the ruler thereof, his anointed One, he would clothe with power and wisdom and riches and glory beyond that of any other.

The Scriptures having plainly stated that the things that happened unto Israel foreshadowed better things to come, we know that the reign of Solomon foreshadowed the government of righteousness, prosperity and blessings that shall come.

When Jesus was on earth and was being opposed by the Pharisees, who constituted the clergy of that time, he said to them: “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.”—Matt. 12: 42.

Undoubtedly Jesus there referred to himself as the greater than Solomon and therefore identified himself as the One whom Solomon foreshadowed. On another occasion Jesus declared that there was a time coming when Satan, the ruler of this evil world, shall be cast out and that when he (Jesus) would be lifted up to his position of power and glory, which Solomon foreshadowed, then he would draw all men unto him. (John 12: 31, 32) Thus he identified himself as the Shiloh long promised by the mouth of God’s prophet.—Gen. 49:10.

The two outstanding kings of Israel were David and Solomon, because they were chosen by the Lord Jehovah and anointed by him. By and through his chosen servant they were designated as “the anointed of the Lord”. Because those kings ruled by the authority of Jehovah it was said of them that they sat upon the throne of the Lord.

“Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me, to make me king over all Israel: and of all my sons (for the Lord hath given me many sons) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.”—1 Chron. 28:4, 5; 29:23.

God permitted the government of the Israelites to run its course and to fulfil the purpose for which he permitted it. Not one of Israel’s rulers was perfect, of course. They were imperfect men whom the Lord used to make pictures of better things to come. By his dealing with the Israelites God clearly demonstrated to them and to all people that in order to be pleasing to God both the rulers and the people must be obedient and faithful to God. Such obedience and faithfulness he requires, not for the purpose of any benefit or profit to himself, but to teach mankind that to go contrary to God and follow in the way of Satan leads to death, and that faithfulness and obedience to God lead to life and happiness.

Instead of killing Satan and destroying all evil immediately, God has wisely refrained from interfering until his due time.

Israel’s government was not intended to be a permanent institution, but was organized to teach the people and to foreshadow the grander and better thing to come. Only from this standpoint is it possible to understand and appreciate God’s laws to them and his dealing with them and his ultimate overthrow of that nation.

PREPARING THE WAY BEFORE THE LORD

A GENERAL rule that may be safely followed by the student of prophecy is this: A prophecy is usually in course of fulfilment before the followers of Christ discern it, and often such followers are used by the Lord to perform a certain part in fulfilment of the prophecy without their being aware that they are so used. Then, after progress in the fulfilment of the prophecy, God makes it known to them. By faith the true Christian goes on doing what he can in harmony with God’s will, and then the Lord shows him how he has been used by the Lord. Evidently the Lord does this for the purpose of encouraging the Christian and increasing his faith.

Interpretation of prophecy has been written time and again by men, and many have believed such interpretation to be true. Afterward, when they found out that the interpretation was not true, many have become discouraged and have turned away from the study of God’s Word. This is a great mistake. If we always keep in mind that the truth is God’s and not man’s, and that no man can interpret prophecy, but that the true follower of the Lord can see it after it is fulfilled, then the student will be less liable to become discouraged. He will then be giving all honor and glory to Jehovah and not to any man. Jehovah never makes any mistakes. Where the student relies upon man, he is certain to be led into difficulties. When he relies upon the Lord, he will be kept in perfect peace. The promise of Isaiah’s prophecy, chapter twenty-six, verse three, is: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Jesus Christ, the great Prophet of God, prophesied that he would come again. The fulfilment of that prophecy is one of the outstanding parts of the divine purposes. Having arranged for others to be taken into the ‘covenant with Jehovah God by sacrifice’ and ultimately into the kingdom, the Lord at his second coming would be expected to first do some special work in behalf of those. They must have the truth restored to them to be enabled to discern the invisible presence of the Lord and to do the will of God. They must have a knowledge of the Scriptures in order to be thoroughly furnished and prepared for the work the Lord would have them to do. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) When the Lord organized the church he provided that those who are apt to teach would communicate what they had learned to others who desired to know the truth, and thereby the members of the church would be used to aid one another. Such ministry God committed to the faithful followers of Christ Jesus. Of course the enemy would attempt to prevent this and to turn the minds of all away from God.

During the “dark ages” Satan used the clergy especially to blind the others, and the result was that by far the greater number were unfaithful to what they did know and became blind to all the truth. There were some who were true and faithful. The dishonest ones were used by Satan to blind many. The dishonest clergymen or teachers in the church magnified themselves and other men, and hid from the eyes of the people an understanding of Jehovah God and the Lord Jesus Christ. In this way Satan used them as his instruments. God’s due time came to send Christ Jesus, that refreshing times might begin for his faithful people. As the honest ones would be refreshed by the truth, they would be used by the Lord to aid others in teaching them the truth and preparing them to discern the second presence of the Lord and his kingdom. Such a ministry of truth was given to the apostles, and all honest followers of Christ Jesus since have had some opportunity to do something to enlighten others. To continue pleasing to the Lord they must be honest and preach God’s truth, and particularly his means of salvation by Christ Jesus.

In this respect note the apostle’s argument written in his second letter to the Corinthians, chapter four, verses one to seven; it reads: “Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel [the message of truth] be hid, it is hid to them that are lost [perishing]; in whom the god of this world [Satan the enemy] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” It follows, then, that the first essential to understanding the truth when restored to the church would be honesty. In order to remain in the truth and advance with the light of the Lord’s presence, honor and glory must be given to God and not to man. This would be a preparatory work.

Jehovah, through his prophet Malachi (3:1), foretold this very work of preparing the way, saying: “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.” Christ Jesus the great Prophet, God’s authoritative spokesman, is the great “messenger” who is sent to execute this order of Jehovah. This order is designated in the Scriptures as ‘preparing the way before Jehovah’. This work of preparing the way before Jehovah God would consist of restoring the fundamental truths, and bringing the honest seekers for truth together for the study of the Word of God and for instruction and aid to them in building one another up in the most holy faith. Undoubtedly this is the work concerning which Jesus prophesied when he said that ‘Elijah must first come, and restore all things’. Elijah the prophet did a prophetic work of restoring to Israel a knowledge of God, thus foretelling a work which Christ Jesus would do and in which the faithful members of his body, which is the true church, would have some part.

That work of restoration, foreshadowed by Elijah’s work, began approximately in A. D. eighteen hundred and seventy-eight, and continued until nineteen hundred and eighteen. During that period of time the good news of the second coming of the Lord, the philosophy of the great ransom sacrifice, the mystery of Christ, and the final destiny of humankind, were especially taught amongst the truth-seeking people of the earth. That period of time was a time of understanding these great truths as they had never before been understood. To be sure, the vision of the truth continued to increase from the beginning of that period onward. However, in that period of time much of the truth was not revealed, because it was not God’s due time.

That which was revealed was an understanding of the ten fundamental truths of God’s purpose of salvation. An understanding of the prophecies that had been fulfilled was also given to the church; but of course those prophecies that had not been fulfilled or that were not in course of fulfilment could not be understood, because it was not God’s due time. On this wise the work of preparing the way before the Lord took place during the parousia of Christ Jesus, this word parousia being the original Greek word which the New Testament writers used and which means ‘ ‘ presence ’ ’, that is to say, the second presence of the Lord. Thus, too, this work of preparing the way took place before the Lord’s epiphaneia, this word epiphaneia being the Greek New Testament word meaning “shining forth” or “shining upon”, that is to say, the invisible second presence of the Lord shining forth with greatly increased light and shining upon the minds and understanding of Christ’s faithful followers on earth who were watching for the evidences of his return.

Referring again to the afore-quoted prophecy of Malachi, it is easily seen that when the Messenger of Jehovah would finish the work of preparing the way before Jehovah, then something else would be due to come to pass, and that something else is stated in these words: “And [then] the Lord [Jesus Christ], whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.” Up to the year nineteen hundred and eighteen the faithful Christians on earth were especially looking for the Lord to end the work of the true church on earth and to take them all away to heavenly glory. After that year they began to get a better understanding of God’s purposes; and the reason for this was that at that time the Lord came “suddenly” or straightway to his temple, in fulfilment of the prophecy of Malachi.

To appreciate the actual fact and significance of this it now becomes necessary to understand what the Scriptures mean by the expression ‘the temple of God’ and also the expression ‘the Lord’s coming to his temple’.

TRUE LINE OF THE GREAT KING

JEHOVAH GOD is the great “King of eternity” (Jer. 10:10, margin), the supreme Ruler and authority of the universe. His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus, is the One whom he has anointed to be the King in the kingdom for which for centuries the prayer has been raised to God: “Thy kingdom come.” The pages of the Scriptures are all aglow with the promises of the coming and activities and deeds of Jehovah’s anointed King. By divine decree Jehovah God limited the descent of this King, as far as his earthly connections were concerned, from the patriarch Abraham and through the house of Abraham’s great grandson Judah and through the royal house of the faithful ruler David. To David the Lord God said: “Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. ’ ’—Ps. 89: 4.

The Lord God did not permit David to build the temple in Jerusalem, because he was a man of war and had shed blood. But David was always faithful to God, and because of that faithfulness God subsequently favored one of David’s descendants, as it is written in the first book of the Kings, chapter fifteen, verse five: “Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.”

David, toward the close of his reign, assembled the people of his realm to tell them about the house of the Lord, or the temple, which he had intended to build. The sacred record (1 Chron. 28:2-7) reads: “ThenDavid the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: but God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler: and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me, to make me king over all Israel: and of all my sons (for the Lord hath given me many sons) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. And he said unto me, Solomon, thy son, he shall build my house and my courts; for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. Moreover, I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.”

Then David, as the anointed of the Lord and therefore as the mouthpiece of the Lord, said unto Solomon his son, who had been selected to rule over Israel: “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.”—1 Chron. 28:9.

The reign of Solomon was marked with peace. His wisdom and riches exceeded those of any other man of his time. Other nations came and paid him homage and tribute. But the wily enemy Satan was not idle. He found a way to overreach the wise ruler. It seems quite evident that woman is an easy instrument in the hands of the Devil. He used Eve to cause trouble in Eden. Ascertaining the peculiar weakness of Solomon, the enemy Satan surrounded him with a company of attractive women. The daughter of Pharaoh of Egypt, one of the Devil’s representatives, became Solomon’s wife. Besides this woman he had other heathen wives, to the number of seven hundred. These women, who were devil worshipers, were used by the Devil to turn Solomon’s mind away from the great Jehovah God. Solomon became an idolater and worshiped the Devil and lost the great opportunity that was set before him.

Concerning the deflection of King Solomon, and the withdrawal from him of the right to the promise of God, it is written: “But king Solomon loved many strange women, (together with the daughter of Pharoah,) women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

“And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem; and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense, and sacrificed unto their gods. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded. Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, which I have chosen. ’ ’—1 Ki. 11:1-13.

Probably Satan thought he had won the victory by overreaching this wise ruler of Israel to whom the promise of God had been made. But not so. Jehovah cannot be defeated. He held the tribe of Judah in his hand to use according to his purpose. It is written concerning David and his sons: “And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon.” (2 Sam. 5:14) His son Nathan, therefore, became the line through which the promised seed came.

Amongst the Jews a barren woman was a reproach, because the Jews were in expectancy of the birth of a son who would be the king of their nation and who would drive out their enemies and deliver them into full freedom. Prophetically Isaiah had written of such a king and his power these words: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” —Isa. 9:6.

In the city of Nazareth in the land of Galilee there dwelt a virgin named Mary. She was a direct descendant of Nathan, one of the sons of David, and she was therefore of the house of David and of the tribe of Judah. At the time she was espoused to Joseph, who was also of the tribe of Judah, of the house of David, and a descendant of Solomon. Unto this humble Hebrew woman the Lord God sent his angel Gabriel. The record in Luke’s gospel, chapter one, verses twentyeight to thirty-five, inclusive, reads: “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The holy spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

Satan, having access to heaven, and watching the movements of the righteous messengers of God, would be on the alert to learn anything concerning the ‘seed of promise’. He must have known of this mighty angel’s coming from the courts of heaven to visit the virgin of Galilee. He must have heard the announcement to her that she was to conceive and give birth to a son and that this son would be the ‘seed of promise’ which in due time would destroy the Devil and his works. In keeping with his wickedness Satan began to lay his plans to have the babe destroyed. Mark the subtle and wicked way that he went about it.

Under the Jewish law a woman guilty of adultery was subject to be stoned to death. (Lev. 20:10) Being espoused to Joseph, Mary was, according to the Jewish arrangement, then to all intents and purposes his wife and subject to the law. Satan sought to have Joseph make a public exhibition of her, which would have meant that she would have been publicly executed; and by this being done the unborn child would have been killed. But the Lord God thwarted Satan’s purposes. Joseph, being a just man, had no desire to make a public example of Mary by having her brought before the executioners and stoned to death, but had determined in his own mind to privately rid himself of her.

To this effect the Apostle Matthew’s account, chapter one, verses eighteen to twenty-one, inclusive, states: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the holy spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the holy spirit. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

In due time the holy child was born, and thus Jehovah God vindicated his word that the Savior and Deliverer should be born into this world to the glory of the Most High God.

RESTORATION FORETOLD

PROPHECY means the foretelling of events that are to come to pass, before they do take place. Prophecy can be understood and properly interpreted after its fulfilment, or when in course of fulfilment.

Prophecy contained in the Word of God was written by holy men of old as they were moved upon by the invisible power of Jehovah. Moses, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and like men, were used by the Almighty God to prophesy and make record thereof for the benefit of the people who might be on earth at the time of the fulfilment of these prophetic utterances. When prophecy is fulfilled, we describe the facts of its fulfilment as physical facts.

As an illustration, Daniel prophesied that in the last days there would be great running to and fro and a great increase of knowledge.

The proof herein submitted, in support of the conclusions that shall be stated, is based upon prophecy written by holy men of old, as recorded in the Holy Scriptures, and upon the physical facts in fulfilment.

After the death* of Solomon there was a rebellion of ten tribes of Israel, who formed the kingdom in the north part of Palestine, with Jeroboam as their king. These were called Israelites, while those remaining loyal to Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, were called the house of Judah. The northern kingdom was the first to fall into the hands of the Assyrians. Later the house of Judah was carried away captive to Babylon.

At the end of the period of seventy years, Cyrus, the king of Persia, under the direction of Jehovah, issued a proclamation in which it is stated: “The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (he is the God), which is in Jerusalem. Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.”—Ezra 1:2, 3, 5.

Thus it is shown that all the natural descendants of Jacob who had faith in God and in his promises exercised that faith by returning to Jerusalem. They were thereafter recognized under the general name of Israelites. Many of those who returned were from the various tribes, but the major portion of them were from the tribe of Judah. Therefore all were properly called Jews, because of their faith in God’s promises prophetically uttered concerning the tribe of Judah.

Some erroneously contend that the Anglo-Saxon people, those who make up the population of Great Britain and the United States, are the offspring of the ten tribes of Israel who did hot return; and that these are the favored ones of God. Such a contention is not supported by any scripture nor by any reasonable facts. Those who did not return under the decree of Cyrus automatically severed themselves from God’s people because of their lack of faith.

The Anglo-Saxons do not have faith in the promises of God, particularly that promise made concerning the regathering of the people under Shiloh. Even though it should be found that the major portion of the ten tribes go to make up the population of the Anglo-Saxon countries, they could not be the chosen people of God, because of severing their allegiance from his people and because of their lack of faith in his Word. All of the ten tribes who forsook the promise of God automatically made themselves Gentiles.

“The house of Israel” became the national name of the ten tribes collectively. This name was later applied to all those who returned from captivity. “The house of Judah” is applied to all those who are the natural descendants of Judah and who have faith in the promises made concerning his tribe. Since the blessings are to come to the entire house of Israel through the seed of the tribe of Judah, all Israelites who have faith in God’s promise made concerning the Deliverer are properly called “Jews”. It will be found that the Scriptures definitely teach that salvation is of the Jews, because it is from the tribe of Judah that Shiloh the Messiah comes, he who shall be the Savior and Deliverer of mankind, first of the Jews, and thereafter of the Gentiles. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Without faith in Jehovah and in his Word no one will ever receive a blessing at his hand.

God is the Creator of the earth. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.” (Ps. 24:1) God promised to restore Palestine to the Jews. The rebuilding of Palestine is now beginning and is well under way. This is being done clearly in fulfilment of prophecy uttered as promises from Jehovah. This alone should command not only the respectful attention but the profoundest interest of every one who believes that Jehovah is God.

It was the great Jehovah, speaking through men who had faith in him, that foretold what we now see traiu spiring concerning Palestine. The privilege of living on earth at the time of the fulfilment of these prophecies cannot be overestimated. At once the Jew comes into prominence, and the history of the Jewish people becomes more thrilling than any fiction ever written.

Because the promises of God are not always fulfilled at the time when men think they should be fulfilled, many lose faith in his promises made. Let each one settle it in his mind for all time that when God Almighty makes a promise that promise is absolutely certain of fulfilment in God’s due time. Speaking through his prophet the Lord God says:

“I am the Lord, I change not. . . . Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Mal. 3: 6, 7) “For I am God, . . . and there is none like me. . . . My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. ... I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass.” (Isa. 46: 9-11) ‘‘So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void; but it shall accomplish that which 1 please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it.” —Isa. 55: 11.

Of all the peoples of the world the Jews have the greatest reason for faith in Jehovah God and his Word. No other people were ever favored as were the Jews. God gave them an opportunity to magnify his name. All who magnify and honor the name of Jehovah God, he honors. God will now make a name for himself in the earth. Let all the peoples, particularly the Jews, take heed.

There dwelt in the land of Ur of the Chaldees a man by the name of Terah, with his son Abram. Terah took his son and his daughter-in-law and journeyed to Haran. When Abram was seventy-five years old, and while residing in Mesopotamia, God said to him: ‘ ‘ Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”—Gen. 12: 1-3.

Not many generations had passed from the time of the creation of man. Moses afterward recorded that God created Adam, the first man, perfect, and gave him authority to multiply and fill the earth. Abram must have learned from his forefathers that Adam was made a perfect man and that for the disobedience of God’s law Adam was justly sentenced to death. He would understand that the children of Adam were begotten after this sentence and therefore, in harmony with David’s statement, were born in sin and shapen in iniquity.

Abram knew that men had been dying and that the death of his forefathers was due to the sin of Adam. He must have understood the promise that God made unto him to mean that at some time and in some way God would provide a means for redeeming man from death and for the restoration to perfection of all who would obey the Lord’s righteous laws.

Abram must have understood that in some manner he would be connected with this blessing of the people, because God promised as much. Abram had faith in God’s promise, and that pleased the Lord. Later God promised Abram to give him the land and make him the father of many nations.

International Bible Students Association

SERVICE APPOINTMENTS

Nashville, Tenn. —Sept. 1,2

Knoxville, Tenn........."

Chattanooga, Tenn. _ ”

Decatur, Ala........... ”

Birmingham, Ala.

Wallaceburg, Ont.....Sept.

Windsor, Ont..........."

Leamington, Ont. ____”

Chatham, Ont. _______”

Columbus, Miss. ..—Sept. 13,14

Summit, Miss. __________”

Hammond, La. ______”

New Orleans, La.___”

Fordyce, Ark, _____”

Sarnia, Ont.............Sept.

London, Ont______________”

St. Thomas, Ont. ________”

Woodstock, Ont. _______”

Freeport, Ill. ____—Sept.

Ashton, Ill. —

Peru, Ill”

LaSalle, Ill.

Kewanee, Ill.

Atlanta, 111

Springfield, Ill.

Taylorville, Ill

Springer, N. Mex.....Sept 4

Taos, N. Mex............."

Albuquerque, N. Mex. ”

Amarillo, Tex.............”

Chickasha, Okla. _______’’

N. Battleford, Sask. Sept. 3-6

Wilkie, Sask

Biggar, Sask.............’•

Kerrobert, Sask.........” 14-16

Robinson, Hl. ——Sept 16

Belmont, Ill...............”

Patoka, Ill.............— "

Jacksonville, Ill.____”

White Hall, Ill. ______”

Knoxville, Ill. ___________”

Moline, Ill...............”

Iowa City, Iowa ------”  29, 30

Oklahoma City, Okla. Sept. 16-20

Denison, Tex.............”  21, 22

Fort Worth, Tex. ____”

Austin, Tex.............’’  29, 30

Bastrop, Tex. _________Oct.

Hayter, Alta...........Sept.

Monitor, Alta. ___________”

Coronation, Alta.........”

Alliance, Alta. _________”

Cardington, Ohio ....Sept.

Fredericktown, Ohio  ”

Mansfield, Ohio _________”

Ashland, Ohio -..    ”

Gallon, Ohio _____________”

Findlay, Ohio ___________"

Tiffin, Ohio _____________Sept. 13,14

Fremont, Ohio __________’’

Fort Wayne, xnd-. ...... "

Toledo, Ohio ______________"

Kunkle, Ohio ____________”

Adrian. Mich. ___________”

Windsor, Ont.........Sept.

Leamington, Ont.........”

Chatham, Ont. ___________”

Sarnia, Ont...............”

London, Ont.............Sept.

St. Thomas, Ont........."

Kinglake, Ont...........”

Woodstock, Ont.......  ”

Melrose, Man...........Sept.

Kenora, Ont...............^A

Marchand, Man. _______”

Badger, Man. ___________”

Granville, N. X

Ft. Ticonderoga, N. Y. ” Schenectady, N. Y

Amsterdam, N. Y

Johnstown, N. Y

Gloversville, N. Y. — ” Fort Plain, N.Y

Utica, N.Y.

Rome, N.Y.

S. Junction, Man. .. Sept. 21-23 Rainy River, Ont......." 24-28

Ft. Frances, Ont. Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Dominion City, Man. Oct. 3-5

HERR Oneida, N. Y...........Sept. 15

Syracuse, N. Y. ________’’

Cortland, N. Y.........”

Ithaca, N. Y...............”  21, 22

Eh.iira, N.Y...............”

Auburn, N.Y. __________”

Newark, N.Y. __________”

Rochester. N. Y. ........”  29, 30

Batavia, N.Y. _____Oct.

W. J.

Harrisburg, Pa.........Sept. 3, 4

Pottsville, Pa.................”

Maryd, Pa...................”

Hazleton, Pa...........”

Reading, Pa..............."

Chester, Pa............_... ’’ 15,16

Wilmington, Del. ______”

Camden, N.J. ___________”

THORN

Merchantville, N. J. Sept.	22
Woodbury, N. J.........”	23
Riverside, N. J...........”	25
Roebling, N.J............	26
Trenton, N. J.............”	27
Vineland. N.J..........."	28
Woodbine, N. J.........”	29
Yorktown, N. J. __________"	30

A. H. MACMILLAN