10
1
10
download/literature/watchtower/1916-2.pdf
../literature/watchtower/1916/2/1916-2-1.html
(14-19)
THE
WATCH
TOWER
BROOKI,YN.
N.
Y.
divine
power
and
made
their
message
the
more
impressive.
The
essence
of
the
preaching
was
that
Jesus
who
had
been
crucified,
had
risen
from
the
dead
and
had
now
shed
forth
this
miraculous
power
upon
his
followers.
This
led
to
the
mention
of
the
prophecy
of
David
which
foretold
the
resur
rection
of
Messiah,
saying,
"Thou
wilt
not
leave
my
soul
in
Sheol"-Hades.
(Psalm
16:10;
Acts
2:27)
The
apostles
pointed
out
that
this
was
fulfilled
in
Jesus,
in
that
God
raised
him
from
the
dead;
but
that
it
was
never
fulfilled
in
the
Prophet
David,
who
on
the
contrary
was
still
dead
in
his
sepulchre,
awaiting
resurrection.
David,
as
a
prophet,
had
merely
foretold
the
resurrection
of
Jesus.
With
the
various
details
the
preaching
went
on,
explain
ing
the
righteousness
of
Jesus,
the
beauties
of
his
teaching,
the
wickedness
of
those
who
had
crucified
him
without
a
cause,
and
showing
how
the
entire
Jewish
nation
was
guilty
before
&od,
because
as
a
people
they
were
bound
by
their
Law
Covenant
and
the
action
of
their
officials
had
brought
condemnation
and
guilt
upon
the
whole
people.
Three
thousand
believed.
The
case
was
so
plain
that
they
were
pricked
to
the
heart-they
realized
that
Jesus
was
the
Son
of
God,
and
that
a
great
crime
had
been
committed
in
crucifying
him.
With
fear
and
sorrow
they
cried
out,
"What
shall
we
do
1"
The
answer
was,
"Re
pent"-God
is
gracious;
He
will
forgive
you.
In
further
ex
planation,
they
were
told
that
they
and
their
rulers
had
done
this
wicked
deed
in
ignorance,
and
that
God
would
very
gra
ciously
forgive
those
who
would
acknowledge
their
sin
and
call
upon
him
for
forgiveness.
They
did
so;
they
made
a
conse
cration
of
their
lives
to
God,
and
became
followers
of
Jesus.
DIVINE
FAVOR
ABOUT
TO
RETURN
TO
ISRAEL
The
Bible
declares
that
the
Jewish
people,
because
of
their
rejection
of
Messiah,
were
cut
off
from
God's
favor.
Never
theless
the
time
is
at
hand
when
they
shall
be
brought
back
again
to
the
favor
of
God.
Their
eyes
have
been
holden
for
more
than
eighteen
centuries
now,
as
are
the
eyes
of
the
world
in
general.
Only
the
few
have
the
eyes
of
their
understanding
open
to
see
the
truth
respecting
these
matters.
St.
Paul
avers
this,
saying,
"The
god
of
this
world
hath
blinded
the
minds
of
them
that
believe
not."-2
Corinthians
4:
4.
But
through
the
Prophet,
God
has
assured
us
that
in
due
time
all
the
blind
eyes
will
be
opened
and
all
the
deaf
ears
will
be
unstopped.
(Isaiah
35:5)
To
the
Jew
first,
and
also
to
the
Gentile,
will
eventually
come
a
full
knowledge
of
the
grace
of
God
through
Christ.
It
will
then
be
for
them
to
ac
cept
or
reject
intelligently.
The
rejectors
will
be
wicked
in
a
sense
that
none
of
the
world
are
wicked
now,
because
their
wrong-doings
are
largely
based
upon
ignorance
and
supersti
tion.
When
brought
to
the
full
light,
their
crisis,
or
judgment,
will
be
to
everlasting
life
if
they
accept
and
obey
the
Lord,
or
to
everlasting
death
if
they
sin
against
and
wilfully
re
ject
the
light
and
opportunities
of
that
blessed
Millennial
day.
Respecting
the
Jews
in
that
coming
time,
it
is
written
that
they
shall
look
upon
him
whom
they
pierced,
and
mourn
be
cause
of
him;
and
that
the
Lord
at
that
time
will
pour
upon
them
the
spirit
of
prayer
and
of
supplication.
(Zechariah
12
:8-10)
But
that
return
of
God's
favor
to
natural
Israel
will
not
come
until
spiritual
Israel
shall
first
have
been
com
pleted.
Bible
students
believe
that
we
are
now
at
the
dawning
of
the
new
dilfpensation,
that
the
church
class
will
soon
be
completed
and
glorified
with
the
Savior
in
his
kingdom,
and
that
then,
forthwith,
God's
mercy
will
begin
to
operate
toward
the
Jews
again.
This
seems
to
be
the
clear
teaching
of
St.
Paul
in
Romans
11
:25-32.
THE
OURSE
TO
BE
BOLLED
AWAY
Another
item
of
special
importance
in
the
lesson
is
that
the
Hell
to
which
Jesus
went
was
not
hell-fire,
but
the
grave,
the
state
of
death.
God
did
not
raise
him
up
from
the
fire,
but
raised
him
from
Lde
dead.
We
are
to
remember
that
the
same
word-hell,
sheol,
hades-is
used
in
the
Bible
respecting
all
mankind.
All
the
good
and
the
bad-old
and
young,
male
and
female,
of
every
nation-go
down
to
the
Bible
hell;
and
according
to
the
Bible
they
sleep
there,
awaiting
the
resurrec
tion
morning
and
the
awakening
of
all
the
dead-"every
man
in
his
own
order"-not
all
at
once.-l
Corinthians
15:23.
The
Bible
represents
that
we
are
now
in
a
night
time,
in
which
Satan
is
"the
prince
of
this
world,"
and
sin
and
death
reign.
But
it
pictures
the
new
dispensation
of
Messiah's
king
dom
as
the
glorious
dawning
of
the
new
day
of
blessing
for
mankind,
in
which
the
curse
of
sin
and
death
will
be
rolled
away
and
the
blessing
of
the
Lord
through
Messiah's
Kingdom
will
extend
to
every
member
of
the
race,
giving
all
an
oppor
tunity
for
eternal
life.
This
will
not
be
the
same
opportunity
that
is
granted
to
the
church
at
the
present
time-not
an
op
portunity
for
glory,
honor
and
immortality
on
the
spirit
plane,
as
the
church
nave-but
an
opportunity
of
returning
to
human
perfection,
to
all
that
was
lost
in
Eden
and
redeemed
at
Cal
vary.
Here
we
note
the
beauty
of
the
21st
verse-our
Golden
Text.
The
death
of
Jesus
guarantees
that
all
who
will
call
upon
the
Lord
in
sincerity
of
heart
will
be
saved
from
sin
and
death.
It
guarantees
that
all
shall
be
brought
to
the
condi
tion
where
they
will
understand
sufficiently
to
desire
to
call
for
this
blessing.
The
heathen,
the
majority
of
people
of
civilized
lands,
and
the
Jews,
have
no
such
hearing
ears
now.
Only
the
few
out
of
every
nation
have
yet
received
this
great
bless
ing.
Only
these,
brought
back
into
relationship
with
God,
have
yet
been
rescued
from
their
alienated
condition;
and
they
are
to
be
ultimately
saved
in
the
first
resurrection,
to
glory,
honor,
immortality
and
a
share
in
the
kingdom
of
Messiah.
Through
these,
ultimately
the
blessing
of
light
and
knowledge
and
up
lifting
influences
will
reach
every
member
of
the
race,
to
af
ford
all
an
opportunity
for
life
everlasting
in
a
world-wide
Eden.
OASTLES
Let
them
that
would
build
castles
in
the
aiT,
Vault
thither,
without
step
or
stair;
Instead
of
feet
to
climb,
take
wings
to
fly,
And
think
their
turrets
top
the
sky.
But
let
me
lay
all
my
foundatiollB
deep,
And
learn,
before
I
run,
to
creep.
Who
digs
through
rocks
to
lay
his
ground-works
low,
May
in
good
time
build
high
and
sure,
though
slow.
CHRISTOPHER
HARVEY.
VOL.
XXXVII
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.,
JANUARY
15,
1916
"LORD.
TEACH
US
TO
PRAY"
"Pray
without
ceasing;
i.n
everything
give
thanks."-l
Thessalonians
5:
17,
18.
No.2
In
the
beginning,
when
Adam
was
in
harmony
with
God,
he
was
in
the
condition
represented
in
the
Scriptures
as
cove
nant
relationship
with
God.
The
Word
declares
that
Adam
broke
this
holy
covenant.
(Hosea
6:
7,
margin)
He
became
II.
sinner;
and
his
children,
born
later,
were
sinners
with
him,
through
heredity.
Instead
of
being
born
in
covenant
relation
ship
wi,th
God,
the
children
of
Adam
were
born
aliens.
Hut
God
has
had
dealings
with
a
few
who
exeroised
special
faith
and
a
desire
to
come
into
harmony
with
him.
Abel,
the
second
son
of
Adam,
wrus
one
of
these.
He
approached
God
with
an
animal
sacrifice
and
was
accepted.
Enoch
and
Noah
also
came
into
a
condition
of
fellowship
with
the
Lord
by
faith,
even
though
they
were
still
legally
under
the
con
demnation
passed
upon
Adam,
the
ransom-price
not
yet
having
been
given.
Later
on,
God
entered
into
covenant
relatiom,hip
with
Abraham,
because
of
his
great
faith
and
obedience;
and
after
wards
with
his
son
Isaac;
then
with
his
grandson
Jacob.
Still
later,
God
entered
into
relationship
with
the
seed
of
Jacoh,
under
the
Law
Covenant
at
Sinai.
The
Lord
had
changed
the
name
of
Jacob
to
Israel-ua
prince
with
God"
(Genesis
32:
24-30);
and
the
whole
nation
of
Israel,
the
de
scendants
of
Jacob,
were
received
as
God's
people,
and
were
treated
as
if
without
sin.
They
had
the
privilege
of
going
to
him
in
prayer.
But
the
sins
of
the
Jewish
nation
were
only
typically
blotted
out
from
year
to
year.
The
blood
of
bulls
and
goats
could
never
really
take
away
sin,
and
the
Jews
held
only
the
relationship
of
servants
to
God.
The
Gentiles
were
altogether
without
God.
They
had
no
privilege
of
prayer.
We
come
down
to
the
beginning
of
the
Gospel
age
and
to
the
case
of
Cornelius.
We
read
that
he
was
a
just
man,
who
gave
much
alms
to
the
people
and
prayed
always.
But
his
prayel"8
could
not
be
accepted,
even
after
Jesus
died.
The
death
of
Jesus
did
not
bring
Cornelius
into
covenant
relationship
with
God.
But
when
the
seventy
symbolic
weeks
of
Jewish
favor
had
been
fulfilled,
the
due
time
had
come
for
the
Gospel
to
go
to
the
Gentiles.
God
was
then
ready
to
reecive
him,
and
he
sent
an
angel
to
him,
who
gave
him
this
message
from
the
Lord:
"Cornelius,
thy
prayel"8
and
thine
alms
have
come
up
for
a
memorial
before
God."
The
prayers
and
the
alms
of
Cornelius
had
risen
up
as
an
incense
before
the
Lord.
[5832]
(14-19) divine power and made their message the more impressive. The essence of the preaching was that Jesus who had been crucified, had risen from the dead and had now shed forth this miraculous power upon his followers. ‘This led to the mention of the prophecy of David which foretold the resurrection of Messiah, saying, “Thou wilt not leave my soul in Sheol”’—Hades. (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27) The apostles pointed out that this was fulfilled in Jesus, in that God raised him from the dead; but that it was never fulfilled in the Prophet David, who on the contrary was still dead in his sepulchre, awaiting resurrection. David, as a prophet, had merely foretold the resurrection of Jesus. With the various details the preaching went on, explaining the righteousness of Jesus, the beauties of his teaching, the wickedness of those who had crucified him without a cause, and showing how the entire Jewish nation was guilty before God, because as a people they were bound by their Law Covenant and the action of their officials had brought condemnation and guilt upon the whole people. Three thousand believed. ‘he case was so plain that they were pricked to the heart—they realized that Jesus was the Son of God, and that a great crime had been committed in crucifying him. With fear and sorrow they cried out, “What shall we do?” The answer was, ‘Repent”—God is gracious; He will forgive you. In further explanation, they were told that they and their rulers had done this wicked deed in ignorance, and that God would very graciously forgive those who would acknowledge their sin and call upon him for forgiveness, They did so; they made a consecration of their lives to God, and became followers of Jesus. DIVINE FAVOR ABOUT TO RETURN TO ISRAEL The Bible declares that the Jewish people, because of their rejection of Messiah, were cut off from God’s favor. Nevertheless the time is at hand when they shall be brought back again to the favor of God. Their eyes have been holden for more than eighteen centuries now, as are the eyes of the world in general. Only the few have the eyes of their understanding open to see the truth respecting these matters. St. Paul avers this, saying, “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not.”—2 Corinthians 4:4. But through the Prophet, God has assured us that in due time all the blind eyes will be opened and all the deaf ears will be unstopped. (Isaiah 35:5) To the Jew first, and also to the Gentile, will eventually come a full knowledge of the grace of God through Christ. It will then be for them to accept or reject intelligently. The rejectors will be wicked in a sense that none of the world are wicked now, because their wrong-doings are largely based upon ignorance and superstition. When brought to the full light, their crisis, or judgment, will be to everlasting life if they accept and obey the Lord, or to everlasting death if they sin against and wilfully reject the light and opportunities of that blessed Millennial day. TRespecting the Jews in that coming time, it is written that they shall look upon him whom they pierced, and mourn because of him; and that the Lord at that time will pour upon them the spirit of prayer and of supplication. (Zechariah 12:8-10) But that return of God’s favor to natural Israel Vou. XXXVII THE WATCH TOWER BROOKLYN, N. Y., JANUARY 15, 1916 Brooxiyn, N. Y. will not come until spiritual Israel] shall first have been completed. Bible students believe that we are now at the dawning of the new dispensation, that the church class will soon be completed and glorified with the Savior in his kingdom, and that then, forthwith, God’s mercy will begin to operate toward the Jews again. This seems to be the clear teaching of St. Paul in Romans 11:25-32. THE COURSE TO BE ROLLED AWAY Another item of special importance in the lesson is that the Hell to which Jesus went was not hell-fire, but the grave, the state of death. God did not raise him up from the fire, but raised him from ise dead. We are to remember that the same word—hell, sheol, hades—is used in the Bible respecting all mankind. All the good and the bad-—old and young, male and female, of every nation—go down to the Bible hell; and according to the Bible they sleep there, awaiting the resurrection morning and the awakening of all the dead—“every man in his own order’—not all at once.—1 Corinthians 15:23. The Bible represents that we are now in a night time, in which Satan is “the prince of this world,” and sin and death reign. But it pictures the new dispensation of Messiah’s kingdom as the glorious dawning of the new day of blessing for mankind, in which the curse of sin and death will be rolled away and the blessing of the Lord through Messiah’s Kingdom will extend to every member of the race, giving all an opportunity for eternal life. This will not be the same opportunity that is granted to the church at the present time—not an opportunity for glory, honor and immortality on the spirit plane, as the church have—but an opportunity of returning to human perfection, to all that was lost in Eden and redeemed at Calvary. Here we note the beauty of the 2lst verse—-our Golden Text. The death of Jesus guarantees that all who will call upon the Lord in sincerity of heart will be saved from sin and death. It guarantees that all shall be brought to the condition where they will understand sufficiently to desire to call for this blessing. The heathen, the majority of people of civilized lands, and the Jews, have no such hearing ears now. Only the few out of every nation have yet received this great blessing. Only these, brought back into relationship with God, have yet been rescued from their alienated condition; and they are to be ultimately saved in the first resurrection, to glory, honor, immortality and a share in the kingdom of Messiah. Through these, ultimately the blessing of light and knowledge and uplifting influences will reach every member of the race, to afford all an opportunity for life everlasting in a world-wide Eden. CASTLES Let them that would build castles in the air, Vault thither, without step or stair; Instead of feet to climb, take wings to fly, And think their turrets top the sky. But let me lay all my foundations deep, And learn, before I run, to creep. Who digs through rocks to lay his ground-works low, May in good time build high and sure, though slow. CHRISTOPHER HARVEY. No. 2 “LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY” “Pray without ceasing ; in everything give thanks.’—1 Thessalonians 5:17, 18. In the beginning, when Adam was in harmony with God, he was in the condition represented in the Scriptures as covenant relationship with God. The Word declares that Adam broke this holy covenant. (Hosea 6:7, margin) He became a sinner; and his children, born later, were sinners with him, through heredity. Instead of being born in covenant relationship with God, the children of Adam were born aliens, But God has had dealings with a few who exercised special faith and a desire to come into harmony with him. Abel, the second son of Adam, was one of these. He approached God with an animal sacrifice and was accepted. Enoch and Noah also came into a condition of fellowship with the Lord by faith, even though they were still legally under the condemnation passed upon Adam, the ransom-price not yet having been given. Later on, God entered into covenant relationship with Abraham, because of his great faith and obedience; and afterwards with his son Isaac; then with his grandson Jacob. Still later, God entered into relationship with the seed of Jacob, under the Law Covenant at Sinai. ‘The Lord had changed the name of Jacob to Israel—‘a prince with God” (Genesis 32:24-30); and the whole nation of Israel, the descendants of Jacob, were received as God’s people, and were treated as if without sin. They had the privilege of going to him in prayer. But the sins of the Jewish nation were only typically blotted out from year to year. The blood of bulls and goats could never really take away sin, and the Jews held only the relationship of servants to God. The Gentiles were altogether without God. They had no privilege of prayer. We come down to the beginning of the Gospel age and to the case of Cornelius. We read that he was a just man, who gave much alms to the people and prayed always. But his prayers could not be accepted, even after Jesus died. The death of Jesus did not bring Cornelius into covenant relationship with God. But when the seventy symbolic weeks of Jewish favor had been fulfilled, the due time had come for the Gospel to go to the Gentiles. God was then ready to reecive him, and he sent an angel to him, who gave him this message from the Lord: “Cornelius, thy prayers and thine alms have come up for a memorial before God.” The prayers and the alms of Cornelius had risen up as an incense before the Lord. [5832]
To enhance your experience on our website, we use cookies and similar technologies. Some cookies are essential for the core functionality of our site and cannot be declined. You can choose to accept or decline additional cookies. We want to assure you that none of this data will be sold or used for marketing purposes. You can adjust your preferences at any time by accessing the Privacy Settings from the footer of the page. For more information, please refer to our
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
.
